Skoskav

Hello!
I could really use some help identifying what's wrong with my plant. I've been googling myself crazy, but i do not get any wiser.

I've grown this plant from a seed and it's about one year old. The seeds were bought as "Musa accuminata subsp. accuminata" and it's been doing fine until about mid january. It's since then been turning a lighter and lighter green until it's now almost yellow.

The plant is guttating and the droplets leaves a white powdery salty-like residue. This residue is all over the leaves but also all over the plant that's been next to it and the window sill.

The leaf about to unfurl has now gotten a brown streak, something i've never seen in this plant before.

It is also losing leaves quicker than it's growing new ones.

I'm at a complete loss here. Does anybody have any ideas?

I've also tried my absolute hardest to upload my pictures, but i just can't seem to do it. So here are som links instead, i hope it's working.

Thank you in advance.

The white stuff:
https://ibb.co/VBM414Z

More of the white stuff on the plant next to/below it:
https://ibb.co/0DNyrN5

Another picture:
https://ibb.co/5xjYLZC

New leaf:
https://ibb.co/x1RRFHd

Color comparison:
https://ibb.co/MVfppgp

edwmax

What is being sprayed on the plants? .... You have a pot sitting in a larger pot, what happens to the excess water that drains from the inner pot?

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Skoskav

Hello!
Nothing is being sprayed on the plants nor have I been spraying it before. I only water in the pot and I pour out the excess water.

I'm guessing that the white powder/residue is some kind of salt... Could there be too much of something in the soil? It's on the other hand in the same kind of soil mix as two of my other banana plants and they do not have this issue.

I think it looks over watered, but i'm fairly sure it's not. I'm going to change the soil today and look over the roots just to be sure.

Could it be a deficiency?

cincinnana

What does the substance taste like?
If it does have a salty taste then it is fertilizer related.
Smell the container and see it there is a different smell from the other plants.

Generally if your soil has too much fertilizer the salts will migrate to the sides and top or bottom of a container forming a slight white crust.
The photos shown the containers and plants look as if the drops have dried similar to water spots on glass or auto or if a water soluble fertilizer has been used.

Do you have a cat/dog that sprays?

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edwmax

Something is being sprayed on the plants (water stains; fertilizer stains; or something else). I do suspect the plants are over watered and the potting soil is too wet causing root rot.


Repot the bananas. But wash the corms with bleach water (1 cup bleach to gallon of water) to kill the rot and remove any black roots & soft material. The corm & roots should be white. Let air dry before repotting. .... Repot with a mixture of 50% potting soil & 50% perlite. The pottting mix must be a fast draining soil for bananas and the pot MUST drain. Do not let the pot sit in the excess water that drained from the pot. .... Let the potting soil dry out before each watering.

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edwmax

It could be. If so it is likely caused by being over watered washing away nutrients; or over fertilized (incorrect type) causing the Ph to be off. ... Again repotting help to correct this with fresh soil.

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Skoskav

Thank you very much!

I can't really make myself taste it, but i've smelled it and it's definitely smelling different. I'd say it has a somewhat metallic smell. The soil's also got an orange tint to it that i didn't realize until now.

You're right. The drops have dried like hard water spots. I've used a water soluble fertilizer twice since it started getting pale. Maybe it was a bad one.

No spraying cats or dogs.

Skoskav

Thank you for your reply!

As i said before: nothing is being sprayed on the plants. The attached pictures showing water stains is exclusively from the dripping banana. I've had a bit more success with my googling now. It turns out that guttation can leave stains like hard water spots when the plant is unbalanced nutrient wise. At least that's what i think it said.

I did check the roots yesterday but i haven't repotted just yet. There's no sign of root rot. The roots are looking fine, white and sturdy . Very crowded though and some old dead roots, but no rot.

I'm using a very fast draining soil, but it does have a little bit of clay in it. I know it's not perfect, but i don't believe that water logging could be the problem - since making sure it was fast draining was my top priority when making the soil mix. I do however know only the basics about how to fertilize so it's probably very unbalanced. I've used just a cheap grocery store bought fertilizer for all my plants with OK results for decades. I just give them some every now and then. It's probably not cutting it for the bananas and i'll have to look into it further. I cannot find a fertilizer with the recommended NPK in my country, so i'll have to figure out a way to DIY it or somehow compensate.

As stated above the pot and soil is giving off a metallic smell and there's lots of salt build up in the top layer of the soil. But no rot.

I'll change my soil mix to the one you recommended. It might work better. Thank you for your suggestion.

edwmax

Use a fertilizer formulated for vegetable gardens. This will have the minor nuttiness & elements needed. Most general use fertilizes do not have the minors. .... Mature banana (fruiting) plants in the ground need 1 lb nitrogen and 1 1/2 lb potassium per growing season. Potted mature plants only need 1/2 or less of that amount. Young potted plants only need a pro-rated amount per their size until they are 1/2 their mature size. 2ft to 4ft potted banana plant give 3 to 4 Tblsp monthly, less if using a slow release fertilizer. Smaller plants 1 or 2 tsp (6" pot & smaller) until repoting to larger pot and foliar spray fertilizer every 10 to 14 days.

I use Miracle Grow plant food and 10-10-10 npk slow release fertilizers. Google the Miracle Grow to find a similar product available for you.


More info can be found in the forum wiki link above.

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cincinnana

I have teens that spray and even a mother in law....

For me ..... I have plants which drip...and drip...and drip and cause all kinds of havoc.
Many of my large leafed trops will drip and leave a residue.
We will nail this down..


Taste the spots....sounds like a Tic Tok challenge.

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