Tropicallvr

I see in one of your pic's that is has some white on the tip of the banana, and some white patches on the chips too. Maybe you should call around and try to find some fungicides locally, and trim your plant down with a sterile knife, and wash away the soil, then do a fungicide dip or wash. Other wise I'd start over with a new batch of bananas and throw that dirt far away, and don't buy the same soil or order from same company again just to make sure. (Maybe don't use chips again either, rocks may be a good substitute for them)

NanaNut2

I grew up in Bellevue, Lake Heights area, but you were very close in nailing it.
NanaNut2

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NanaNut2

Zacarias

Question on the black death. I lost two small purchased bananas a while back and it had to be from rot. I took the corms out of the pot...saw that there was white roots. Removed the rotten roots that I could find, soaked these in a neem oil solution (as an antifungal) and put them in smaller pots.

One corm had a eye when I first bought it. On the tip began the black...so when I cut the black off....the tips gets black again. Is that ok or does that automatically mean death. I mean it is possible that a banana corm over come some mild blackness if it's not too bad. It's just if I keep cutting, I will start cutting the corm.

I am just letting them relax in the new pots...not sure how much to water. I would love to not water them but they're on Phoenix, AZ balcony with shade and dappled sunlight occasionally.

Zach

jpfloors

Did you take a picture of the rhizome and roots? That would really help a lot to answer this question (and most questions you have on here).

As long as the main rhizome is still alive and able to root or has new roots, it should come back, remember it might take a few months! And if the main plant dies, the eye will pup up very fast, so don't give up on it. From my experience you should always leave the eye alone!!!!!! But if you took a little off it might not effect it. It will turn black as that tissue wasn't ready to be exposed. I have had my own accidents and exploritory learning and actually the eyes still pupped later! I've even cut some off before planting (not recommended) and they grow up as well!!!!

Do you have a picture? The pots you have them in might be too small. I don't think you could have ones that are too big, but clay pots wouldn't be good at all. I wouldn't cut off the top of the corm for about 2-3 months since you received and planted it! If nothing grows within that amount of time, go ahead and take an inch or two off, disect that, and explore to see what's going on. Usually at that point they start to shoot up, they just needed help getting past that dead tissue on top. I'm still pretty new myself to bananas and LOVE "exploritory surgery" LOL but at the same time you have to also learn patients! Bananas are hard to kill, and if the main plant doesn't live, usually they will put off offspring to replace them!

It's also good to layer manure under the corm and some near the top of your pots when you receive and plant them. I've had GREAT luck at recovering new corms fast with this method! I've yet to lose one plant so keep your chin up, be patient, and good luck!

sandy0225

I usually try to repot them in fresh potting soil with plenty of perlite in it, (even styrofoam peanuts if they're the kind that doesn't biodegrade will increase air spaces)when they start that. It seems to me that usually when it happens in my greenhouse, they've been overwatered when they are too cool/dark weather to be growing actively-- and in soil that is really pressed down with little air space. I don't like your soil mix, it holds too much water for winter/cool weather potting.
Also in case it's fungal/bacterial--Why don't you dip them briefly in a bleach/water solution as you repot them? I'd use physan 20 here, but most people don't have it. So you could use like 1 part bleach to 10 parts water, dunk them in, then take them out and lay them in the kitchen sink, etc. Leave them there wet with the bleach water for five minutes for it to work, then rinse them off real good in clear water to get all the bleach off, and repot them in the new soil. And either disinfect those pots by soaking them in the bleach water for 10 minutes, or toss them and use new ones when you repot. Don't even reuse the tags unless you soak them first, and maybe even spritz a little bit of it where the plants were sitting or put them somewhere else temporarily until you clean up that area. Sanitation can be very helpful with fungus/bacterial infections.
Good luck!

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Northern Tropics Greenhouse
1501 East Fuson Road
Muncie, IN 47302
www.northerntropics.com


specializing in bananas, heirloom tomatoes and water gardening plants~
check out our new online store at our website!

sandy0225

that one in the picture looks like a goner though to me, the one that looks like a stick with a black end. It's pretty short and pretty small to have much energy to fight it. You can still try though.
I usually see that on zebrinas and sxgn bananas when it's been real cold because my heater in the greenhouse can only keep it to about 45 when it's below zero and windy. They are a little touchier about water than the bordelons, ice creams, and basjoo.
And then if I have just watered them when that happens, watch out.

