Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

About the end of March, I think, Jimmmy sent me some young banana plants.
I uploaded a pic of one of the 2, that I am having problems with to my Photo Gallery. Can someone please look and tell me if there is any hope of saving them? The others Jimmmy sent me are doing great. Sorry about the poor quality of the pic. Lousy camera.

Thanks,
Leolady aka Bonnie

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

If its leaning like I think it is I wouldn't water it for a while if its wet & get it as much sunlight as you can & hope for the best :^) (what kinda are they by the way?)

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

I thought being too wet was the problem at first but they are both on the really dry side. One is a dwarf orinoco and the other is an ice cream

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

Well worst case scenerio.. If you got shipping I have one of each I can let you have (PM me) :^)

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

Like Migael said put them out where they can get more sun if your not already. Just keep a close eye on them as they adjust.

I have a bunch of TC Ice Cream and Dwarf Orinoco from Jimmmy that I picked up about the same time you received yours. I have most of them planted in the ground where they receive full Texas sun all day and they are doing great and getting big.

I have one group of 3 Ice Creams planted on the Southwest side of my house that are shaded in the early morning. They were all the same size when I planted them. Now the one that gets sun first is the largest followed by the next to get sun and then the last. It is amazing what a half hour difference makes even when they cook all afternoon.

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

Until the last couple of days, it has still been to cold at night to plant them in the ground. So my home health aid has been taking them outside when she gets here in the morning, to the west side of the house. Then I have managed to get someone to bring them in after they have had an hour or so of sun in the afternoon. Hardening them off. I hope to have them in the ground next week. The last frost date here is May 15th.

I have been very careful not to over water them. I don't have good feeling in my working hand, but I felt down in the soil as far as I could and it felt dry. I then used a water meter that I use for my houseplants, and they are both definitely dry down about 2 1/2 inches. Should I not water them still? I did notice the the soil in the pots has settled, leaving the very top of the corms exposed. Could this be a problem?

They are both black and bent over right at the corm. The black part isn't soft though. Is this possible if I at some time over watered them and now they have dried down too much?

I really hate to lose them. They were given to me by Jimmmy out of the kindness of his heart. He wouldn't even let me pay postage. Now I feel like I have let him down, by not caring for them properly.

Sorry this post is so long. I just wanted to explain everything I could about the B plants.
Any and all help is very much appreciated.

Bonnie

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

I think it was a lack of heat. I'd use a spray bottle to mist them 4 or 5 squirts every other day or 3rd day. :^)

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

Bonnie,

Don't give up yet, I think they may surprise you. Is it possible to leave the pots outside longer so they can get more sun?

Dave

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

Yes I can leave them out all day. I have been afraid of the sun burning then. That is why I haven't left them out longer.
It is still pretty cool here even during the day. Like mid 60's to low 70's I would love to get them in the ground soon, but it is still getting down to the mid to high 40's at night. Is that too cold to go in the ground, provided these re-coop of course?
Not to change the subject, but, when they do go in the ground, what type mulch do you recommend? I am a total newbie to banana plants, so please bare with me.

Thanks,
Bonnie

Re: Bananas In Trouble Please Help
 

Bonnie,

In the early spring I planted a good number of bananas when our temps were still dropping into the low 40's at night without any negative issues. In fact it dropped to the high 30's a few times because we had a colder than normal spring.

Hopefully someone from your area will join in and give you advise on the appropriate time to plant in ground in your area. If you decide to put them in the ground just be prepared to cover them if you get a late frost.


If you leave them potted try increasing the amount of sun they get. I can't tell how much damage you have from the photo, but from your description I would not be surprised if your pstems go bad. Hopefully they will come back or pup. Don't loose hope.

I use a native hardwood mulch as it is readily available and it helps enrich our sandy soil as it breaks down.

Keep us updated and Good Luck!

Dave