Art_R

I have six banana plants in my back yard. Two of them have recently started putting out pale, stunted, and mis-shapen leaves. The mystery banana's main pseudostem looks good, but the leaves of the pups have been affected. The Raja Puri has been affected in both the pseudostem and the pups. in the Raja Puri's pseudostem, in addition to being pale, stunted and mis-shapen, the leaves are twisted and tangled up in each other. The other 4 bananas are doing just fine. All six bananas receive the same growing conditions. The three pictures below are of the Raja Puri.

All my bananas are on a drip irrigation system. At the beginning of June, I increased the watering frequency from one hour every other day to one hour every day. During the second week of June we had lots of rain all week (the drip system was off that week). The problem started about the same time I increased the watering. This suggests an over-watering problem, but I watered the same two plants daily during June, July, and August last year and didn't have this problem. I have reduced the watering back to every other day.

So what do y'all think? Is this an over-watering problem or something else?

Art R.
Ormond Beach, FL, USA

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

smeash

My namwah have the same pale green leaves, and often shredded or mis-shaped upon unfurling. I am pushing mine hard with fertilizer and think that may be it.. many have done it for a few leaves, then resumed normal cigar leaves. After a day or two, the new leaves become dark green like the rest. If you are using a slow release fertilizer, increased watering may be pushing more nutrients to your plants.. I wouldn't worry a bunch about it.. im betting it will sort itself out just as mine have.

edwmax

This is lack of fertilizer ... specifically nitrogen. Apply granular balanced fertilizer for vegetables to the ground and then foliar spray with urea at 2% nitrogen or Miracle Grow (24-8-16) mixed to 2% N (76 g/gal of water) weekly until the leaves are normal again. .... Foliar spraying will show improvement over night.

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Akula

Looks like Boron or Calcium deficiency.

Although present in the soil, the uptake of these minerals may be impaired due to rapid growth caused by excess nitrogen or rainfall/irrigation. High PH can also prevent/impede the uptake of boron and calcium. A few members have reported their well water or city supplied water had a high PH which effected their plants.

hdynad

Deffinately need fertilizer lots of great ideas from earlier posts just remember to water in well whatever you use otherwise you can burn the plant.

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Currently growing, , DGM Highgate, Blue Java, Dwarf Red, Dwarf Brazilian , Ensete Glaucum, Pitogo, Hoa Moa, Raja Puri, Thai Black, VG Chaing Rai, Manzano, Praying Hands. Yunnan, Hawiaan Crown, Dwarf Red Plantain

Art_R

I want to thank everyone who replied to my post. I fertilize monthly with one pound of a mixture of one part urea (46 0 0) and 3 parts muriate of potash (0 0 60) and I supplement with water soluble Miracle Gro so I don't think that I am under-fertilizing (any comments?) My drip irrigation system is connected to municipal water not well water. Based on everyone's great input, I'm thinking that I pushed the plant too hard and hopefully it will sort itself out if I back off a little and leave it alone. I will also check on the pH of the municipal water. Thanks again to everyone.

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

edwmax

Now that you have given more info as to what & how you were fertilizing, a better assessment can be given.



1) If you were 'pushing too hard' the banana leaves would be showing some distortion not dis-coloration. However, you could have burned the plant roots using the Urea. Thus, the plant is unable to takeup the needed fertilizer until new roots regrow and thus causing the light colored & yellow leaves. ... Note: If the roots are burned foliar spraying with a light fertilizer mix (with minors) will show improvements and will sustain the plant until the roots can regrow.



2) The combination of fertilizers you gave do not have the needed minor elements ( boron, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, ect). The Miracle Gro might have the minors, depend on which type you buy (general or vegetable). But I doubt you are giving enough of the Miracle Gro to provide the needed minors. ... You should be using fertilizer formulated for 'vegetable garden' use. .... You can buy the vegetable minors as a supplement to mix with general use fertilizers. .... This was why I stated lack of fertilizer. When the plant is missing one element, it is usually missing several other needed minor & major elements.


3) While on the surface of your mix this doesn't look like too much ... but the urea is readily water soluble and highly concentrated. It could burn the plant roots it heavily irrigated/watered or during a heavy rain; and then be washed away. A granular slow release fertilizer (vegetable mix) would be better for the growing season.

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Art_R

I want to thank everyone who replied to this thread with lots of great information. After reading everybody's comments, here is what I did: Instead of fertilizing the usual amount once a month, I gave it half as much, but every two weeks. The subsequent leaves were still a little bit wonky, but much much better than what I showed in the photos. A flower has just started to emerge so it looks like everything is back on track.

Going forward, I will either switch to a vegetable fertilizer or if I stick to the Urea/Muriate of Potash, I will use a minor nutrient supplement instead of the miracle gro.

edwmax: Thank you for your detailed response which I just saw. I usually get an E-mail notifying me of each response, but I must have missed it. What vegetable mix do you recommend and how much do you apply per plant and how often do you apply?

Thanks,
Art R.

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

Backyard Banana Joe

pics? congratulations!!!!

Art_R

Here is a picture of the emerging flower on my Raja Puri. The plant previously had stunted and twisted leaves, but I left it alone and it sorted itself out.

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

Backyard Banana Joe

Looks good! Also looks like a true raja puri!

Art_R

Don at Going Bananas personally dug it out of the ground for me as he was giving me a tour on his golf cart So I have no doubt it is a true Raja Puri !!!

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

Akula

Congratulations! Make sure to make plenty of pics as it develops. Got some doubts about my RP so want to compare to yours. Thanks!

Backyard Banana Joe

That's awesome bro! Congrats!

Art_R

Akula - Here is a picture of the bud and baby bananas. Hope this gives you the info you are looking for. If not, I can take another picture. - Art R.

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

Akula

Thanks Art! Looking good.

If you could let the flower run for a while it would be helpful in identification and comparison to my Raja Puri. I have asked for the org to help identify/confirm my plant to be sure on the following thread:

Help! Plant Identification/Confirmation Needed!

They seem very similar to me so far. Thanks again for the photo!

Art_R

Akula - Here are a couple more photos of my Raja Puri. Good Luck with your identification. - Art R.

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner

Akula

Thanks again Art.

Mine looks a lot like yours at least to my inexperienced eye. I was just a bit surprised by the size of the banana fingers vs. other RP's that have been posted up. Usually they look about the size of a canned vienna sausage but mine are much bigger. Yours seem to be good size too.

edwmax

I'm trying to figure that out too. My raja puri bunch has died. The fingers never got bigger than my thumb. The flower never got bigger than a 'nerf foot ball'. (if you guys know what that was) The RP flowers at 5ft to 6 ft and over all the plant looks nice & dark green with big leaves. This is the 3rd bunch on this RP mat that has done this. .... Anyone have any idea what is happening?????

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Art_R

I'd like to thank everyone who gave me great advice for my Raja Puri with the pale and stunted leaves. As you saw in previous post my RP got back on track and flowered. And now this thread has come full circle. Yesterday I harvested the fruit and here is a photo:



Thanks again !!!
Art R.

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Here's what I'm growing: Grand Naine, Namwa, Blue Java, Raja Puri, Patupi, & a mystery nanner