Damaged rajapuri
 

HI everyone.
Upon receiving my Musa rajapuri a few days ago, I couldn't be more than happier.
Though I did notice that the package it had been transported in was bent in half!
It was as I expected...the rajapuri was broken in the middle.
2 months of waiting for it and it was the last in stock. You can only imagine the frustration.
Anyway, the trunk was originally about 3 and a half foot. So I cut just bellow the damage point leaving about 2ft of intact trunk.
I was wondering if that was the best option? Their does seem to be life and it is kind of growing from the midle of the trunk. Though will it look the same?

Re: Damaged rajapuri
 

be well ... look here
http://www.bananas.org/f2/what-we-sa...nas-17953.html

Re: Damaged rajapuri
 

Welcome to Bananas.org Chris! :)

Cutting the pseudostem of a banana plant is not too harsh on it thankfully and they recover pretty fast from it with hot weather. Be light on your watering so as not to rot the roots and it will recover pretty fast! There will be no permanent disfiguring by the cutting as the cut leafs will be gradually shed as it grows new ones. See here as well for an example of how a banana with cut pseudostem develops and see how there is no sign of it once it grows bigger :)

Re: Damaged rajapuri
 

As long as you have roots your good.. it will recover faster.. Feed it some Fish Emulsion.. and all will be well.. unless you don't have well draining soil.. :^)

Re: Damaged rajapuri
 

Thanks for the info guys. It's reassuring to know that the rajapuri might survive.
Since my first comment the rajapuri has developed a shoot. About as thick as a cigar and roughly an inch long. Flat on the end obviously. Would you class this as normal?
I'm trying to give it as much heat as possible by putting it out in the day and keepingit in a moderately warm room at night.
Thanks for being so helpful.

Re: Damaged rajapuri
 

Yes,thats normal. What you see is the new leaf growing rolled around its rachis. Once it grows enough out,it will unroll and open. With temperatures around 30C,bananas can grow and recover very fast but at around 20C they are slow. Keep it warm and give it some hours of sun during the day. Be careful with the watering as right now its not consuming much water. It should start looking good again within a month :)