Blue Java Mom
 

Hi everyone,

Some Facebook clickbait got to me a few years and before you knew it, I'd bought myself a baby Blue Java banana tree to grow in Northern California, about 2 hours from San Francisco. Like a fool, I was growing it in a fabric container indoors for about 2 years and got a bit rootbound (as far as I can tell), it started putting out leaves much more slowly last year (1 every month or so). About 6 weeks ago, it stopped putting out new leaves entirely.

I finally planted it outside exactly 2 weeks/14 days ago. What appears to be sunburn started to affect its leaves -- not heat I believe (temperatures have topped out at about 85 F lately), just way more direct light than it was used to? I'd say the plant is looking droopy overall, moreso than ever before. So I put up a big umbrella to give it partial shade, though at different times of day, direct light does touch the leaves for a few hours and those areas haven't started to yellow. I put in some fertilizer according to the instructions on the bag and am watering daily (about 1 gallon of tapwater). I use a soil meter 1x/day, and 1-5 inches below the surface, the reading before watering is 'moist,' dead-center between 'dry' and 'wet.'

Back in the day, as it was still growing rapidly, if I watered it enough the leaves would be 'weeping' visibly. These days, even if I put in 2 gallons of water (which I've only done 1-2x, does not visibly result in standing water), it doesn't drop water from the leaf edges.

I know that transplant shock can affect plants, but it's sad to see! I'm worried that this is a serious, deteriorating course. If anyone has advice, please hit me up. I'll migrate this to a different subforum if I don't hear back. Thank you so much! Excited to be here after lurking off-and-on for so long.

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Re: Blue Java Mom
 

I would suspect its a combination of transplant shock, and possibly overwatering. Moisture meters are somewhat reliable, but not knowing your soil type I cant speculate on drainage. I personally would stop watering every day, and maybe give it several days before watering again. I also would not fertilize until it sorts itself out. You can mist the leaves a few times a day but i would let the rootzone dry out. If there is no improvement in a week or so, I would carefully dig it up and inspect the roots and corm for rot. I think it will resolve its own issues though if you back off of watering for a while, and dont fertilize until you have new growth. You can also prune some of the leaves off and leave a few but remove half of those to reduce transpiration.
On a side note, you likely know this, but most plants sold as blue java are really namwah.. still a great variety, perhaps better than blue java. Expect that plant to reach 10-14 ft of pstem height and 15-20 ft to the leaff tops.. they get BIG.
Good luck with the plant and let us know how it goes.

Re: Blue Java Mom
 

when a new leaf starts to emerge i would let it see full sun
the sunburnt leaves will eventually die back but the new leaves will be used to the full sun

Re: Blue Java Mom
 

DELIGHTED to report a new leaf started to emerge! Words can't express my relief.

@smeash Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, I missed the replies to this post and heavily watered just before the new leaf came out, but I guess it's okay for a minute. I will say the soil seemed to be draining VERY quickly in the last few weeks before the transplant, visible in the fabric pot. Suspecting that was part of the problem. But I plan to lay off watering for a bit and see how the new leaf fares.

Thanks for the reminder about the banana type. I was familiar (see: lurking on this forum for years), but excited.

@subsonicdrone I hope so! I'll keep y'all updated on the resiliency of the new leaf. Sun's only getting higher.

Re: Blue Java Mom
 

New leaf is a good sign.. Back off the water and see what happens.. its common for the leaves to droop due to transplant shock, but the yellowing is something different IMO. Good luck!

Re: Blue Java Mom
 

Welcome aboard the Banana Express. :nanerwaveytrain: