HedyLamarr

So - I moved into a new place and inherited this GINORMOUS banana tree. A lot of conflicting information for its care and maintenance so I thought I'd come to the experts for advice.

My guess is it hasn't been cared for - so I'm not sure what I should START doing (or not do) since it seems to be growing, but not thriving. Images in my gllery are of the whole tree (the storage unit to the left is 6' tall, for scale), close up of the stalks and the blooms.

Particulars:

• I have no idea how old this thing is. The storage shed on the right is nearly 6' tall, to give scale.
• I'm in San Diego - 1 1/2 blocks from the coast. The tree is in the SE corner of the yard.
• I don't think the plant has been watered on a regular basis. It's pretty wet here during the winter. Summers can be humid but generally dry.
• The sun is very consistent... it's San Diego The tops get full sun all day, year round. The stalks get It full AM sun and are in shade mid-afternoon.
• It is also pretty humid here year-round.
• The plant sticks up over the top of a garage so it gets pretty consistent ocean breezes but the bottoms of the stalk are well-protected by the building it's next to.
• It does bear fruit - it grew 2 small hands last year that are still there and have turned black - these probably need to be cut down. Over the past couple of months some bananas have started to ripen it looks like.
• I'm a novice grower of plants but am ready to take this on...

Questions:

1. Do I need to strip the dead brown stalks?
2. It looks to suffer from some ailments (the dark purple spotty stuff) or mold?
3. Do i start a watering or feeding regimin?
4. The new hands growing in don't look as full as the previous year. Currently growing 3. Anything special I need to do to help boost?
5. Any other tips or observations?

Thanks for any advice - awesome website - there seems to be a link between the fun of growing bananas and the kind of people who have fun growing them!

-Hedy

EDIT: hmmm.... how to link gallery...?

momoese

Just use Photobucket, much easier. And welcome to the site!

2woodensticks

welcome..love {blazing saddles}nice pics...i would thin them out...if there is some one to take care of them on a regular basis,if not let em go.. more good stuff for not so many plants =bigger and better fruit..orinoco push out tons of pups...keep them to 2 or 3 per...

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got to love em..{neotropical rattlesnake..cascabell}

LilRaverBoi

1. As far as brown dead stalks go....bananas only fruit once, then that stem will die back. At this point, you can cut it off at the base since it won't live on to fruit again. On living plants, I like to remove the brown/dry parts from the stems. It's not necessary, but it makes them look a little nicer. Just start at the bottom with a sharp knife or scissors and peel back the layers, cutting off anything dry/brown till you find living tissue. Move upward removing dry/brown material and eventually you'll have a nice exposed pseudostem.

2. Can you post pictures of this? Not exactly sure what you're referring to, but someone here can no doubt help you rectify the issue if you show us a pic.

3. Watering may not be necessary depending on rainfall in your area. Seems like they're doing pretty well on their own, but if you have a dry spell for a week or so, maybe take a hose out there and give em a drink. Fertilizing will definitely help yield...I'll let someone else chime in with more experience on how often to fertilize and what type of fertilizer to use (there are many thoughts on this, many of which work well).

4. Currently developing fruit will probably not show a huge change with new methods applied at this time. Bunch size is predetermined before it even comes out of the top of the plant. However, watering/fertilizer may help the fruit on there develop faster. Also, such practices will increase the number of hands/fruit on future bunches.

And to embed pictures in a post, host them either on the site in your gallery or on another photo-hosting site (ie: photobucket). View the picture, right click and select 'copy image url'/'copy image location' (actual wording varies depending on which browser you use). Then, start your post, click on the photo embed button (looks like a mountain/sun with yellow sky) and paste that url into the box that pops up. Finish your post and the photo should show up in there for you.

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Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
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venturabananas

They are Orinoco. The most common variety in SoCal. Thin the mats a bit so the stems aren't competing so with each other, add some fertilizer, and during the summer water them -- start with about 10 gallons per week for that mat. They can handle more than that, but might not need it if you have heavy clay soil, like so much of SoCal.

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HedyLamarr

Hey! Quick responses! Thanks all -

2woodensticks - I should have stated I thought it was Musa Orinoco but not surprised you knew that. Not sure I understand your statement: "keep them to 2 or 3 per..." --- is this per mother stalk that has blossomed?

Raverboi - I tried placing images in my original post but not sure it worked. Will definitely clear off the dead growth - thanks.

Ventura - not sure what you mean by 'mats' - the ground around the stalks? wow - that's a lot of water for never having been watered. But perhaps that's why the hands seem sparse - fruit needs a lot of water. Since it is still summertime, I will start watering and see what happens. The soil in my front yard is very sandy - not sure about the back yard, where the trees are growing.

Anxious to try everyone's suggestions - thanks so much!

EDIT: Ha! anyone notice the Sponsor Ad - the "flatten your tummy by avoiding these 5 foods" ---- with a picture of a BANANA!

venturabananas

A mat of bananas is a bunch of pseudostems ("trunks") that are all derived from a single original plant that made suckers (off shoots). The entire "clump" of banana plants in your photo is a mat.

Ha, you think that is a lot of water! If you look around this website you will find people who are using 10 gallons per day per mat. I use much less, because my heavy clay soil takes a very long time to dry out.

Food (fert) and water will make bigger bunches!

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Yug

When I read the thread starter, I was thinking that a 'Banana Tree Virgin' must be someone that has not been 'screwed' yet by an unscrupulous banana seller.

HedyLamarr

Not yet Yug

Thanks Ventura - I started watering, and of course as I was standing there studying the tree, I saw lurking in the corner yet another blossom - huge 18"!

G.W.

HA

no banana seller but STILL WITH THE ORINOCO

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winter winners, jackfruit, carambola, hua moa, d namwah, hak ip lychee with pink leaves 2 days before a cold snap eeeek!

Winter losers, kohala longan, misi luki, 80% jackfruit seedling loss

first bloomers, HUA MOA, DC, D NAMWAH, FHIA 17, KANADARIAN, RAJA PURI, M D NAMWAH

best bunch FHIA 17 , undisclosed

WORST BUNCH hua moa, 2 fingers