Kanana

Ok, so I got my order of 6 plants from Florida Hill Nursery, and they were in baggies so I potted the larger ones in 3 gallon pots and the smaller Blue Javas in 2 gallons. They barely have any roots or rootball to speak of so how much water do they need and I know I read they need to stay out of the direct sun for 2 weeks, but when is a good time to get them in full sun as I live in SW Florida and even though a lot of people are bringing their plants indoors I will be trying to maximize the time they get full sun even though the nights are dropping into the high 60s here.

Kanana

Also when is a good time to start fertilization while they are in pots?

Kanana

Did I post this in the wrong forum? I thought I would have gotten a response by now or there would even (should) be a sticky on this kind of care seeing there is a lot of TC plants being sold unbeknownst to the buyer.

edwmax

You might review my post in this thread for my recommendations. ... Also, review the entire thread if you haven't already. Most users on this forum will tell you to stay away from young TC plants and to buy big corms. I'm sure this is because of their failure of growing little TC and lack of growing info. Best Practice to grow TC Bananas

Now get FlordiaHill's growing instructions. it is on their website. Without the seller's/nursery's assurance, assume the little TC plants have not been field harden. It is recommended by UofGA researchers (& so stated in their reports) that young TC plantlets be grown in the greenhouse for 12 weeks before transplanting to the field.

Good Luck

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MusaZombie

Water them enough to keep the soil moist, but not drenched. Depending on your specific environment that might mean once every other day or once every three days or once and hour for 10 seconds (automated system).

The direct sun thing is basically about shock from transplantation. It's not a hard and fast rule but rather a good practice so they can focus on building roots. I've generally kept them out of direct sun for a week, or thereabouts. The high 60s are fine

If your soil is good you likely don't need to fertilize right away. I'd give it a while. You could mix some mycorrhizae into the soil though, to help root growth.

druss

I get my tc bananas like this:
[IMG][/IMG]

sputinc7

Musazombie got it right. Sixties is fine, keep them moist but not wet.
I always put mine right in the ground and put a lawn chair up to block midday sun. I have done this with 8 so far and lost none because of it.

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If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc

Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

MusaZombie

Haha! I love the lawn chair step. That's so simple I never would have thought of that.

druss

This is them about a week after potting up
[IMG][/IMG]

Kanana

Well nights are low to high 60s but days are still in upper 70s low to mid 80s. So a week from now or a full 2 weeks from me receiving these TCs will they be able to take full sun without getting scorched leaves?

MusaZombie

I'd follow sputinc7's advice and just erect some form of a sun block. Hell, even some cheese cloth on stakes would probably do the trick. Basically you just want them to focus on root growth for a week or so before getting strong sun. I have found two weeks to be too much, but it certainly my doesn't hurt to give them some extra time. Just make sure the soil is yummy

Kanana

Well I do have 30% shade screening I can improvise some sort of hut these 6 pots can fit into where they will get protection. How many weeks under this before taking them out of it 2 weeks? A month?

MusaZombie

Two weeks is probably fine. Just don't have them over cement or anything that gets super hot in the sun as that is when I've found burnings to happen more frequently.

sputinc7

What is nice with the lawn chair is they get a little morning sun and a little late afternoon sun to give them strength to make the roots. After they start growing I move it so they get more sun, but still block the midday sun as it is HOT here in Florida. Another week and I take it away. They are plants. God made them to be in the sun...

__________________

If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc

Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Kanana

Can you illustrate the lawn chair thing? Is it a fabric chair that acts like a screen or would a plastic stackable lawn chair work? Is the chair completely covering the plants? Mine are in 3 gallon containers and are already 2 1/2'-3' tall from top leaves to the bottom of pot which wouldnt fit under most chairs.

sddarkman619

Edwmax I've never heard not to buy young TC on here. In fact I'm sure you know I sell TC but I have mine potted up and have been growing in pots for a while, when I sell mine. They typically have a nice root set on them, in fact some may be almost root bound when you get them and hardened pretty well.
But as for general straight out of the tray like Fla Hills sells his I would agree.

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edwmax

Then you & I agree, unless the seller can assure the buyer the TC plantlets have been harden off and field ready to plant, then the buyer needs to give the young TC plantlets special care for a few weeks. ... Fla Hill (deceptively ???) describes their plantlets as being in or from 4" trays. Their plantlets are from 'plug trays' that measure abt 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" x 4" deep. I think the same trays Agristarts roots in.

As far as the past comments by some forum members 'not to buy TC plantlets', These are laced in several threads when a newbie asked about TCs. They would be very tedious to find right now. ... However I think those comments are dying down since you, I and a couple of other members are giving instructions on how the grow the young tender plantlet.

I know you buy TC trays from Agristarts, then give the young plantlets the needed attention to harden them off to resell or share. I have never said or insinuated not to buy your plants. ... I plan to do the same; I've had an account with Agristarts for about 11 months now.

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druss

I buy all my bananas as plantlets rooted in agar. It's the only way to bring them in to my state. I've purchased nearly 100 now and only lost one. I'm not quite sure what the difficulty is. I just followed the instructions provided first time then modified to suit. I've hardened them off in mid summer and mid winter. I usually wash off the agar, pot them up in good mix place them in mini greenhouses with a water tray. In summer I put them in the shade house under 40% shadecloth. In winter they go in the polytunnel under dappled shade. In winter I use an electric blanket under the trays. The extra warmth helps them along. Over two weeks I open the vents from fully closed to fully open gradually lowering the humidity. I also use dilute seasol to encourage the roots. By week 3 or 4 the lids are off permanently in summer. In winter I put them on at night. Soon after they're in 140mm pots then 200.

edwmax

At least you get instructions with your plantlets! And, humidity & shade are key to growing & hardening off these new young plants as you described.

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druss

I still have them somewhere, will try and upload.