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Originally Posted by agentcooper
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I read a bunch of articles and here are what I know:
1. Definitely not too much water. Top 2" soil is quite dry and going deeper it's moist.
2. It's facing the same side (south west) by the window so it should get the same sunlight as before.
3. No fertilizer yet but when I repotted it I chopped up broken leaves and mixed in with the soil, as I was told that's the best plant food for banana trees.
4. Cut off some of the thick brown layers on its trunk.
I feel pretty hopeless.
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Does water drain from the bottom of the pot and is it discarded? ... If it does not then the lower part of the pot is water logged and stale. Even tho the top of the potting soil is dry. The pot needs to be in a saucer with the drain holes raised above any water that drain out. ... Next, the potting soil needs to be fast draining. Which mean you pour water in the top and see water running out the bottom immediately (not minutes or 1/2 hour later). ... Commercial Potting soil has too much peat for banana plants and peat hold water like a sponge. Thus the need to mix potting soil with perlite (or course sand) at 50% to 75% perlite. ... Get and use a long stem moisture meter to check moisture deep in the pot. You can also check the moisturer level though the pot drain holes if the stem doesn't reach the bottom.
What the above posters said is correct. BUT, the pot conditions and potting medium MUST be right to begin with. It will likely be too late to save the plant if the potting conditions are found to be the cause of the problems later.
I further do not recommend using compost in the potting mix for bananas. Like peat, it holds too much water and induces a rot into the pot and not good for bananas. This is how compost works and breaks down. ... However, watering with a compost tea is good and the nutrients are immediately available for the plant use while keeping the rot out of the pot.