Welcome to the Bananas.org forums. You're currently viewing our message boards as a guest which gives you limited access to participate in discussions and access our other features such as our wiki and photo gallery. By joining our community, you'll have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload photos, and access many other special features. Registration is fast and simple, so please join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us. |
|
Register | Photo Gallery | Classifieds | Wiki | Chat | Map | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
Banana Plant Soil, Additives, and Fertilizer This forum is an area where you may discuss the soil to grow banana plants in, as well as soil additives such as teas, composts, manures, fertilizers and related topics. |
Members currently in the chatroom: 0 | |
The most chatters online in one day was 17, 09-06-2009. No one is currently using the chat. |
Email this Page |
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools |
07-20-2009, 04:05 PM | #21 (permalink) | ||
un-Retired
Location: Vista, CA
Zone: USDA 10b
Name: Richard
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,674
BananaBucks
: 500,762
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: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com |
||
07-20-2009, 07:03 PM | #22 (permalink) | |
Location: Central FL
Zone: 9a
Name: KJ
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 174
BananaBucks
: 17,467
Feedback: 2 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 625 Times
Was
Thanked 197 Times in 87 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 422 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
Perhaps we are making assumptions that are false outside of North America. Here in the US, fertilizer is required to have its "analysis" stated on the label. You just look at the bag and find the best price on the formula that most closely matches your needs. Lawns usually get really high nitrogen to make them super green ... but that will make other plants tall and leggy. "Bloom booster" types usually have lower nitrogen and high phosphate. Our bananas are fond of potash. Here is a picture of a brand (deleted) of fertilizer that is available at the big hardware stores (at least in this corner of the US). The big green arrow points to the analysis. This is a 17-3-11 fertilizer, meaning by weight there is 17% nitrogen, 3% phosphate, and 11% potash. The rest is fillers and/or chemicals that aren't really important to plants, and if you are lucky you'll get 8 or 10 or more "minors and micros" in there too. For (fruiting) bananas you'd actually want something with more potash / potassium (3rd number) ... if it is available for a reasonable price. We aren't trying to land on the moon, we're just trying to do good by some plants. If 12-2-10 is half the price of the 8-3-12, then you might seriously consider the cheaper stuff.
__________________
I've got to stop asking people, "How stupid can you be." People are taking it as a challenge. Last edited by adrift : 08-09-2009 at 08:40 PM. |
|
07-20-2009, 07:21 PM | #23 (permalink) | |
Location: Central FL
Zone: 9a
Name: KJ
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 174
BananaBucks
: 17,467
Feedback: 2 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 625 Times
Was
Thanked 197 Times in 87 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 422 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
Similarly, palm food is a fertilizer with a similar but slightly different analysis that is optimal for palms. It may (hopefully will) have more magnesium than citrus food because many of the popular landscape palms are not native to where they are grown and need more of magnesium than is available (in Florida soils, anyway). Citrus and palm fertilizers may be hard to find in London, unless climate change is going a whole lot faster than we've been told. But if you look, I'm sure there is a fertilizer that has a similar analysis.
__________________
I've got to stop asking people, "How stupid can you be." People are taking it as a challenge. |
|
07-20-2009, 11:22 PM | #24 (permalink) |
Location: cincinnati OH. Z6
Zone: Z6
Name: Lynn
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 840
BananaBucks
: 17,346
Feedback: 8 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 422 Times
Was
Thanked 208 Times in 141 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 124 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
How bout' just eating a banana or apple or pear, veggie, whatever.......then digging a shallow hole near your plant of choice, drop the carcuss in the hole and then covering it up with the soil you dug up!
Viola!! instant compose and plant nutrients! Sounds easier I thought................
__________________
(Started growing bananas July 2007) (Zone 6) |
07-21-2009, 12:22 AM | #25 (permalink) |
Nanner Time!
