hseeng

Ive been growing different banana trees for about 4 years. Purely for the fun of it.

They were all gifts and no idea of the type exactly. Looks like full size, dwarf type and red ornamental. I have 6 potted right now at different stages
I would like to see if I can get the large on to bloom.
However Im having some issues and wondering what the cause of some of leave issues Im having might be caused from.
Live in Ontario Canada (5b-6a Zone) – Plants go outside in May-June once temps over 18c(65f) hit

All banana trees are in heated Sunroom over winter. 21c (71F) during day 14-17c (57-62F) at night (depending how cold outside was). Humidity 42-47 entire house. Water once a week. Miracle-Gro Liquid All Purpose 12-4-8 every month (indoor plant ratio)

Like feed back on the 4 types of leaf issues I have.
1. Wilting on health green leaf (in doors with stable heat)
2. Multiple leave yellowing at the same time (entire leaf)
3. Multiple leave yellowing at the same time (leaf edges)
4. New leaves have selective brown spots. Even before the uncurl.



Large banana issues
You can see before and after photos. Tree is maybe 12-18 months old.. It did well all winter in the sunroom up until the beginning of March. I thought giving it a bunch of granular fertilizer on top of the surface to give it a push for spring might make it flower was the hope. I used 10-10-10 (30-60 grams) on top of soil 4-6” away from trunk. . 4 days after that the leaves started to droop like it was getting too much summer heat. Did I over fertilize? Then 1 week later 1 leave went yellow over 5 days. At the same time on of the pups that was dormant for 9 months decided to grow 12” in 10 days. The pup was separated after it hit 22” high. 3 weeks later you can the rest of the leaves yellowing. Yesterday I wondered what the white dust in perfect rows many of the leaves was. It was too even and centered in each rib. I thought its was a normal scaling the plant might give off. After looking it under a microscope I finally figured out is spider mites. Thousands of molts. Since then, the main growth has slowed down 80%. And 2 more pups that were dormmate are taking off with 2 more pups popping up this week out of the soil.
Soil HP 6.25-6.50

Questions
1. What is the best approach to make the main plant bloom?
2. What cause the yellow so fast? Sider mites?, Over fert? Under water, February low light levels?
3. Notice the leaves with dried patches and on tips. What causes this? Almost all of my banana plants got these left issues in December.
4. Best way to get rid of spider mites on this huge tree? - My plan was next week when its 24C outside was to take it outside and hose it down really well and use soap.
5. How much granular fertilizer can I apply? As you can see the picture if I follow the bag instructions for a tree 6-7” across I could use a ratio over 230 grams. I thought was way too much and used 30 – 60 grams.

Red Banana issues
You can see the Red Banana has leaves browning at edges. Lost 4-6 leaves mid January (already cut off). It too has thousands of spider mite molt casings now that I know what to look for. Its pot is most likely too small now and root bound and dries out too fast.
1. What is most likely the issue that cause yellowing leaves?

Thanks

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Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, Earth

hseeng

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Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, Earth

cincinnana

Welcome to the forums.

Your issues are common to indoor outdoor growers like myself and are predictable with the seasonal changes we place on these tropical plants.

Always remember bananas are tropical and do best and thrive in a tropical enviroment bringing them indoors is still not a tropical environment.
Your plants are classic examples of being indoors 7 months for the winter.....mine do the same thing.
You will observe that a smaller plant is easier to manage than a larger taller plant indoors



Spider mites.....I get them too.
Do a forum search and read some past threads on how members have chosen to control them.
An internet search on spider mite control will offer a trove of information too, just pick and choose what might work for you.

Now that you have mites assume they are everywhere, treat everything containers, saucers, soils, surrounding areas and all plants . I have observed mites traveling nose to tail(just like ants) along a railing to get to another host plant a many meters away.

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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

hseeng

Thoughts on what causes this leaf damage? The leaf haven't even unrolled yet.

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Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, Earth