Daddy's Girl

Sorry if I post this in the wrong section or incorrectly. Simply looking for advice on what would make the trunks of my banana plants turn yellow (normally they are healthy & green)....just moved them from TN to TX. I know TX has slooty sandy hard/clay like soil where we're at (DFW), but I've tried to work the ground well, added soil amendments & have increased fertilizing to make up for sand leaching nutrients. Any tips from anyone familiar with growing Bananas in DFW area of TX? Thanks for any help.

MediaHound

Welcome DG!

This is certainly the RIGHT place to ask!

My first inclination is how much direct sun is it getting?

Also, if you have a digital camera, do you think you could post some pics? Here's the link to upload photos:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/uploadphoto.php

Regards

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Apologies in advance if I am slow to reply to your PM. I suggest posting in the forums for support if you need something urgent.

Daddy's Girl

Dear Media Hound

Obviosly I'm not so good at uploading photos anywhere but to Shutterfly, but I did it...to the member's galleries ? From me, entitled "Yellow Trunk Troubleshooting".

I appreciate your aid. They do get PLENTY of sunshine. Heavy & direct from sun-up (@ 7 am central) until @ 6:30-7 pm.

Things I'm 'thinking' are (a) still stressed from move...I didn't know we were moving to TX from TN, so last fall I took them (pups) & transplanted them by potting...the Mama's I always just cut the leaves from their stalks & store them in the garage to overwinter, but the pups I containerize. Then, in Feb I found out we were having to move (luckily before putting in ground) so I left them in containers. But, I think they wanted to go in the ground in April & instead had to wait until mid June at which time they took a very long, very hot, very stressing trip to TX in the back of a moving truck for 14 hours.

When I got them here, for the first time in decades (according to residents), the heavens opened up for 18 days straight of heavy rains, storms, tornadoes, etc., so they didn't get planted until late July after getting the bed prepared, which leads to (b) The ground here is VERY sandy, but not good sand, hard like rock & the other part of the ground is a very hard clay...NOT very good drainage. I raised the beds by adding a rock border, digging the ground as deep as I could (@ a foot) and then adding soil to raise the good growing soil up. I added gypsom to break up the clay & 2 weeks later added soil (MG/Garden), peat, perlite, vermiculite, fertilizer & extra potassium cuz of the sand. Planted them 2 weeks after all that. I was expecting them to rebound & get healthy by now, but they haven't.

They didn't yellow & weaken after being put in the ground, it happenned prior, I just expected they'd be better by now. They are irreplaceable to me, they are direct decendants of my Dad's banana plants (who I 'lost' in 2003), I've kept the line going, but these are my last (the only ones I could bring with me).

Sorry so long, just frantic. Going to bathe babies now (as in human, not nana's!)...THANK YOU so VERY much for your attempts to help. Blessings, DG (I like it).

MediaHound

looks ok

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Apologies in advance if I am slow to reply to your PM. I suggest posting in the forums for support if you need something urgent.

Daddy's Girl

thanks, i guess i'll just ride it out & assume they'll adjust & regain their strength

Maggidew

We are familiar with the caliche (Ka-leech-ee) soil there in the Metroplex. It is quite ALKALINE, and I would suggest applications of copperas in the spring and fall, and a good topdressing with an acidifying mulch like pine.

Our friend in Arlington has that same soil that tested out at way too high pH for most of the plants she wants to grow.

You might try an application of iron (like Ironite) or a liquid soil acidifier and see if that does a quick fix for you.

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DH Has Gone Bananas !

Daddy's Girl

Oh, THANK U so VERY much Maggi. Those are great tips I never would've known to do. I'll do it (all)...& thanks for 'defining' the soil here for me (caliche)...interesting. I feel SO much better knowing a course of action I can take to help them, Blessings, Mary.

natedogg1026

l really don't think they look that bad. I've seen a lot worse. It is Oct. and things are loosin a little glory. If you're in N. Texas it may just be a combo of stress being moved, and the end of the year blues.

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Banana's are a safe addiction. Right?Maybe I need classes.

Daddy's Girl

Thanks so much I am in N Texas. I'm gonna cling to your hopeful words. Man, your plants are gorgeous...absolutely incredible, as is your home & your gardens. You favor my Bubby a bit too...yall have a lot in common, I haven't seen banana plants this healthy & beautiful since Daddy's. Thanks.