Bananas.org - View Single Post - Need advice to grow a banana plant indoors all winter

Olafhenny · 10-25-2011, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltydad

The biggest problem I've noted with potted bananas inside is overwatering leading to rot. I try to err on the dry side.

I still think, while cutting down on watering is a defense against root rot, it is not the optimal solution.
Place any plant into porous soil, provide positive drainage through the bottom of the pot and make
sure, that there is no standing water in the catch tray, which can be wicked back into the root zone
and I cannot see any way you could incur root rot.

Bananas do need sufficient water. They do get it at home in the tropics and a heated indoor environment
is fairly dry, while it is cold outside. I am saying that with little authority on banana culture, because I
bought my first banana only 18 months ago, but with significant experience in other potted plants.

My experience with indoor banana cultivation is restricted to a Basjoo throughout last winter, which
did little growing, but survived in a healthy condition until spring and two Ornatas, from early March
until late May. The latter I had to chop off the whole pseudo stems one or two inches above the corm in
order to hide them in my suite case during my trip from Vietnam home. Without any greenery the plant
should be maximal susceptible to root rot, but none did occur. I watered liberally but provided positive
drainage, i.e., I did not let the water in the catch tray rise high enough to touch the soil in the pot.

The reason, why the Basjoo did not grow much is most likely, because I did not provide any artificial light.