Large banana plants no roots - any advise?

hybridpower · 03-23-2014, 05:39 PM

My neighbor gave me several large banana plants, one of which is nearly 10 feet tall (taller than a 12 ft wall with leaves). He removed them from his yard not overly carefully, and as a result got about half the corms, and very little if any roots.

Any suggestions? Do you think these will survive and grow roots?

cincinnana · 03-23-2014, 05:57 PM

Rest easy ......all is good.
First response... says they will sort themselves out'

The Pros will fill in the gaps.

hybridpower · 03-23-2014, 06:08 PM

Cool, thank you. Should I take the leaves off? What about watering with no roots?

cincinnana · 03-23-2014, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridpower

Cool, thank you. Should I take the leaves off? What about watering with no roots?

Just my opinion.....no leaves = no stress at transplant.
At this point all that is important is what is going under the soil.
When you replant in your zone, your plant will sort it self out in 60 days or more.
Your size plants will have no problem finding a new home in your yard.
No roots ....no problem... You got bananas.

hybridpower · 03-23-2014, 08:27 PM

Great, I'll trim the leaves off. Thanks for your help.

Olafhenny · 03-24-2014, 07:25 PM

Stick it into the ground or a pot. The plant will know, what to do. If it cannot
support the leaves, it will shed them or as many as it needs to shed.. You still
have a corm and that is the essence of a banana.

Good luck,
Olaf

Abnshrek · 03-24-2014, 07:31 PM

They will grow roots in time.. I'm sure your into spring there so in the Ground or pots.. :^)

Planting Tech

hybridpower · 03-24-2014, 07:47 PM

Yes, they are in the ground. It's been mid 80's in phx, so I'm hoping they root before they rot.

Abnshrek · 03-24-2014, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridpower

Yes, they are in the ground. It's been mid 80's in phx, so I'm hoping they root before they rot.

Well if you augmented the soil I water once, and let them acclimate for 2 weeks before I do anything else (water / fert again).. :^)

hybridpower · 03-24-2014, 08:35 PM

I wish I would have gotten the corm in better condition, he basically dug down and broke them off leaving the rooted half of the corm in the ground. I have a good chunk of corm on each, they are just ragged at the separation point.

waggoner41 · 03-24-2014, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridpower

My neighbor gave me several large banana plants, one of which is nearly 10 feet tall (taller than a 12 ft wall with leaves). He removed them from his yard not overly carefully, and as a result got about half the corms, and very little if any roots.

Any suggestions? Do you think these will survive and grow roots?

We move a lot of banana and platano plants around here in trying to tidy up an overgrown area of our property.

We normally cut the plant down to about 18" or 1/2 meter in height.
I have had corms that have been cut into quarters with growth eyes in each piece that mature into healthy plants.

Olafhenny · 03-24-2014, 10:48 PM

If you have only half the corm and it is bigger than a walnut, you still
have a viable plant, but it changes the way I would treat it.

In this case I would indeed chop off all the leaves, but the emerging one and
the last one before that.

Sorry, I have to disagree with Migael. Here is that unjustified fear of root rot
again. (See also: What root rot? )

If the plant does not have any roots, no roots can rot.

Once the roots start growing again, they are little and need all the help they
can get. If the plant is in the ground, regular watering of the area should be
maintained. If in a pot, which has bottom drainage, water again, as soon as
the surface becomes "dryish".

Olaf

hybridpower · 03-24-2014, 11:16 PM

Cool, I think I have a good chunk on the bottom of each stem. I did remove the leaves, they were wilting badly anyway, and I hoped removing them would keep water in the plant.

Abnshrek · 03-24-2014, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridpower

Cool, I think I have a good chunk on the bottom of each stem. I did remove the leaves, they were wilting badly anyway, and I hoped removing them would keep water in the plant.

Leaves won't grow till it has roots so mise well knock them off.. except the newest one..

PR-Giants · 03-25-2014, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cincinnana

Just my opinion.....no leaves = no stress at transplant.

Sound advice and a marker also helps.

PR-Giants · 03-25-2014, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridpower

I did remove the leaves, they were wilting badly anyway, and I hoped removing them would keep water in the plant.

Removing them before they wilt is better and removing them before separation is even better.

hybridpower · 03-25-2014, 09:04 AM

Thank for everyone's help, if these don't make it, he said I can dig out a few "my way" next time.

hybridpower · 03-25-2014, 09:05 AM

Unfortunately that will mean next year, as it soon gets to hot to plant anything out here in summer.

waggoner41 · 03-25-2014, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hybridpower

Unfortunately that will mean next year, as it soon gets to hot to plant anything out here in summer.

I am assuming, then, that you live in the desert.

