JoshRasner

Hi all��

I always wanted a banana tree, and a few months ago I finally got one! Things were great for a while, but now the old girl (an ensente red) isn't doing so well and I could use some guidance. She's tipping over badly, and her color is poor, I think. The inner stem is still a vibrant green, but the outside layer is yellowing and soft. I tried staking it, which helped a while, but now it's tipping just as badly the other way. I think I might be overwatering, tbh, but it's 112 degrees here in Vegas and when it gets the 6hrs direct sun the care tag recommended it starts to crisp up without daily watering. I'll enclose a pic here if I can figure out how.

Any advice would be most appreciated. I'm starting to feel like Seymour Krelborne here, and, while I'm willing to open a vein if necessary, I'd rather it not come to that.

Grazie,

j

I HOPE this is the pic:


Banana Gallery - My poor sad banana tree http://www.bananas.org/gallery/water...1&filefix=.jpg

(credit [Bananas.org - View Profile: JoshRasner JoshRasner])

edwmax

Does that pot drain the water 'OUT'?? The pot must drain!

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JoshRasner

It does, rough I'm not sure how well. I put a pebble substrate in the pot under the soil, and there is a plastic tray under the pot itself.

edwmax

You need to use a commercial potting mix with 50% of perlite added. Repot the banana in the new mix and bring the soil about 1" above the top roots. Drill more hole in the bottom to help the drainage. Do away with the rocks in the bottom and add a riser under the pot to keep the drain holes above any water in the saucer. ... A bigger pot may help too by allowing the soil to hold more water without being soggy.



Next, reduce the amount of watering and only mist the plant about 3 or 4 times during the day. Keep the plant in a shade during the hot part of the day.


While the plant is out of the soil, check the roots. They should be white. Black roots are dead and indicate possible root rot setting in from too much water.

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ferricyanide

I had a similar problem with my first banana but i fixed it sooner. My problem was fixed by adding the rocks on the bottom and drilling more holes in the pot. I had a ton of perlite but the holes i had got clogged with dirt. Holes may have been too small.

See how fast the water runs out of the bottom.

I'm not sure about your sun and heat situation. My banana hates the heat here during the day and folds up, however it usually looks perky every evening.

Disclaimer: novice banana owner, have one plant

Starstryke

Depending on what the pot is made of either drill a hole or simply poke a few with a push pin down at the lower sides of the pot. If water pours out you know it needs drainage. You might also want to use a fertilizer if you have not.