Info:Fertilizer

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Fertilizer

For bananas in the ground:

The best time to start fertilizing is in spring when new growth is clearly to see. When you grow ornamentals as M. basjoo and M. sikkimensis you could use a fertilizer with a high nitrogen rate but it is possible that it would make the plant a bit less hardy tough it will grow faster and produce more pups. Generally speaking the banana needs more calcium than phosphorus which is important for fruiting. So the combination N-P-K 6-18-20 will do. If you need more N-factor than you can add for instance ammonium sulfate. Adding compost or some manure to the plant(plant-hole) is a natural way to feed it and will never harm the plant, actually some growers only use that. Banana plants love organic fertilizers the best in most cases. It is said that you can't over-feed a banana plant, but you can increase or decrease the growth-rate. If you give the fertilizer in a liquid form it is immediately available for the plant but it is gone earlier due to all the watering. Compost and manure are more time released.


For bananas in a container:

If using a chemical fertilizer, a balanced mix such as 20-20-20 will normally suffice. You must be careful though not to use too much chemical fertilizer because nitrogen salts may build up in the soil and cause stress to the plant, often leading to reduced leaf size and stunted growth. To counter-act this potential problem, running pure water through the container on a regular basis is good to wash out any salts that may have built up. Organics can still be used to great effect, especially if mixed in with the soil prior to potting.

Members methods:

  • The flying Dutchman: Dried Cow Manure and once in a week a liquid fertilizer(7+4+6)
  • MediaHound: I make a compost mixture with surplus material from the kitchen combined with most all organic waste from the yard. I'm now using use three UCT9.5 compost bins. I also use a variety of packaged commercial fertilizer and micronutrients. Seaweed, liquid fish, composted manure, etc. MediaHound 09:46, 24 April 2007 (EDT)
  • Patty in Wisc: Tomato food 18+18+21 because it has more K.
  • Pitangadiego: Triple 16 is cheap and effective
  • Chong: I find that since bananas are heavy Potassium feeders, any fertilizer that has the K component the highest, the N second, and P the least, would be advantageous since the majority of the banana make-up is Potassium. In any case, I don't think that the "P" component should ever exceed the "K". recommanded-15+10+30 or 15+8+27 E.g.
  • Joe Real: I use 6+27+27 XB with minors from BEST fertilizer brand. It achieves a nice balance of growth, pup and fruit production.
  • momoese: I use loads of steer and chicken manure as well as worm castings from my own red wigglers that have taken over the garden. I also use homemade compost and EB-Stone organic plant food 2-3 times a year.
  • Frankallan: I use aged rabbit manure
  • Rmplmnz: Compost tea wich is more or less a liquid version of compost. You take your solid compost, and soak it in water and let the mixture sit around for a few hours or a few days. Then you pour the liquid through a screen, or through cheesecloth or something similar to strain out the solid material into a bucket. What you have then is compost tea. Compost tea is great, because it is a very mild, organic liquid fertilizer that provides beneficial live organisms that improve the soil where you use it. It doesn't burn plants like store bought fertilizers can.If you can not find any of the above dump a bag of cow manure in the trash can and fill with water..
  • Bananimal: I use a custom fertilizer blend of 6-2-12 with minors. And especially important - I apply fert monthly. Up to 3 pounds when the plants are bigger and show real vigor.
  • FunSoCalTiger: I use a balanced granular slow-release such as Dynamite 13-13-13, Osmocote 14-14-14, Vigoro 17-17-17 or MiracleGro 10-10-10 every couple months or so and at planting. I also use any of several water soluable mixtures at 1-2 times the recommended doseage/frequency such as the balanced Peters Professional or MiracleGro Select 20-20-20 or the MiracleGro Tomato Food 18-18-21 (has slightly more K and also has some Magnesium). I also supplement with Epsom Salt each week to boost the Magnesium content at the rate of 1-2 teaspoon per gallon.


Nursery fertilizers;

  • Stokes Tropicals Banana Blend- 3 months controlled released fertilizer- 6+2+12 w/minors
  • Going Bananas: 9+3+27

Pictures

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(credit the flying dutchman)

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertilizer