Help me understand what's going on with my banana tree

Chronobae · 07-05-2021, 07:57 PM

Hey all. I just planted my apple banana tree about 3 weeks ago in south Florida. We've been getting a lot of rain lately and pretty much all my plants have been struggling. I'm curious if my banana tree is going through an overwatering issue. Also I've noticed some bugs on the leaves but I'm not sure they're harmless or something to worry about. Please let me know what's going on here and how I can potentially fix the issue

Bob1234567889888 · 08-14-2021, 03:40 PM

Looks like clear cut overwatering. They just need to dry out and get back to a regular water schedule. The new leaves should be fine after that. Doesn’t seem to really have a big issue but if you are ever concerned you could spray neem oil on the leaves. Spray at night or the early morning so it doesn’t burn the leaves in the sun.

twotallgirls · 08-14-2021, 05:27 PM

South Florida in July/August is really tough environment for planting new stuff in the ground, epically in all day sun. I’'s very hot, humid, with hard / heavy rain almost daily. It will be hard to control amount of rain water but your soil is probably pretty sandy so its still hard to overwater this time of year (unless you amended with lots of peat and it sits in water after our storms). What works in many parts of the county doesn’t always translate in South FL. With my FL soil I worry more lack of water than too much this time of year; I just try to be consistent. If you think it too much water then don't use irrigation for a bit. I’m in S. FL too and mine usually take off in about a month or more when I move pups or plant another banana. When I move / transplant in this heat I cut a number of the lower leaves as they tend to wilt or look crappy for a bit. You can clean up a few of the leaves if you don’t like the look. And in this heat I also don’t fertilize my newly planted until I see new leaves pushing as I don’t’ want to mess with the roots. Give it a bit more time; they will adjust and then take off.

Bugs issues don’t’ seem an issue unless you see something really worrying. There are lots that hang out but unless you have a corm borer, I leave them alone. And I’ve only had one banana have insect issue; something like to eat holes in my cigar leaves so when they unfurled it look like a row of holes. But made no difference. I really wouldn’t use horticulture oil in this S FL summer heat; it could easily burn / curl your leaves. Its not worth the potential damage as even at night right now its damn hot.

Give it a bit more time. I have had only one in all my years that I just wouldn’t grow or figure out what the issue was (my damn Pitogo). I find that the more you muck around just after planting the easier to cause real issues.

08-14-2021, 03:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bob1234567889888 Join Date: Jun 2021 Posts: 6 BananaBucks : 2,507 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 6 Times Was Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Help me understand what's going on with my banana tree Looks like clear cut overwatering. They just need to dry out and get back to a regular water schedule. The new leaves should be fine after that. Doesn’t seem to really have a big issue but if you are ever concerned you could spray neem oil on the leaves. Spray at night or the early morning so it doesn’t burn the leaves in the sun.

08-14-2021, 05:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
twotallgirls Location: Marco Island, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10A Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 100 BananaBucks : 18,299 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 206 Times in 69 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	Re: Help me understand what's going on with my banana tree South Florida in July/August is really tough environment for planting new stuff in the ground, epically in all day sun. I’'s very hot, humid, with hard / heavy rain almost daily. It will be hard to control amount of rain water but your soil is probably pretty sandy so its still hard to overwater this time of year (unless you amended with lots of peat and it sits in water after our storms). What works in many parts of the county doesn’t always translate in South FL. With my FL soil I worry more lack of water than too much this time of year; I just try to be consistent. If you think it too much water then don't use irrigation for a bit. I’m in S. FL too and mine usually take off in about a month or more when I move pups or plant another banana. When I move / transplant in this heat I cut a number of the lower leaves as they tend to wilt or look crappy for a bit. You can clean up a few of the leaves if you don’t like the look. And in this heat I also don’t fertilize my newly planted until I see new leaves pushing as I don’t’ want to mess with the roots. Give it a bit more time; they will adjust and then take off. Bugs issues don’t’ seem an issue unless you see something really worrying. There are lots that hang out but unless you have a corm borer, I leave them alone. And I’ve only had one banana have insect issue; something like to eat holes in my cigar leaves so when they unfurled it look like a row of holes. But made no difference. I really wouldn’t use horticulture oil in this S FL summer heat; it could easily burn / curl your leaves. Its not worth the potential damage as even at night right now its damn hot. Give it a bit more time. I have had only one in all my years that I just wouldn’t grow or figure out what the issue was (my damn Pitogo). I find that the more you muck around just after planting the easier to cause real issues. __________________ Blue Java, Raja Puri, Goldfinger FHIA-01, Mona Lisa FHIA-02, Sweetheart FHIA-03, Pitogo, Saba, Dwarf Cavendish, Super Dwarf Cav., Namwa, Brazilian, Mysore, Dwarf Red, and a mystery or two

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