LadyCas95

I’m using a 20/20/20 water soluble fertilizer along with fish emulsion once a week. Is this ok?Should I been using granules as well?

edwmax

The problem with the water soluble fertilizer when applied to the ground is that it can be washed away during heavy rains or irrigation. Thus resulting in wasted $$$$. Granule regular fertilizer is formulated to dissolve slowly over time. ... However if the plants are in containers then soluble fertilizer can be applied as fertigation though the irrigation system. The lost cost of fertilizer (runoff) is off set by the reduced cost of labor & equipment to apply granular types.


Look at the forum wiki for info about type of fertilizer used for bananas.

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cincinnana

Your good.....
I use a generic water soluble similar to yours.
I use triple 19 granular for landscape plants and containers also.
But there are conditions...

A Youtube search can help you with your decision on what to use on your plant too.

What type of plant and what size are you speaking of?

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LadyCas95

Supposedly it’s an ice cream banana it’s about 7 ft tall

cincinnana

Your good..

Much is determined where you are located

Some forum members use triple 12 through 19 for their plants.

Use what you can afford and suits your growing style.

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bananimal

Where are you located Lady Cas? The stuff I use is perfect for naners.

Super Fruiter 6-3-16 is formulated by Diamond R Fertilizer Co.

Naners love high potassium!!!

pjkfarm

Ok, I feel like an idiot, but if 10 10 10 is 10% each in the bag, why not just put down 20% more and would that not equal 12 12 12???
BUT as I have asked many times and never got a good answer, how MUCH does one put down and how often? Especially potted materials - EC is really needed I would think and some pretty careful tests on regular basis, plus occasional flushing :-(
Seems like everyone basically gives them a bit, they grow nicely and everyone is happy. But one could get more growth sometimes by giving more (or sometimes less if one is overloading (burning) them , , , , ,

edwmax

This has been posted several times in the past but here is again.


The recommended total Nitrogen and Potassium needed for a mature banana plant in a growing season is 1 lb nitrogen (N) and 1.5 lbs potassium (K). ... To calc. the total lbs needed of a specific NPk fertilizer 1 lb/%N=Fert[total} .... then divide that quantity by the number of times you will apply it to the plant during the growing season. ... Now note!!! This fertilizer quantity will only supply 1 lb of the 1.5 lbs of the K needed. You need to supplement an additional 1/2 lb of K with SOP (0-0-45) or MOP (0-0-60). Use the same calc for the remaining K needed; ,5 lb / %K=(SOP or MOP)extra needed. ... This is true for the triple fertilizers. Where the NPK ratios are different, you may need to do the calcs based on the K and then supplement the N.



Young banana plants do not need as much fertilizer as mature plants. For plants in the ground granular fertilizer will slow release during the year. So 1/2 of the amount for the mature plant usually is good for the FIRST growing season and full amount the next for our non-tropical growing seasons



For young plants in containers this is where your 'green thumb' comes into play. Generally a small amount is added (about 1 or 2 Tbls) to the pot each time the plant is repoted. ... Or the fertilizer is foliar applied to the small plant weekly. Young developing banana plants need phosphorus (P) too for the roots. Generally the fertilizer package directions for young potted plants are good to follow.


I hope that is clear as mud now. ..... To complicate things now. The 1 lb N & 1 1/2 ln K I think is the recommendation for economic growing conditions for tropical banana plantations. For Hobby Nana Farmers in our growing conditions pushing the mature plants with extra N & K (2 to 3 Xs fertilizer amount) is the only way you will get fruit. The extra cost of the fertilizer to the Hobby farmer is small compared to the reward.


I apply the base amount with granular fertilizer in the spring and then supplement N & K with foliar spray during the growing season. ... Lots of water is needed for mature banana plants for cooling on hot days and to transport nutrients from the ground up the plant.

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remorse

Does anyone have any experience using Miracle-Gro plant food spikes?

https://www.miraclegro.com/en-us/pro...nt-food-spikes

I am having trouble finding potassium-rich fertilizer, so I'm curious if these spikes are a viable option.

edwmax

You should be able to get SOP (potassium sulfate) or MOP (potassium chloride) at your garden stories and/or ag centers. ... Also you should be able to get potassium nitrate (aka: stump remover)(NPK: 13-0-44) at local hardware stores. Just make sure the stump remove does not have any additives in addition to the potassium nitrate.


I haven't used the spikes. You have to figure out how much K is in each spike and how many are needed for the 8 ft to 10 ft radius around your nana plants; and how fast the spike will dissolve to supply the K. Assuming of course there is adequate rain fall or irrigation during the season.

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remorse

Thank you so much!

So as long as the stump remover is 100% potassium nitrate, it should be fine? And basically just sprinkle the granules in a big ring around the plant?

edwmax

Yes ... it is fertilizer 13-0-44 Most brands is 100% potassium nitrate while a few may add something extra to kill a living stump.

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cincinnana

Using your brand will work just fine

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