Lyly19

Hi everyone, I recently started growing a small patch of bananas in my backyard, and I’ve noticed some of the stems developing soft, dark spots. I’ve tried improving drainage, but it doesn’t seem to fully prevent it. What are the most effective ways to prevent banana stem rot in a home garden setting without using harsh chemicals? Are there specific watering techniques, mulches, or companion plants that help?

Jeff zone 8 N.C.

Can you give us more info. Why did you improve drainage? Is the soil wet? What climate, country or state are these growing? When you say "stem" do you mean the trunk or the leaf petiole? How big is the trunk diameter and height? Are the spots near the ground or up higher? Do the black spots enlarge from a smaller spot or have a hole in the middle as if something bored into the plant? Do you know the named variety of the banana. Some banana plants have black patch's on their trunks that are perfectly normal.