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Kanana · 12-26-2017, 08:55 PM

Thanks Cincinnana, both you, edwmax and SDdarkman have given me the most helpful advice yet and advice that can't be stressed highly enough for these TC grown plantlets that have very little roots to begin with (SDdarkmans plants had very long roots so I wasn't referring to his).

What I am talking about is the need to keep these TC plantlets specifically, in a small enough container to be able to grow sufficient roots before repotting and all the while hardening them off before they can be successfully planted in the ground in full sun. My gut instinct when I first got these TC plantlets, was to put them in 3 gallon pots as a) bananas LOVE water and b) it would take a while before theyd' be rootbound and c) I wouldn't have to water them daily, with the plants being in a moist soil environment. Well I guess I am lucky to have learned this before any developed root rot, so thanks SDdarkman for your advice on that!

I re-read a thread I started last month and I have to belatedly thank edwmax in post #4 of this thread:

Proper care when first getting a TC plant from grower?

I know I read every post in that thread I started in November, probably 3 or 4 times, but somehow I must have over looked the link he provided in post #4 of my thread, of a thread he started over a year ago, and I just finished reading that thread in it's entirety.

It is uncanny as his questions in that thread "Best practice to grow TC bananas" sound like I may have been asking them myself as I had the same concerns as him and oddly enough my own thread I started was similarly titled "Proper care when first getting a TC plant from grower".

After reading edwmax's concerns and frustration for not getting proper detailed instructions from the seller, I felt the same frustration as TC plants from places like Wellsprings and FL Hill are most likely not hardened off and these growers don't really give any instructions on even how to do that which I would think should be vitally important for the successful survival of such a fragile plantlet, especially one that has to survive the shipping process initially before it even gets into your hands.

After reading post #36 in edwmax's thread:

Best Practice to grow TC Bananas

it was the kind of information I was seeking and something that should be a sticky on this forum or in the TC subforum. A 2 stage hardening and gradual lessening of shading and more sun added over the course of 90 days! So thats a full 3 months before subjecting these plants into full sun, never mind Florida sun. I have recently gotten answers in one of these threads where these plants should be ok after just a week or 2 in partial shade before they can be subjected to full Florida sun. Based on the not so scientific experiment of mine where the 3 plants I kept in my lanai that only receive indirect light, they are doing much better than the ones under my 30% UV screen that now have a lot of sun burned leaves. Basically I still need to wait another full month before putting them under the shade screening like I have been doing for the last week and a half - 2 weeks.

Sorry if this is going off topic, especially in this thread, but I hope to eventually start a thread with the bullet points for a step by step for proper TC care from initial potting, watering schedule and volume, sunlight requirements and the hardening off process.

Since this thread is titled WATER?, what is the proper way to water these TC plantlets? I've read to "let them dry out before watering", but when you do water are you:

a) drenching them and letting it drain out the pot drainage holes

b) just misting the plants and letting some of the water soak into the top layer of the soil evenly

c) soaking the pot in a few inches of water for 10 minutes to just saturate the bottom of the soil in the pots so the roots seek out the water/ moist soil @ the bottom, but the top of the soil stays dry as to avoid fungus gnats

d) pouring a precise amount of water say a teaspoon per 4-6" pot 2x a day

e) none of the above

Even the process of misting the plants was debated in edwmax's thread where Richard said it isn't even necessary, but have read several people on the forum recommending it. My gut reaction would be that misting the leaves would be beneficial at this early stage.

12-26-2017, 08:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
Kanana Location: SW Florida Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 138 BananaBucks : 25,276 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 14 Times Was Thanked 105 Times in 63 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Water? Thanks Cincinnana, both you, edwmax and SDdarkman have given me the most helpful advice yet and advice that can't be stressed highly enough for these TC grown plantlets that have very little roots to begin with (SDdarkmans plants had very long roots so I wasn't referring to his). What I am talking about is the need to keep these TC plantlets specifically, in a small enough container to be able to grow sufficient roots before repotting and all the while hardening them off before they can be successfully planted in the ground in full sun. My gut instinct when I first got these TC plantlets, was to put them in 3 gallon pots as a) bananas LOVE water and b) it would take a while before theyd' be rootbound and c) I wouldn't have to water them daily, with the plants being in a moist soil environment. Well I guess I am lucky to have learned this before any developed root rot, so thanks SDdarkman for your advice on that! I re-read a thread I started last month and I have to belatedly thank edwmax in post #4 of this thread: Proper care when first getting a TC plant from grower? I know I read every post in that thread I started in November, probably 3 or 4 times, but somehow I must have over looked the link he provided in post #4 of my thread, of a thread he started over a year ago, and I just finished reading that thread in it's entirety. It is uncanny as his questions in that thread "Best practice to grow TC bananas" sound like I may have been asking them myself as I had the same concerns as him and oddly enough my own thread I started was similarly titled "Proper care when first getting a TC plant from grower". After reading edwmax's concerns and frustration for not getting proper detailed instructions from the seller, I felt the same frustration as TC plants from places like Wellsprings and FL Hill are most likely not hardened off and these growers don't really give any instructions on even how to do that which I would think should be vitally important for the successful survival of such a fragile plantlet, especially one that has to survive the shipping process initially before it even gets into your hands. After reading post #36 in edwmax's thread: Best Practice to grow TC Bananas it was the kind of information I was seeking and something that should be a sticky on this forum or in the TC subforum. A 2 stage hardening and gradual lessening of shading and more sun added over the course of 90 days! So thats a full 3 months before subjecting these plants into full sun, never mind Florida sun. I have recently gotten answers in one of these threads where these plants should be ok after just a week or 2 in partial shade before they can be subjected to full Florida sun. Based on the not so scientific experiment of mine where the 3 plants I kept in my lanai that only receive indirect light, they are doing much better than the ones under my 30% UV screen that now have a lot of sun burned leaves. Basically I still need to wait another full month before putting them under the shade screening like I have been doing for the last week and a half - 2 weeks. Sorry if this is going off topic, especially in this thread, but I hope to eventually start a thread with the bullet points for a step by step for proper TC care from initial potting, watering schedule and volume, sunlight requirements and the hardening off process. Since this thread is titled WATER?, what is the proper way to water these TC plantlets? I've read to "let them dry out before watering", but when you do water are you: a) drenching them and letting it drain out the pot drainage holes b) just misting the plants and letting some of the water soak into the top layer of the soil evenly c) soaking the pot in a few inches of water for 10 minutes to just saturate the bottom of the soil in the pots so the roots seek out the water/ moist soil @ the bottom, but the top of the soil stays dry as to avoid fungus gnats d) pouring a precise amount of water say a teaspoon per 4-6" pot 2x a day e) none of the above Even the process of misting the plants was debated in edwmax's thread where Richard said it isn't even necessary, but have read several people on the forum recommending it. My gut reaction would be that misting the leaves would be beneficial at this early stage. Last edited by Kanana : 12-26-2017 at 09:08 PM.