I think I killed my indoor banana plant. Help me?!

kuay · 12-10-2014, 12:12 AM

We got an indoor banana plant about 6 months ago. Lately, it's been looking quite sad (yellowing leave with brown tips, the 'trunk' was looking nasty and crunchy brown). So I decided to clean it up.

Apparently I was not supposed to remove that crunchy brown stuff around the 'trunk' as my husband educated me that it's protective and by doing so, I exposed the plant. He's never grown one indoors, he grew up in a banana climate in SE Asia.

To make matters worse, I broke the pup tonight, by accident, when I was checking the soil to see if I needed to water.

The things looks depressing, and it's making me depressed as I caused it's dismay.

What can I do to save it? It's in the right sized pot. There are no holes in the pot, I don't know if there should be? We fertizile sometimes (a liquid house plant fertilizer). Water as needed, about once/week.

What can I do to save this little guy?

Richard · 12-10-2014, 12:25 AM

The pot needs drainage. The place to check soil moisture is through the holes in the bottom of the pot -- not the top. The soil should be moist: not wet, not dry, but in between. Water the plant thoroughly when the soil becomes less than moist and let it drain.

kuay · 12-10-2014, 12:47 AM

Do you think the plant is salvageable?

Richard · 12-10-2014, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuay

Do you think the plant is salvageable?

you'll find out when you transplant it.

Olafhenny · 12-10-2014, 08:13 PM

Hi Kuay,

as Richard has pointed out, there definitely should be holes in the bottom of almost
any pot containing plants, plus a chance for water to get away. The water catch tray
under the pot should be large enough, so you are able to see and stop watering as
soon as water drains out in the bottom. That is essential to the health of most potted
plants. It is natural to want an indoor bananas look neat and tidy, but that is best
done by cutting off the leaves, after they are no longer green with a pair of scissors
or a sharp, non serrated knife.

It is also natural for older banana leaves to turn yellow as they are replaced by new
ones. That process is accelerated at low light conditions, this time of the year

You do not state if there are any green leaves left on the plant at all nor where you
live and what the light conditions are. I usually would not recommend repotting
during this time of year, when the light is meager. That applies mainly if you live
in the northern US or Canada, but in your case there may be suspicion of root rot
and waiting for February or March is not recommended.

Here is what I would do:
- Get a pot with holes at the bottom and a water catcher, which is large enough to
let you see and stop watering as soon as water runs out of the botton.
- Place a few small rocks in the bottom of the pot and cover them up with a piece
of fly screen or better, for indoor plants, a piece of ground cover cloth.
- Fill one quarter of the pot with potting soil containing some sand or vermiculite.
- Remove the banana from its old pot and inspect. The corm, if healthy, should
feel like a potato The roots should be pale yellow or off-white.
- Cut off any black roots with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife. If there are no
pale roots left at all, don’t worry as long as the corm still feels like a potato.
- If the corm has turned to mash, then your plant is in serious trouble. Toss it out,
take pot and catch tray back to the store and buy a new plant in spring, when they
are available again. You are now soooh much wiser

Good luck,
Olaf
PS the fact, that you were able to break off the pup tells me that there is still some
oomph in the corm and the pup will soon start regrowing, what you broke off

Snarkie · 01-28-2015, 12:26 PM

Yes, it sounds like your little guy was drowning! As suggested, get it into a pot with holes, and I would also recommend a clay pot, as they tend to be "drier" than a plastic pot. That is why cacti are planted in clay and not plastic.

Good luck!

12-10-2014, 12:12 AM	#1 (permalink)
kuay Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2 BananaBucks : 2,470 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	I think I killed my indoor banana plant. Help me?! We got an indoor banana plant about 6 months ago. Lately, it's been looking quite sad (yellowing leave with brown tips, the 'trunk' was looking nasty and crunchy brown). So I decided to clean it up. Apparently I was not supposed to remove that crunchy brown stuff around the 'trunk' as my husband educated me that it's protective and by doing so, I exposed the plant. He's never grown one indoors, he grew up in a banana climate in SE Asia. To make matters worse, I broke the pup tonight, by accident, when I was checking the soil to see if I needed to water. The things looks depressing, and it's making me depressed as I caused it's dismay. What can I do to save it? It's in the right sized pot. There are no holes in the pot, I don't know if there should be? We fertizile sometimes (a liquid house plant fertilizer). Water as needed, about once/week. What can I do to save this little guy?

12-10-2014, 12:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
Richard un-Retired Richard's Photo Gallery Location: Vista, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 10b Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 9,674 BananaBucks : 508,342 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,636 Times Was Thanked 12,543 Times in 4,721 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,685 Times	Re: I think I killed my indoor banana plant. Help me?! The pot needs drainage. The place to check soil moisture is through the holes in the bottom of the pot -- not the top. The soil should be moist: not wet, not dry, but in between. Water the plant thoroughly when the soil becomes less than moist and let it drain. __________________ Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

12-10-2014, 12:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
kuay Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2 BananaBucks : 2,470 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: I think I killed my indoor banana plant. Help me?! Do you think the plant is salvageable?

12-10-2014, 08:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 246,149 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: I think I killed my indoor banana plant. Help me?! Hi Kuay, as Richard has pointed out, there definitely should be holes in the bottom of almost any pot containing plants, plus a chance for water to get away. The water catch tray under the pot should be large enough, so you are able to see and stop watering as soon as water drains out in the bottom. That is essential to the health of most potted plants. It is natural to want an indoor bananas look neat and tidy, but that is best done by cutting off the leaves, after they are no longer green with a pair of scissors or a sharp, non serrated knife. It is also natural for older banana leaves to turn yellow as they are replaced by new ones. That process is accelerated at low light conditions, this time of the year You do not state if there are any green leaves left on the plant at all nor where you live and what the light conditions are. I usually would not recommend repotting during this time of year, when the light is meager. That applies mainly if you live in the northern US or Canada, but in your case there may be suspicion of root rot and waiting for February or March is not recommended. Here is what I would do: - Get a pot with holes at the bottom and a water catcher, which is large enough to let you see and stop watering as soon as water runs out of the botton. - Place a few small rocks in the bottom of the pot and cover them up with a piece of fly screen or better, for indoor plants, a piece of ground cover cloth. - Fill one quarter of the pot with potting soil containing some sand or vermiculite. - Remove the banana from its old pot and inspect. The corm, if healthy, should feel like a potato The roots should be pale yellow or off-white. - Cut off any black roots with a pair of scissors or a sharp knife. If there are no pale roots left at all, don’t worry as long as the corm still feels like a potato. - If the corm has turned to mash, then your plant is in serious trouble. Toss it out, take pot and catch tray back to the store and buy a new plant in spring, when they are available again. You are now soooh much wiser Good luck, Olaf PS the fact, that you were able to break off the pup tells me that there is still some oomph in the corm and the pup will soon start regrowing, what you broke off __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them. Last edited by Olafhenny : 12-10-2014 at 08:38 PM. Reason: Add PS

01-28-2015, 12:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
Snarkie The Cat Whisperer Location: Charlotte, NC Zone: 8b, pushing 9a Name: D.A. Hänks Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,119 BananaBucks : 155,225 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,218 Times Was Thanked 1,970 Times in 1,145 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,049 Times	Re: I think I killed my indoor banana plant. Help me?! Yes, it sounds like your little guy was drowning! As suggested, get it into a pot with holes, and I would also recommend a clay pot, as they tend to be "drier" than a plastic pot. That is why cacti are planted in clay and not plastic. Good luck! __________________ Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America "Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

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