NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

When I search for a good banana fertilizer nobody agrees about the proper NPK ratio. I find this really odd. I want to try a pellet fertilizer for a while to see how I like it.

Why isn’t anybody testing these ratios that “apparently” grow the fastest plants and yield the most fruit?

I would like to think there would be some known facts or at least people that have NPK ratios that are relatively close to each other with all the banana plants grown around the world.


All I see or hear is…10-10-10 is the best. No it’s 15-15-15. No it’s 20-20-20. No it’s 8-10-10. No it’s 16-8-24. No it’s 15-5-30. No it’s 5-5-5.

5-5-5 is a lot different than 15-5-30. So how is it that two guys can boast about two completely different ratios?


My gosh! I get it that they will all grow bananas because bananas grow without it, but there has to be a ratio that will definitely outperform the others right? Something that clearly has some evidence behind it that if you use X it will surely outperform Y. Something that we could say for sure on this forum that these 3 fertilizers will grow bananas better/faster than others in the ideal conditions they need. I seriously doubt they’re all created with enough micro/macro nutrients and I’m sure some lack specific elements all together.


So my question is what has grown your best plants yet? What ratios have you tried and why do/don’t they work well?

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

Any fertilizer where the 3 numbers are the same are the same proportions. 8-8-8 is half the quantity of nutrients as 16-16-16, so you have to apply twice as much. There is a magic formula, which I don't remember, but something like 9-3-27. Bought the ingredients and mixed the formula and saw no difference from 15-15-15, which is a whole lot cheaper. So, more money for no better results doesn't go far in my garden.

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

I'm currently using some cheap water soluble fertilizer from Ebay specifically made for bananas - 18-3-28

I also tried the Wellspring Gardens water soluble fertilizer 15-5-30
I haven't really noticed a difference between the two except price. The Ebay one is much cheaper.

I honestly don't know which ratio is best, maybe someone else can explain

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

The proper NPK ratio for bananas is 3:1:6 or multiple thereof; ie: 15-5-30; 9-3-18 .... BUT this is NOT all that is needed or involved .... soil pH needs to be accounted for in the fertilizer formalization or the roots will not be able to take up the major & minor nutrients.


Have you read this forum's WIKi for fertilizer?????? Info:Fertilizer - Bananas Wiki


Banana Fuel and a few others are formulated for bananas. These are available on the internet, if you want to pay the price & shipping. .... However, cheap off the shelf fertilizers for garden vegetables (5-5-5; 10-10-10; ect) will do the same job at less cost if you understand the NPK needs of bananas and supplement either nitrogen or potash as needed. Fertilizers formulated for Citrus (a little more expensive) also work great for bananas. ... OR ... you can blend your own mix to the 3:1:6 standard starting with one of the off-the shelf type and adding nitrogen (urea) and/or SOP. ....



However, for me it is easier to spread the fertilizer & supplement on the ground and let nature do the mixing. The banana (or plants) will takeup what they need and leave the rest. Only the large banana plantations can save money by the custom mixes to minimize waste (unneeded nitrogen or potash), But HOBBY Banana farmers saves money by buying fertilizer & supplements that is on sale at the Big Box stores. And this is the reason our mixes widely varies.

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

I suspect you've left out some details about the 5-5-5. But let's assume the 5-5-5 was all that was used for the Banana plant.



If enough fertilizer was applied to furnish the 1 1/2 lbs of K needed (30 lbs fertilizer), then an extra 1/2 lb of nitrogen was also applied when only 1 lb N was needed.. .... SO WHAT! ... The plant will only takeup what it needs (???? within reason) and the question of fertilizer comes down to COST. ..... Is this only one plant or is there growing pups. They need fertilizer too. So the accumulated extra may not actually be a waste.

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

As a follow up Note to my above post.



Using 5-5-5 only for 1 banana plant, 30 lbs is needed (1 1/2 lb N & 1 1/2 lb K). .... cost $10.50 +/-


Using 15-5-30 only for 1 banana plant, 13.3 lbs is needed for 1 lb N & 2 lb K. .... cost $80.00 plus shipping $20 to $30 ???



What I would do with the 5-5-5 is apply 20 lbs ( for 1 lb N & 1 lb K) and apply 1 lb SOP (0-0-50) for additional 1/2 lb of K. .... cost $7 (5-5-5) + .25 (SOP) = $7.25


Now, cost can be easily calculated for each fertilizer application. Specialty mixes (Banana Fuel 15-5-30) are costly in small quantities and certainly not available at your local WalMart or Lowes

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

It is worth noting one other point about fertilizers. .... NOT all fertilizers are the same even if they have the same NPK listing. .... ???? .... So what the heck is going on????


