crazy banana

I am reading the posts on this forum daily and should have known better, but now I am beating up myself on this:
A friend of mine really wanted a pup of my Blue Java for her birthday. It is/was only about 1.5 feet tall and not very old. I should have known better and not have touched it, but my friend was begging me. So I removed the soil around the pup as good as possible and used a sharp shovel all the way around it to remove it from the mother plant. Well, yes I removed it, but there were no roots on it, looked more like a clean cut. I am beating up myself about this, even though I tried to remove it close to the mother plant to get some corm, I think there might not be any corm. Of course I did not give the pup to my friend, because I think I messed up here. Before giving up on it and throwing the pup away, I have planted it in a pot with a mixture of spaghnum peat moss, compost and topsoil. Feel free everybody to beat me up even more than I already do myself on this or any advice on how to give it even the smallest chance ( plastic bag, to create a greenhouse environment?) would be appreciated.

GreenFin

If you held it upside down and looked at it from the bottom, did it look like a sliced potato or did it look like a sliced onion?

If it looked like a cut potato, there is corm, and it will grow new roots.

If the cut was so high up that the bottom of the p-stem is just a tight bound collection of leaves (the parts of the leaves that form the p-stem) it will look something like a sliced onion from that angle. In that case it wouldn't grow new roots.

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crazy banana

I see what you mean. There might be some hope than. Thank you.

pitangadiego

Pot it up. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain if it is not as bad as you think.

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caliboy1994

It will probably go through an awkward phase where it loses its leaves and tries to make roots. If it makes it through that, you're home free!

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PR-Giants

When using a shovel have the curved part facing into the mother, this will give you a slightly larger section of the outer corm.
When potting it's always good to mark the orientation of the corm, being able to decide where the bunch will hang later could be helpful.
On a hill, I prefer the bunch to lay into the slope.
On level grounds further north, you may prefer the plant to lean S, SE. or SW depending on when it recieves the best sunlight.

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kaczercat

I did the same thing, don't worry I potted it up and in a week it had a new leaf coming out the pup i cut is about the same hight. give it time, heat and plenty of sun!

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Matt

crazy banana

Thanks everyone. i will not give up any hope just yet. Does the soil mix sound OK where I have planted it in? The soil should probably be kept on the dry/slightly damp side, correct? Would it be beneficial to create a greenhouse environment like putting the pot in a plastic bag or sterlite box? When I used to have some very valuable cactus years ago, I have put the pot in a shallow black tub to reflect some heat which has encouraged rooting and general growth. Any input if that would work with a banana pup?
@ PR Giants: I have used the shovel the way you have described it, so there might be some corm. I am not sure that I understand on how I should plant the pup/ corm. For now it is in a pot. Forgive the newbie here, but do you have a photo so I can better visualize what you mean?

PR-Giants

Visualize two circles (Circle Mom and Circle Pup) with one common point, that point is either 0 or 360 degrees. The fruit for the pup will hang at 180 degrees of Circle Pup.

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d-lilly

i did the same thing this weekend,,moved pups,,most had enough roots,,one had 1 root..now Ill feel better about having planted it..yeah..you all are sooo smart

JuniPerez

cincinnana

Awesome information I did not know that.

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stevelau1911

When I get divisions, I prefer waiting until spring when they are just barely waking up. I will then dig up the entire plant with all the corm, rhizomes, and roots. This way I can see exactly where I separate them.

Taking them in the spring gives them plenty of time to get established, and they are also the most energized. This also allows me to re-plant the mother corm even deeper just to ensure that it is well insulated for our zone 6 winters.

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Abnshrek

I like steve's concept but doing it in the heat is the fastest recovery whether using rooting powder to dust the corm or using Mycorrhizal Fungi (granuals or powder) which will make a more healthy plant in the long run.. I keep mine in partial shade for 3 weeks w/ moist air.. Its all good.. :^)

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cincinnana

Dear Ab,

A lot of people don't know about Mycorrhizal Fungi in their soil. I almost use it for everything. I am glad that you're a fan of it. This stuff really works. My tomatoes absolutely adore it but I really use it for my fern and lady slipper propagation.

best, Mike

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Abnshrek

I'm a fan of it alright I think I used 17 Lbs of it in last 3 months.. lol :^)

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cincinnana

I use this s--- like gourmet dipping sauce ......price per pound?? It is like gold...

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Abnshrek

More like black pepper.. not gold except for results.. then its the gold standard, kinda like fish, banana fuel and chicken poo.. :^)

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crazy banana

Went to the nursery yesterday to get the Mycorrhizal funghi, but they did not have it. They have send me home with Superthrive. Has anybody ever used this on their bananas? So far, three days later the pup looks still amazingly good.

Abnshrek

That stuff sounds like it works good for cuttings and such. I used to use granuals (Mycorrhizal funghi). Makes seriously bushy roots, but I really like Richards powder. I up-potted a D. Namwah yesterday, and all 7 gallons had roots enough where it was like I taking a tree out of the pot (only better), cause there was no soil loss in transfer. Roots were spider webbing everywhere.. I should have taken a pic, but I had my hands full.. lol So in a month and half or so.. the roots filled that bucket..(not kidding) Capitum sent it to me.. on a trade. I think I paid 7 bucks a pound including shipping so much better than the 12oz. jar of Garden-ville.. I used to be able to get a 11lb bag from Marshall Grain Company but they no longer carry it..

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