A few questions regarding a potted Musa Basjoo
 

I have a a few mango and avocado trees, but I have never had a banana, so I had picked up a Musa Basjoo which is around 2ft tall.

I live in Central New Jersey: This summer has been hot, so normally during the day its between 83-95, 70s-60s at night.

Currently I will have to keep it in the pot for now, and I am very aware planting it in the ground is much much better, but I don't really have a choice unfortunately.

My questions are:

How often should it be watered?
I had some organic soil, which is what the plant is in now, will this soil be ok? whats the best soil for this plant? Should I get some fertilizer?
How much sunlight should it be getting a day?
Can I expect growth even though its potted?

Heres a picture: http://i.imgur.com/VIMn7.jpg

Anybody have luck with potted Musa Basjoo's?


Thanks for the help (bit of a noob here with banana trees!)

Re: A few questions regarding a potted Musa Basjoo
 

It depends on what you want your little bundle of joy to look like eventually (: It's my first year with a basjoo, too, so I'm still learning about it. I would water it every other day, or whenever it looks slightly droopy. For mine, i planted them using the cheapest soil I could find--anything that drains well. I think the brand is called hapi gro. yours should be more than ok. I also mixed it with cheap hummus--a soil-to-hummus ratio of 4:1. I would get some fertilizer, if i wanted my banana to be huge. I use miracle grow liquid fertilizer on mine once a week. where you live, direct sunlight all day would be ideal. Judging by the size of that pot, and from experience, it will grow for a little while, but it's not going to work for very long /: it needs a nice little home in the ground before long, and these guys can become giants. If you are able to, you'd have to dig a hole large enough to accomodate all its growth potential--around a few feet wide and, in your colder climate, preferably a few feet deep to protect the corm from your winter night temperatures, ideally with some degree of protection. I love these bananas, but the hardest part is getting them in the ground!

Re: A few questions regarding a potted Musa Basjoo
 

Thank you! I will try out the fertilizer tonight! Has it made a big difference for you opposed to using none?

Re: A few questions regarding a potted Musa Basjoo
 

I wouldn't know 'cause i fertilize mine regularly, but i'm sure as long as the soil you're using has some fertilizer already in it, it'll grow fine(:

Re: A few questions regarding a potted Musa Basjoo
 

Your basjoo looks good!
watering- I water in this heat we've been having, every other day or whenever the soil starts to get really dry and cracks.

fertilizer- I ran out of fert for I'd say a month or two and just got miracle grow either all purpose or the blooming one, which I bought to try out.

mine are in the ground but I added half a bag of soil compost and cow manure. The soil it's in now seems fine for you.

hint hint- for any banana the bigger the pot the better, if you notice it not getting very tall or growing funny don't be afraid to re pot.