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Sandy Burrell



Northern Tropics Greenhouse
1501 East Fuson Road
Muncie, IN 47302
www.northerntropics.com


specializing in bananas, heirloom tomatoes and water gardening plants~
check out our new online store at our website!

Zacarias

Actually Sandy, I can't even see current river banana's soil, just the mulch on top. jpfloors, thanks for the tips....I am not giving up hope on these corms...They're 90 degree weather but total shade...I will water VERY sparingly.

jpfloors

In total shade? Were these grown in complete shade before? Are they TC's? How long have you had them Zach? They might be having a lack of sun... you should only acclimate them for a week or two them put them into the sun! Try putting them into the sun now and water them every other day if it's been more than two weeks! Even if the main corm dies, it will probably pup!

Zacarias

Really JP, I should move them? Where there's nothing really about grown just the excuse for an eye. I've read other places that stressed bananas should be protected from sun, especially Phx sun. I hear different things, but as I experience things I will learn more...sometimes (or always) I'm so impatient. Thanks again!

Zach

current river banana

The bananas I planted that originated this thread were planted in straight Miracle Grow soil. I have not had any problems before with this soil. I have since terminated the two bananas in the picture and potted two more of an unknown variety (sold as a "commercial producer" banana). One is fine, one is struggling.

jpfloors

That's one thing about gardening.... it's all trial and error! I'm not very familiar with the climate out in AZ (hope that's the right abreviation LOL), but that would be one of the first things I would try. Bananas do need the direct light to photosynthisize regardless if they're grown on the equator or in Canada; unless you're growing a low light banana, for example Itinerans, which requires shade (not too many species are like this). Look at it this way, you've tried everything else, what would it hurt to try?

If you only have the eye left on the rhizome, then it'll be under the ground anyways until it's ready to pop it's little head out and flourish! Depending on the size, I'd pot it up into a pot twice the size of the rhizome or bigger and put it out into full sun. Absolutely I'd put the manure under the rhizome, some a little over the roots when you put it into the pot, some good drainage soil, another layer about 1" thick of manure at the top and then top it off with one more 1" of soil. Give it a good watering every other day as the soil will dry out quickly if it's that hot there. I've seen rhizomes with nothing more than eyes pop out pups within weeks this way! Just be sure the soil is very good. Compost would be best!

Zacarias

Thanks JPfloors, I will keep you posted. Oh and my three others that I got recently that were 3 in tall (gasps) are putting out new leaves. They're still tiny so I'm prepared for them to all die a horrible death at any minute but I'll try to be optimistic

Zach

jpfloors

3" Tall? Are they TC's that you just received? How long ago did you receive them? If you just got them, keep them in shade for a week and then slowly move them into a spot to where each day they receive more and more morning sun until they're in full sun. Did you get these from Sandy? Her TC's have all done wonderful for me.

mskitty38583

zach: dont give up on your nanas. they may suprise you. they are one of the most sutbborn plants i have ever know. lol. i have a musa ornate lavander that i thought was a gonner. i even posted it under what potted lived and died thread...i was out planting 2 dc( thanks josh and jarred) and happened to look down into this brown stalk that was once a p-stem..and there in the middle of this ugly thing was the pretties little green leaf i have ever seen. i think its the most beautiful leaf in the whole world. when you think its dead look again and have a little faith. and when you see green in the midst of nasty,yucky stuff, it will make your entire day. the moral of the story...if the nanas not happy, dig it up and move it. you wont hurt it. you will actually make it happy.i have had to dig up regular trees in my yard and move them cause they wernt happy. its all trial and error. i think thats half the fun of growing things. if they are still not happy, change the soil( the more drainage the better, use organic compost with cow poop( they sell it at walleyworld for 1.37 a bag.) you might feel silly moving a nana tree around your yard or where ever your nana lives..but i would rather look silly then not have it happy. jmo.

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Zacarias

JPfloors, yeah were that tall, but they are growing amazingly! No I did not get these from Sandy. I would have thought 3in" is too small to sell and much less ship. I'll get bigger next time.

MsKitty, I just have a balcony in an apt right now but when I move back to WA next year, I will have a yard like I used to (miss those days). I really hate container gardening and the spider mites in Phoenix are the worst. They thrive in dry, hot locations so here I am! LOL

Zach