WeLoveBananaBoy

Hi there! What a great site!!

We live in the Seattle, Washington area and planted Banana Boy about six years go. He's never disappointed and last summer (2008) he produced his first bunch of fruit. He grows probably 15'+ every summer.

In the past when we winterized him, we would cut the leaves off and wrap the stalks in bubble wrap and black plastic. It's worked for us and in the spring the new growth starts at the top of the trunk instead of at the ground. Recently we were told that that wasn't the best thing to do as it creates a hot house for these guys and mildew can build up and harm the plant. It was suggested that this year we don't cut the leaves and just let them drape over the trunk which creates protection? What is the rule?

Last winter, Seattle got hit very hard with wind and heavy snow. The wrapped trunks ended up falling over so we cut them down to the ground. We were pretty sure we had lost him and we lost about five dracaena palms due to the harsh weather. But lo and behold, Banana Boy is starting to spring forth again with some new babies...I think there are about 25 poking through.

My question is this: What is the best fertilizer to use on these guys to give them a jump start and throughout the summer? We have others planted in the yard and they're not poking through yet. We hope we haven't lost them. We were hoping some fertilizer might encourage them up. We've used Miracle Grow in the past but again, I don't think that's the key. Any help on winterizing and especially fertilizing would be great!!

griphuz

I plant mine in almost pure compost with horsemanure, and fertilize with cowmanure during the summer. Sometimes even with pure salpeter (NO3) a little to kickstart growth.
Good luck,
Remko.

WeLoveBananaBoy

Thank you!! I appreciate the reply.

jack hagenaars

How do we know we are getting maximum results from our fertilizer attempts...in our climate...i get about a new leaf every two weeks at peak season...I mulch my bananas with compost...home made....I dont know if that is average or very good....lets hear from some of you....how frequently do you see a new leaf on your M Basjoo????

skilaketapps

Hello, I use Palm tree fertilizer for mine with organic grass fertilizer. I'm in Washington and it works well. tons of leaves and new pups. Hope that helps.

WeLoveBananaBoy

Thank you! Is there a particular brand of palm tree fertilizer you use and where do you get it?

We just got some palm tree steaks at palmsnorthwest in Auburn. Home | Palms Northwest We use these on our windmill palms. Do you think these would be safe for bananas, too?

skilaketapps

You are welcome. I get it for Mclendon's hardware in Sumner Wa. Home Depot doesn't carry it. You can also order Palm Tree fertilizer on line. The brand is Lilly Miller. I think they also have a web site Mclendons.com

sandy0225

I use 24-8-16 on my basjoo and any tropical you want nice leaves on. But I've found for inground plantings, the cheapest brand of lawn fertilizer works just as well. They're usually like 24-0-0 or something similar. Just don't use weed and feed by accident instead, that doesn't work NEARLY as well....lol...

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Sandy Burrell



Northern Tropics Greenhouse
1501 East Fuson Road
Muncie, IN 47302
www.northerntropics.com


specializing in bananas, heirloom tomatoes and water gardening plants~
check out our new online store at our website!

WeLoveBananaBoy

Great advice, Sandy!!!

modenacart

I use the cheapest fertilzer I can find. Its 10-10-10 for about 8 dollars for 40 lbs. The bananas seem to love it. I give them about a cup every three weeks or so.

hilashes

Hi Sandy, I use 24-8-16 as well for my two windmills and sometimes for my Basjoo...so far I've had great results, especially the Basjoo, as it pushes out about 2 leaves a week!! What I usually use for the Basjoo is Sea Soil every 3 weeks, I just throw it all around the base. How much of the 24-8-16 should I use? That's the problem I always have, trying to figure out if I'm giving enough/too much.

Thanks! I always learn so much on here!

Heidi

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From The Canadian West Coast!

modenacart

Its hard to give too much.

hilashes

Thanks!
Here's a picture to show how yellow the leaves are. Is this normal?

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From The Canadian West Coast!

shopgirl2

it would appear to me your banana plants n eed some type of iron?

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Orinoco by the sunlight.

hilashes

Hey thanks shopgirl2, I'll look into that! Maybe I'll put out a new post about this.

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From The Canadian West Coast!

bradbub

please google bbtv the picture looks like you might have a problem...

hilashes

thank you bradbub I will do that.

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From The Canadian West Coast!

hilashes

The banana has greened up very nicely since I added a handful of Potassium Sulphate 0-0-50 and watered in 24-8-16. I will continue adding sea soil every 3 weeks since first planted. I think it just needed more fertilizing than that.
Thanks everyone for your help!

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From The Canadian West Coast!

austinl01

I started using Milorganite this year and am amazed at the results! You may want to give it a try.

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Austin
Arkansas River Valley

Average January Low: 31°F, Average August High: 92°F
Extreme Winter Lows: 5-15°F, Extreme Summer Highs: 100-112°F, Annual Precipitation: 52 inches

Richard

Milorganite is the brand name of an organic nitrogen fertilizer produced by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. Popularized in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s, it consists of processed sludge from the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Jones Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The fertilizer is made of treated biosolids that have nutrients from the sewage stream along with added iron, used to strip phosphorus from the waste water flowing into Lake Michigan.
The name Milorganite is a contraction of the phrase Milwaukee Organic Nitrogen, and was the result of a 1925 naming contest held in National Fertilizer Magazine.

-- from Milorganite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The N-P-K of Milorganite is 5-2-0. A better choice for Musa basjoo is a subtropical or citrus formula with ratios 3:1:2 such as 12-4-8, 24-8-16, or 30-10-20.

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