mikevan

The soil foodweb out in the wild is virgin and well established for supporting the jungles. The balance between plant and soil is fairly harmonious. Everything from the critters to the soil microbes to the circle of leaf-to-humus is a process that's been in place for as long as they've been growing there. The diversity in plants in the area also contributes to a diversity in soil as well. And, in most locations, vast colonies of mycorrhizal fungus act as a fulcrum to the health of life in the jungles. Generally speaking.

To contrast, many of us in residential areas are digging in bull-dozed soil that has not supported a diversity of life and isn't currently supporting a diversity of life. The soil foodweb is in poor shape. For the rest of us with good soil - that soil is often geared towards the plants growing in them - oaks, scrub, grasses that go thru seasonal changes and are less productive than what one would find in the tropics. Even in Florida you've got less biodiversity than you have in the tropics - tho it is vastly more diverse than other areas of the mainland, excepting the rainforest regions of Washington and Oregon perhaps.

In the wild, the banana trees grow where it's suitable for them to grow. Not every seed sprouts - which is why so many are produced. Here, they grow where we stick them.

And, as many have pointed out - the varieties we grow are production bananas - their purpose is to produce large bunches. The cultivated tomatoes are the same - they produce *huge* fruit compared to their wild cousins. Which means they require more from the soil. Nevertheless - even the wild bananas would have to have special treatment in most of our yards.

So, the goal is to sorta attempt to mimic the soil that they naturally grow in by providing lotsa organic matter and fertilizing massively. I'm organic and tend to rely more on compost than even organic ferts like molasses, fish emulsion and the like. I also try to apply Just Enough (tm) and let the plants work it out themselves. And would you believe, they're growing just fine? Even with the fact that our soils are less than ideal than their native home, integrate a biologically active compost into it and proper moisture and the nanners will largely be happy. Mix in some diverse planting - companions - and you get even healthier nanners.

For those wishing neat growing plots, specimen-plantings, less to no compost and mulch - which can look messy to some - and the plants grow by themselves largely and the food chain is broken so there is some requirement for that to be supplimented. Nanners like it messy and diverse.

And, within that and given that we work hard to provide a free draining soil, those using soluble ferts finds that most of what they apply washes away into the subsoil before their nanner has a chance to make use of it. In nature, the soil foodweb is like a sponge that holds onto nutrients. Even our best compost doesn't have that crumb structure - that's something that takes years to develop. Combine that with the lack of extensive mycorrhizal networks and you'll find that the roots are less efficient at nutrient take-up. So - when we feed with soluble ferts, only a fraction gets to the tree and the rest washes away.

And finally - everyone who grows bananas have no doubt heard that bananas are heavy feeders. What to do then but feed them a lot? I think many nanners are over-fed just for that warm fuzzy feeling of feeding your nanners.

Nevertheless - the nanners till seem to keep plugging away in spite of this - they're incredibly resiliant plants!

Be well,
Mike