If you can find a shady place or provide shade for the corms they can be planted at any time of year.

Pay attention that you have provided good soil and keep them well watered.

I test the moisture content of the soil about an inch deep. If the soil holds together by squeezing a handful it is moist enough. If the soil does not hold together you need to water.

hybridpower · 03-29-2014, 04:26 PM

Thank you. It's been just over a week, what's the thought on when I might see progress? The stems remain pretty solid, with the most external softening, but nothing else seems to have changed otherwise. I'm in the desert, and the soil in these area has all been changed out, and blended with manure. For most of my plants I do two things, on two watering zones. I have drips above ground, and soaker line on another zone at about double the planting depth of the plants, this provides ground moisture for the roots (once they develop) in the summer, as surface water lasts minutes at 100 plus degrees, and single digit humidity.

03-23-2014, 05:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Large banana plants no roots - any advise? My neighbor gave me several large banana plants, one of which is nearly 10 feet tall (taller than a 12 ft wall with leaves). He removed them from his yard not overly carefully, and as a result got about half the corms, and very little if any roots. Any suggestions? Do you think these will survive and grow roots?

03-23-2014, 05:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
cincinnana container grower Location: Southwest Ohio U.S.A.🇺🇸 Find me on the map! Zone: HZ 6/5 Microclimate - Elevation 750 feet- 228.60 meters Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 8,876 BananaBucks : 2,374 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,914 Times Was Thanked 11,776 Times in 4,910 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,957 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Rest easy ......all is good. First response... says they will sort themselves out' The Pros will fill in the gaps. __________________ Cincinnana/Hostafarians Photo Gallery 🌴

03-23-2014, 06:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Cool, thank you. Should I take the leaves off? What about watering with no roots?

03-23-2014, 08:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Great, I'll trim the leaves off. Thanks for your help.

03-24-2014, 07:25 PM	#6 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 268,114 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Stick it into the ground or a pot. The plant will know, what to do. If it cannot support the leaves, it will shed them or as many as it needs to shed.. You still have a corm and that is the essence of a banana. Good luck, Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

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03-24-2014, 07:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
Abnshrek Happy Growing Abnshrek 's Photo Gallery Location: Beaumont Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b, but 9b weather.. Name: Migael / Michael Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 9,493 BananaBucks : 262,292 Feedback: 45 / 100% Said "Thanks" 10,447 Times Was Thanked 16,443 Times in 5,238 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,318 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? They will grow roots in time.. I'm sure your into spring there so in the Ground or pots.. :^) Planting Tech __________________ I'm a Nannerhead :^)

03-24-2014, 07:47 PM	#8 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Yes, they are in the ground. It's been mid 80's in phx, so I'm hoping they root before they rot.

03-24-2014, 08:35 PM	#10 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? I wish I would have gotten the corm in better condition, he basically dug down and broke them off leaving the rooted half of the corm in the ground. I have a good chunk of corm on each, they are just ragged at the separation point.

03-24-2014, 10:48 PM	#12 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 268,114 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? If you have only half the corm and it is bigger than a walnut, you still have a viable plant, but it changes the way I would treat it. In this case I would indeed chop off all the leaves, but the emerging one and the last one before that. Sorry, I have to disagree with Migael. Here is that unjustified fear of root rot again. (See also: What root rot? ) If the plant does not have any roots, no roots can rot. Once the roots start growing again, they are little and need all the help they can get. If the plant is in the ground, regular watering of the area should be maintained. If in a pot, which has bottom drainage, water again, as soon as the surface becomes "dryish". Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

03-24-2014, 11:16 PM	#13 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Cool, I think I have a good chunk on the bottom of each stem. I did remove the leaves, they were wilting badly anyway, and I hoped removing them would keep water in the plant.

03-25-2014, 09:04 AM	#17 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Thank for everyone's help, if these don't make it, he said I can dig out a few "my way" next time.

03-25-2014, 09:05 AM	#18 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Unfortunately that will mean next year, as it soon gets to hot to plant anything out here in summer.

03-29-2014, 04:26 PM	#20 (permalink)
hybridpower Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 97 BananaBucks : 35,347 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 13 Times Was Thanked 169 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Large banana plants no roots - any advise? Thank you. It's been just over a week, what's the thought on when I might see progress? The stems remain pretty solid, with the most external softening, but nothing else seems to have changed otherwise. I'm in the desert, and the soil in these area has all been changed out, and blended with manure. For most of my plants I do two things, on two watering zones. I have drips above ground, and soaker line on another zone at about double the planting depth of the plants, this provides ground moisture for the roots (once they develop) in the summer, as surface water lasts minutes at 100 plus degrees, and single digit humidity.

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