MusaZombie

So my single Basjoo didn't do much over summer. It more or less just sat there in my yard and grew a leaf or two, but that was it. So, I didnt feel comfortable overwintering it in the dark corner of my basement with my other bananas and instead put it in my grow tent with my other plants over winter.

I had some spider mites attack it pretty good at one point and hacked it down and since then have been regularly cleaning it. My solution of water to castle soap was too strong at one point and damaged part of the leaves and pseudostem but I thought we were over that as the newest leaf popped out. However, when it unfurled it didn't exactly unfurl. Then after only a few days I came home to find it completely dropped over.

Anyone got some direct advice they think could help me here?

The one thing I did notice is this leaf seemed thinner than usual

MusaZombie

The other leaves have heavily dropped now as well and the entire plant appears to have gone south. There are two pups, however, so I guess I'll be raising some Basjoo pups

beam2050

as edwmax would say; mist your plants often it helps.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

MusaZombie

It's in a tent and the humidity is pretty good in there along with a few fans to help circulate air. A few times a week I go nuts in there with a spray bottle

edwmax

Interesting ... Tell us about the soil and how much & type of fertilizer you are using. Also please post a full picture of the plant base with the pot & soil.

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MusaZombie

Mix of Fox Farm Ocean Forest and my own compost of house scraps (egg shells, coffee grounds, veggies, sticks, leaves, ...). In the past I have used some extra nutrients like Grow Big but I have gotten away from that so as to focus more on bacterial health of the soil and less on liquid nutrients. I have added extra calcium via some Espoma product, but it's probably been two months since I last did (sprinkled on soil surface to dissolve via watering over time)

edwmax

• 1. I suspect the soil is too dense for the roots to get air and holds too much water. ... OR ...
  2. There is a calcium imbalance. Too little or too much will effect the take up of other micro nutrients. This is the likely cause of the rolling leaves. ... OR ...
  3. Both 1 & 2

I would still like to see a picture of the plant base and pot.

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MusaZombie

Trying to upload photos but the limitations on the site make it tricky to do from my phone.

Alright, cooking with gas. This is in a tent with a 1000w bulb, so the temps around it are generally high 70s. When it was flourishing it was soaking up the water in the soil quite well, from what I could see and I would water it every few days. At this point I watered it sometime mid last week when it was looking not good and it hasn't seemed to suck that up since. This soil might have also had some greensand mixed in with it but I can't recall.

Would love to hear any thoughts you have.

beam2050

bentonite wont hurt the plant but; dry it doesn't want to take water and when it gets wet it stays wet.

love the pot. going to go to war with Canada?















c

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

Iowa

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Growing Musa Orinoco since 1993 - Added 2018-Basjoo, Zebrina' Rojo, Ensete Red Abyssinian - Added 2019-Goldfinger - Added 2020-Kokopo (Short Cycle), Double (Mahoi), Highgate, Super Dwarf Cavendish - Added 2021-Pisang Ceylon(Mysore), Musa Margarita, Ensete Ventricosum - Added 2023 - Siam Ruby

MusaZombie

I buy them from my local gardening store but you can get them online as well


Air Pots


You referring to the lime I've added?

Yeah, these pots are a favorite of mine for general for general growing. They sit above the tray so the pot isn't sitting in any excess water

beam2050

[quote=MusaZombie;
You referring to the lime I've added?
[/QUOTE]

greensand is used for making molds for jewelry to name a few. has bentonite in it.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

MusaZombie

Ah, yes. I added it to one of my soil mixes as an experiment to see how everything reacted. You could tell the soil held onto water a lot (too much)

edwmax

Humm ... never seen a pot like that one. OK, water should drain from the pot in about a minute or so after pouring it in. If not then the soil may be too dense.

Now we're back to the nutrients as being the problem. There may be too much or too rich. For this you may have to wait and see if the plant works it way out of it.
... Another problem might be the soil Ph. The bagged soil had the proper PH but when you mixed in your home made compost the Ph may have been raise too hight. Please check the Ph.

Nice looking little pups in the photo.

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MusaZombie

I switch between cloth pots and these air pots. I prefer these for growing over winter since the pots ait above the tray, reducing the chance for any algae or mold growth.

I'll see how these pups fair in the coming weeks and months, though I'm guessing the soap either burned the parent too bad or the soil isn't a nice habitat.

edwmax

Check the Ph. with a meter. what ever is wrong with the mother plant will soon effect the little pups. And, pups growing at this stage of growth of the mother plant is usually an indication of some sort of stress on the corm.

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beam2050

yes well I know that greensand is a big no no for pots with bananas. greensand is made up of bentonite and play sand for the most part. playsand also holds water. put a drop of water on the sand and you will get a marble sized lump of sand for it. I use play sand for sandblasting, cuts glass nice to, after I dry it out.

you know a banana in ground does differently than one in a pot when it comes to soil. you can plant a banana in clay and it can do well depending on. but you cannot plant a banana in a pot with clay in it. I live on a yellow sand hill my bananas are doing good. but add some of that sand to potting soil and plant a banana in a pot with it, no. I can personally tell you its not good.

I have worked with bentonite most of my life and would not use it in ground with my bananas. and I can have as many bags as I want within ten minutes from here. I firmly believe your greensand is a MAJOR part of your problem.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

MusaZombie

Thank you. I had started integrating it as an experiment and maybe this is the end product: failing plants

beam2050

its better to fail than to do nothing but sit on the couch and play with your phone.

just curious, what are you doing with greensand anyway. playing with greensand involves a lot of work.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

edwmax

If greensand is in the soil mix of the banana (or any bananas), I agree with Beam. ... Repot the banana in a soil mix with 30% - 50% perlite. SOON!

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