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Zone: 5
Name: Bryan
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,937
BananaBucks
: 113,308
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 534 Times
Was
Thanked 2,243 Times in 1,245 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 855 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Okay...here's my question. Are the three numbers percentages??? Cause they rarely add to 100. I always assumed they were how may parts....a ratio, if you will. Like 10 parts N to 10 parts P to 10 parts K.
__________________
BANANA RAVE! Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top! lilraverboi@genxglow.com RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you! I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN! |
07-21-2009, 12:47 AM | #26 (permalink) |
un-Retired
Location: Vista, CA
Zone: USDA 10b
Name: Richard
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,674
BananaBucks
: 500,762
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: fertillizer in potted plant
Yes. The 17-3-11 shown in adrift's photo below are percentages of Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potash. I believe that particular fertilizer contains another 5% of "minors" and "micronutrients", plus about 64% of inert ingredients. All of the percentages are by weight, not volume -- even if you are looking at a liquid fertilizer.
__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com |
Said thanks: |
07-21-2009, 06:11 AM | #27 (permalink) |
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 19
BananaBucks
: 22,136
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 5 Times
Was
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
|
Re: fertilizer in potted plant
Thanks for the help all, but our composts and feeds don't show the numbers in and around London maybe if I try a large garden centre they may have the info[but I doubt that very much] so any other information would be helpful.Or maybe someone from around here may visit the forum,as I have checked the map and they do exist.
|
07-21-2009, 07:53 AM | #28 (permalink) |
un-Retired
Location: Vista, CA
Zone: USDA 10b
Name: Richard
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,674
BananaBucks
: 500,762
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: fertillizer in potted plant
Composts are considered a soil amendment and not a fertilizer. The percentages of nutrients in them are typically less than 1%. Here is a site with reasonably accurate data on compost materials: Primalseeds - % composition of materials
__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com |
Said thanks: |
07-21-2009, 08:57 AM | #29 (permalink) |
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 19
BananaBucks
: 22,136
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 5 Times
Was
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Thanks Richard please remind me what am I aiming for,I took the p.h of my soil about 1/2 hour ago and it was only 4.0.
|
07-21-2009, 12:51 PM | #30 (permalink) |
Nanner Time!
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Zone: 5
Name: Bryan
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,937
BananaBucks
: 113,308
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 534 Times
Was
Thanked 2,243 Times in 1,245 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 855 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
HOLY CRAP that's acidic! I'm no soil expert, and I realize plants are capable of living in a wider varieties of pH conditions. But speaking of humans, our body pH is 7.4 and even a small change in either direction, say 7.0 or 8 would result in acidosis, and alkylosis (respectively) and certain death. Kinda interesting that plants are able to tolerate this much more readily than ourselves. So this leads me to the question....what are normal soil pH levels?
__________________
BANANA RAVE! Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top! lilraverboi@genxglow.com RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you! I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN! |
Said thanks: |
07-21-2009, 06:13 PM | #31 (permalink) |
My Thumbs are Golden
Location: york,sc
Zone: 8a
Name: alex
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 304
BananaBucks
: 37,798
Feedback: 4 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 184 Times
Was
Thanked 189 Times in 92 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 249 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
alex |
Sponsors |
07-21-2009, 06:42 PM | #32 (permalink) | |
Location: Central FL
Zone: 9a
Name: KJ
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 174
BananaBucks
: 17,467
Feedback: 2 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 625 Times
Was
Thanked 197 Times in 87 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 422 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
If it ever added to 100 that would be some strong mojo! Part may be filler (purposefully), but it also can be any variety of parts that don't get counted in those 3 numbers. Minors & micros. If they used ammonium sulfate for the nitrogen source, you'd have that sulfur in there. If they used potassium chloride as the potassium source, you'd have that chlorine in there. (On the back of the bag you may see, for example "chlorine not more than 10%.") Potassium nitrate has N & K both, but also oxygen (O3) in there. In the case of "slow release" types there will be whatever resin stuff they use that slowly dissolves to release the goodies.