Basic/generic fertilizer blends found at the big Box stores will have a neutral pH and no minors added. What you see is what you get. This is so the consumer can make his own adjustments for his soil pH and add the type minor elements needed.


Many fertilizer manufactures will make available mixes for general areas of the country with certain soil types and formulated for general or specific crops. .... IE, formulated to be used in alkaline or acidic soils for lawns, trees, or vegetables. The manufacture will attach a certified statement as to the fertilizer's use and percentage of major & minor elements in the mix. .... This is the manufacture's attempt to make available the lowest cost mix for the consumer in different areas of the country. ..... And Bananas are not a largely farmed crop in the US and not on any Manufacture's priority list.


When I refer to fertilizers for bananas, I always state "garden vegetable" type. As this will have the same minor elements in proper proportion needed by banana plants; as bananas are vegetables/fruit too.

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

Have you bothered to ask TY Taylor?....or have read posts.......visit his web page...he is up the street!....zonewise.
Zones that are different require slight tweeks to the fert schedule.
Me.. I can not use a recommendation from zone 13...

Texans ......

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

Thanks ... you just backed up my statement in the post above yours (post #7).

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

There is no single answer because it depends so highly on the growing situation, particularly whats already in the soil, and management factors. As a hobby grower, its not going to make a huge difference one way or another. I would just go with something well balanced that is readily available. If anything, you can can use something higher in K, but again, as long as they are getting something balanced it’s not going to make much of a difference.

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

I’d love to go visit that guys setup. I believe I saw he was building a large greenhouse. I’ll have to check his out his posts.

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

Edwmax…thanks for all your input. One thing I’m confused about is that if a plant only uses what it needs.

I had several plants that I over fertilized with liquid. I got very light colored leaves (almost white). Had a lot of crinkled leaves. Plants were putting out a leaf every 3-4 days (too fast).

That was using the liquid 16-8-24 banana fertilizer.

This is part of the reason why I was looking at pellet type fertilizers or slow release. Are these two types of fert the same?

I think the question I really what to know is what are most of you using? There’s gotta be several of you using the same brand and NPK ratio because it’s a solid fertilizer with good results. Is there 5-10 people here using the same stuff?

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

May be I shouldn't have stated it that way, but ..... OK, too much of anything is a poison. .... A little too much of granular fertilizer will burn the plants roots until corrected. So what I mean is 'within reasonable' application the plant will take up what it needs.



So all the recommended NPK application amounts such as 1 lb N & 1 1/2 lb K are optimum & economical amounts to be applied over the banana's growing season. And, that growing season in the tropics is 365 days /year. Plant a 2ft pup in the spring, harvest bananas 9 to 12 months later. .... Here in the US, the growing season is the accumulation of growing days with temps above 50 deg F which occurs over 2 to 3 years. But the fact is, Banana plants can take up a good bit (a lot ???) more than the optimum amounts.



The 16-8-24 fertilizer you are using is a water soluble type best suited for foliar spray, hydroponic, and greenhouse container (very small plantlets & overhead spray) use. In liquid form it does not burn plant roots as it is ready for root take-up. .... But as I said above too much of anything is a poison. It tends to be extensive for in-ground use because of wash off from rain and leaching into the soil. ..... Now I don't see that over fertilizing with this will cause the white leaves. However, I do see that the corm roots may have burned/died and the and plant depleted its nitrogen reserves while trying to regrow roots. ... A test to prove this is to foliar spray the plant. You should see some greening within a few hours. .... However, using a liquid fertilizer is like putting an IV into the corm and pouring in the fertilizer. ... Too much nitrogen does cause fast growing leaves that may be light green because they are thin; wrinkled & curled leaves. The plant will recover in a couple of weeks. Just note this and reduce the application amount. And, you should follow the manufacture's directions (normally very safe) until you comfortable with making changes.



I have an old thread where I developed my foliar spray mix. It has some references to studies done to determine the amount of N & K banana plants can absorb and tolerate without burning which is high. Foliar spray is a great way to fertilize your bananas, but it is not a replacement for the spring ground application of a slow release type for the roots & corm. .... http://www.bananas.org/f312/foliar-s...ghlight=foliar


.... yea, I know ... we clear as mud! hahaha ... But as Gabe15 said above, there is NO ONE single answer ..... have fun growing bananas!

Re: NPK ratio- Why nobody agrees on this?
 

With a little knowledge of fertilizer basics, one can then find what works best for his bananas. That's all I tried to convey above. .... Read the forum WIKI and use the search button for info in older threads.