Grvolp2

So when it comes to ordering banana plants from vendors online, i.e Wellspring, what protocol do you follow upon receiving the plants?

Plants are not only going through transplant shock, but also shock from being in darkness and shipping transit.

Could someone possibly give me a "recipe for success" or precedence to follow for maybe the first couple months of transition? I.e cutting back plant, fertilizing, watering, misting, sun, keeping indoor vs outdoor initially until settled.

These would be 6" to foot tall little plants. I plan to pot these plants in 1-3 gallon black nursery pots or terra cotta pots. Any suggestions or recommendations on size of pot appreciated too.

I also saw they had "Banana Fertilizer", water soluble 15-5-30... may have been a marketing snag, but would love feedback on if anyone uses this as well.

I have always "winged it" with banana plants with some success, but would love to hear how you guys do it with more experience so I can maximize my summer weather for growth!

Thank you!

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Current Collection:
(1) Dwarf Cavendish
(1) Truly Tiny
(1) Blue Java
(1) Double Mahoi
(1) Musa Siamensis
(1) Manzano Apple
(2) Musa Basjoo
(1) Fe'I Aiuri
(1) Musa Ornata

Also growing assorted Colocasia (California and Gigantae) and Alocasia (Portora, Sumo, Borneo King), avocado, lemon, palms, agave, fiddle leaf, monstera deliciosa, bird of paradise, and pineapple.

Nashville, TN

Backyard Banana Joe

Don't let me stop you, but you would get fruit sooner (if that is what you want) if you purchased pups from members here. They are bigger and more than likely have a bigger corm, = faster growth. I ordered a Pakistan mulberry from WSG and it was in pretty good condition. Good company

Grvolp2

Creature of habit, I should make the transition. I assume everyone just use paypal?

With that being said, even if ordered on here, could I have some advice on initial care out of the box until growing normally again?

__________________
Current Collection:
(1) Dwarf Cavendish
(1) Truly Tiny
(1) Blue Java
(1) Double Mahoi
(1) Musa Siamensis
(1) Manzano Apple
(2) Musa Basjoo
(1) Fe'I Aiuri
(1) Musa Ornata

Also growing assorted Colocasia (California and Gigantae) and Alocasia (Portora, Sumo, Borneo King), avocado, lemon, palms, agave, fiddle leaf, monstera deliciosa, bird of paradise, and pineapple.

Nashville, TN

cincinnana

Lets see some pics of that collection in your indoor greenhouse

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Grvolp2

most of them are about 6 inch to 2 feet tall currently, so want to give them a season to grow before showing off the collection this fall!

Don't want to jinx it lol- if they are that size now by October they should be about 4-5 feet right if no hiccups?

__________________
Current Collection:
(1) Dwarf Cavendish
(1) Truly Tiny
(1) Blue Java
(1) Double Mahoi
(1) Musa Siamensis
(1) Manzano Apple
(2) Musa Basjoo
(1) Fe'I Aiuri
(1) Musa Ornata

Also growing assorted Colocasia (California and Gigantae) and Alocasia (Portora, Sumo, Borneo King), avocado, lemon, palms, agave, fiddle leaf, monstera deliciosa, bird of paradise, and pineapple.

Nashville, TN

Backyard Banana Joe

I used paypal. When I got bare - root plants, I potted in moist compost (supposed to use perlite or some free - draining mix, but as long as it isn't just super soggy it will be fine. I also got a little tissue culture and potted up into bigger pot after letting it sit for several days to recover. Put them in the shade, like on your patio and wait till it starts growing. Then pot up.

Grvolp2

OK so you do not pot it up upon arrival?

I don't have perlite, but have vermiculite and sand, would that work?

Also do you water it upon arrival or give it a week to settle?

__________________
Current Collection:
(1) Dwarf Cavendish
(1) Truly Tiny
(1) Blue Java
(1) Double Mahoi
(1) Musa Siamensis
(1) Manzano Apple
(2) Musa Basjoo
(1) Fe'I Aiuri
(1) Musa Ornata

Also growing assorted Colocasia (California and Gigantae) and Alocasia (Portora, Sumo, Borneo King), avocado, lemon, palms, agave, fiddle leaf, monstera deliciosa, bird of paradise, and pineapple.

Nashville, TN

Backyard Banana Joe

I didn't use anything special. Just some compost but vermiculite would probably work as well.

Keep it moist. No need to water if it is already moist. I guess you don't HAVE to let it recover before potting up, but I think letting it recover before stressing it more is good.

Sundra

Disclaimer: I am a novice, but my bananas plants are (so far) doing very well-- and that is mostly in thanks to what I have learned from browsing this great forum and posing questions to the very knowledgable members here.

Here's what's been working for mine:

I also second the not potting up right away. And to probably do it gradually when you do--this should avoid transplant shock. Maybe yours were potted up too fast or too big?

I waited at least a month to pot up all of my bananas--even the Zebrina that had roots peeking out the bottom of teeny pot it was shipped in(I probably could have upgraded it just fine right away but chose not to.)

Then I only pot up a size or two. And wait till roots peek out before the next pot up. They actually grow so fast, though, that I find myself having to do this once a month!

I did it so gradually btw because it was winter followed by a spring that didn't want to get its lazy butt out of bed, therefore they were indoors. I am still acclimating them to the outside, actually, because the weather here still mostly sucks

A few of them also get full spectrum light (a photography cfl bulb) at night.

Outside in the hot full sun a larger jump in pot up might be better?

A couple of members here suggested to me half potting soil and half perlite--so I followed this formula and it has worked great.

I also make sure the pots have LOTS of drainage holes--like a nursery pot. I drilled extra in all the containers.

Mine seem to really LOVE the fertlizer in regular yellow bag miracle gro potting soil. It's actually sort of funny to me how fast every one of them suddenly grow in this stuff.

Get them in SUN SUN SUN. But do acclimate them first. Direct sunlight through the windows + some hours outside. Gradually working up to full sun outdoors. Dappled sunlight while acclimating is good. Especially if it's hot out.

Since they're in shock, I would suggest to keep them inside on any days where it's still cold-- and especially if it's going to rain alot. Cold+wet is just asking for trouble on already stressed plants.

What are the symptoms of their stress btw?

smeash

Ive ordered several TC plants from wellspring.. the first batch came in December, I kept them in their small pots for a week or so, then potted to one gallon and left under grow lights for the next few months. When I moved them outside, I put them in dappled sunlight under a citrus tree for about 3 weeks before going in the ground. The second batch of them, I put straight in the ground, and it nearly killed them... I potted them up and placed in dappled light.. they started growing good about 2 weeks later. Those are still potted. My in ground plants are about 6-7ft PSTEM now, with leaves pushing 10 feet. I would leave yours in their pots for a week or so, and pot them up after that. I bought some of their banana fuel fertilizer as well, its good stuffd, but awful pricey for lots of big plants.