__________________
I've got to stop asking people, "How stupid can you be." People are taking it as a challenge. |
|
Said thanks: |
07-21-2009, 06:49 PM | #33 (permalink) | |
Location: Central FL
Zone: 9a
Name: KJ
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 174
BananaBucks
: 17,467
Feedback: 2 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 625 Times
Was
Thanked 197 Times in 87 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 422 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
Banana Peels
__________________
I've got to stop asking people, "How stupid can you be." People are taking it as a challenge. |
|
07-21-2009, 06:53 PM | #34 (permalink) | |
Location: Central FL
Zone: 9a
Name: KJ
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 174
BananaBucks
: 17,467
Feedback: 2 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 625 Times
Was
Thanked 197 Times in 87 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 422 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
But yeah, that is too acidic for just about all plants. I don't think even blueberries like it that acid, do they (5 or 5.5 for them?)?
__________________
I've got to stop asking people, "How stupid can you be." People are taking it as a challenge. Last edited by adrift : 07-21-2009 at 07:00 PM. |
|
07-21-2009, 07:03 PM | #35 (permalink) | |
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,111
BananaBucks
: 245,175
Feedback: 22 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 1,378 Times
Was
Thanked 1,402 Times in 558 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 535 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
The castings can be used in small amounts as an amendment and these could be produced for pennies in such a system. |
|
Sponsors |
07-27-2009, 05:33 PM | #36 (permalink) | |
My Thumbs are Golden
Location: york,sc
Zone: 8a
Name: alex
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 304
BananaBucks
: 37,798
Feedback: 4 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 184 Times
Was
Thanked 189 Times in 92 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 249 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
alex |
|
07-27-2009, 06:01 PM | #37 (permalink) |
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,111
BananaBucks
: 245,175
Feedback: 22 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 1,378 Times
Was
Thanked 1,402 Times in 558 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 535 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
A control group is in order then!
|
07-28-2009, 07:45 PM | #38 (permalink) |
Location: Carthage NC
Zone: 8
Name: Jim
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 327
BananaBucks
: 61,374
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 14 Times
Was
Thanked 217 Times in 93 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
For my naners I use 10-20-20
__________________
Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. In Christ Jim Babb Chile peppers go good with anything even naners and Ice Cream http://www.uponhigherground.com/waddscreek/ http://www.hs.facebook.com/pages/Car...m/254209619224 |
07-28-2009, 07:48 PM | #39 (permalink) | |
Junior Member
Location: Delaware
Zone: 7a/b
Name: John
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 235
BananaBucks
: 46,277
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 34 Times
Was
Thanked 181 Times in 108 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Quote:
__________________
http://www.unusualplants.net/ |
|
07-28-2009, 08:39 PM | #40 (permalink) |
Nanner Time!
Location: Cedar Rapids, IA
Zone: 5
Name: Bryan
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,937
BananaBucks
: 113,308
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 534 Times
Was
Thanked 2,243 Times in 1,245 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 855 Times
|
Re: fertillizer in potted plant
Well, I do definitely agree that there is a difference between environmental pH and body pH. Yes, we can consume things of higher/lower pH because of our ability to buffer the acid/alkaline levels. Our bodies also have metabolic/respiratory processes to alter body pH to compensate for changes (I assume plants can do this as well). For instance, if our body pH is too low, we begin to breathe more rapidly, which reduces the amount of CO2 in our blood, which raises the pH. However, there is a limit to our buffering capacity (as well as plants). If we consumed only acidic food/liquids, we would eventually lower our body pH enough to overcome our buffering capacity/respiratory ability to counteract this. If you put a fish in slightly acidic/alkaline water, it could survive...but if you put it in water with a pH of 2, it isn't gonna last long.
I guess my question is this: what is the pH range of soil that is compatible with life for banana plants?
__________________
BANANA RAVE! Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top! lilraverboi@genxglow.com RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you! I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN! |
Email this Page |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | |
|