Ae Ae
 

I have an Ae Ae banana coming next week. I need help on this one please. I hear they are difficult to grow, and that they need acidic soil. I would appreciate any help you can give me. Vickie

Re: Ae Ae
 

:0497:Good afternoon Vickie. All bananas need a slightly acid soil, and Good drainage for the root system!! A fertilizer with more potassium than many plants is also important. See potash fertilizer thread.

Best wishes and welcome to the organization!:2239:

Re: Ae Ae
 

Vicki, last year inkcube (banana researcher from Yale) advised us to use 1.5 parts potash (K) for each 1.0 part nitrogen (N) and little phosphorus. It turns out that this also fits the profile for hardwood fruits. Dosages of some available formulas are given in item #4 here: PTP_2008_12_Fertilize_II

Re: Ae Ae
 

I can't find the potash fertilizer thread.
Oh shoot, I think I juist found it ...'previous thread' Duh

Re: Ae Ae
 

Hey Vicki, where did you get your plant from. Just as a guess, was it ebay from "saipan"? One thing for sure don't skimp on your potting mix and be sure to add enough sand, chips, perlite, etc ,whatever to assure proper drainage. Lots of experienced growers here.Check out the wiki section and try to search some of the older threads concerning this great plant. Good luck and keep us posted when it arrives.

Re: Ae Ae
 

Bob it is coming from Hawaii. I need to look at the potash. I need some research for sure. Thanks all.

Re: Ae Ae
 

Vickie,

Are you going to container grow this banana or grow it in the ground. I can't tell where you live or your zone.

Steve

Re: Ae Ae
 

Steve I live in the USA in Missouri zone 6. It will have to be container grown. And in the winter I will have to keep in a window in my house.

Re: Ae Ae
 

I know you all think I am crazy to try to grow this banana here. But I am stubborn. I also grow water lilies from seed. I have grown them from South Africa and Madagascar and Australia. And with no greenhouse they did not give me much hope. I proved them wrong. My motto "Never Give Up" untill your too old to even go outside. LOL

Re: Ae Ae
 

I like your style Miss Vickie! I live in Z6 as well and I'm gonna try to fruit any and every edible cultivar I can with or without a hothouse. I'm also dabbling in other tropical fruits as well.....I say, if they tell me I can't, one way or another I will! Good Luck with the Ae Ae and keep us posted on it's progress and what you have or are doing to it.

Shaggy

Re: Ae Ae
 

Vickie,

My friends at Stokes Tropicals in New Iberia, LA (home of Tabasco) grow all of their Ae Ae in containers outside in a shade house during the summer and inside their enormous greenhouse during the winter. I hope you have high ceilings in your house because they can get rather tall. Incidentally, they move their large container Ae Ae around with a fork lift.

Steve

Re: Ae Ae
 

I am thinking the banana will only grow as large as the container will allow. I might be thinking wrong. I have 10 ft banana trees I have had to cut off to grow inside for the winter. And then when I put them outside they take off again.

Re: Ae Ae
 

My experience with the Ae Ae is that it doesn't handle any stress very well at all. Cutting it back to overwinter would, in my opinion, put it in the stress category. I hope I'm wrong.

Steve

Re: Ae Ae
 

Steve you could be right. I do have a friend with a greenhouse but it does not have high ceilings.

Re: Ae Ae
 

Brent has said the folks at St. Louis (I believe) where he once worked did whack them back each year when they were brought into the greenhouse and they did well. He can fill in the particulars.

Re: Ae Ae
 

Thanks Harvey.

Re: Ae Ae
 

Correct, Steve- at MBG, we used to cut them down and then pot them back up for the winter. I think the key is not to keep them overly wet through the winter.

Re: Ae Ae came today packed good but leaves still broke
 

Re: Ae Ae
 

Looks like a beautiful healthy plant . The variegation on the good leaf looks great. I'd like to see that one again in a few months. Is that a miniature schnauzer behind it? Thanks for posting.

Re: Ae Ae
 

Bob, did you & Vickie get yours at same place? How's yours doing?
What a beautiful plant!! Is that a new leaf coming out?