divernaz

Got a banana tree today but wasn't able to get any of the root ball. Whats the best way to keep this alive?

cherokee_greg

im not sure if it will live without roots. I always have a problem of digging pups up and not getting very many roots. Its always a sad time when I only see a few roots. Im not sure if im digging them up when there to young are what ? Let us know how it does without roots. Maybe it will grow some roots who knows. Good luck

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Greg zone 9 Fresno,CA
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bepah

Trim the leaves off. Since you didn't say how big this stem was, it is hard to say how much to cut off. Generally, I just ry to save the corm. Hopefully you got enough of the corm that it will survive and that new roots will emerge. Let the corm dry our for a couple of days then plant it in a pot that allows room for it to grow, using a planting or potting soil, not native dirt. Keep it moist at all times (no drying out of the soil).

It may survive but probably by shooting a new p-stem. This works for me quite often but this lat in the season you may have results next year. Be patient,....it may take quite a long time. Good luck!

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John Case
Rookie Gardener, Veteran Drinker

divernaz

Finally figured out how to post a couple of pics. I just put some root hormone on the base put put it in a pot of mulch and watered. Should I leave it in complete shade so it won't get any sunlight? or take it out and do as bepah suggested?

iz

What I have learned from experience and expertise advice, is to use mostly perlite and maybe very very little peat moss or those miracle grow moister control potting soil because banana's are very susceptible to root rot/corm rot. Oh, and to use the powder hormone for rooting. Make sure it has very good aeration/ drainage and only keep it moist, not wet. I have 3 variegated pups, trying to make it root using about 95% perlite and 5% peat moss. So far, it has little roots thriving, and still praying it makes it in its toughest time. I'm always worried I may water it too much, so I only drip water it not on the corm/ closer to the container. Varig8 even said to do that too.

Not to sure about using mulch; doesn't that hold a lot of water? If it does, I'd be worried about it rotting fast.

In your picture, not much corm showing; that is a challenge. Please, keep us posted.

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Going banana 4 bananas,
iz

pitangadiego

Pot it with some well draining soil, and give it filtered sun/shade for a while, and see what happens. This might just be a learning experience.

It really looks like it was removed to early, and the corm had not had a real chance to develop. In the future, let them get bigger/taller before removing them. Something closer to 2-3' tall is usually a good size, though each variety behaves a little differently.

This one is 6" tall and would hardly fit in a 15 gallon bucket.



Here is a comparison of two different varieties - one tall and leafy with almost no roots, and one still relatively short with a ton of roots. They are both to the same scale.

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TRAY

Just curious, can't it be treated like a regular cutting? Hit the leaves with wilt pruf and let it soak in a water soluble rooting hormone for awhile? Of course it's not wood based but since nothing is actually touching the base of the plant but the water and additive wouldn't it be less prone to rot, or more so? If it can be done with a stick and other kinds of "fleshy" (not sure of the word) type plants, why not a banana?

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