figafita

I am very new to banana but I got a small Misi Luki sucker who had just 2-3 roots. I planted and after 10 days doesn't look good at all. Looks like is dying and the leaves are yellow.
How do you take care of a sucker?
What do you do after you get it?
Plant it right away ,keep it in the water?
What do you do after you plant it ?
Where do you keep it-inside-outside, shade-sun? When do you fertilize?
Any hope for mine?
Thanks,

Jack Daw

I believe everyone plants it out immediatelly, so do I. Planted bananas are placed in warm, not hot area and watered regularly. It will take some time, before some new roots shoot from the corm, so the existing leaves might turn yellow and die out, but it's important to keep the banana in warm environment. It will develop roots soon enough and starts growing new, green leaves within week or two.

There was a post here by marenmar I think, she had a problem with one of her pups, which she cut too far from the corm and so the pup didn't have any roots. She left it in a cup with water and then saw, that the pup made some small roots. After that, she transplanted it succesfully I think (if I remember well).
But this is only good, when there are no roots at all. If you have some roots, than you should just give it a little time to start using them.
Good luck.

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chong

Assuming that the remaining roots were live roots, they should help in limited nutrient intake for the plant. Yellowing of the leaves is normal because the plant is concentrating on developing new roots. If your plant is in the ground, it needs to be sheltered from sunlight. Heavy shade is best. And after the initial watering, withhold subsequent watering until the top 2" of the soil is dry. Misting around the area of the pseudo-stem would be helpful, too. After new leaf emerges, you can water normally.

If your plant is in a pot, you basically need to the same thing, i.e., keep it in a warm place with some air flow, in the shade, water only when top of the soil is dry.

Other than starting or transplanting solution added to your first watering, do not use any fertilizer until there are several leaves growing.

BullShark

I plant them ASAP, I water them regularly and I expect the leaves they come with to turn yellow and die. Give it a few weeks and it'll make nice new green leaves. The pups just need to get established.

figafita

I think I did everything wrong ...I water it to much , I put it in the sun , I added Vit B to prevent shock when I planted, superthrive and a bit of fertilizer when I saw that the leaves turned yellow. I can not see anything coming out from the middle (stem). Today I notice that the leaves are drying. (:
The pup was very young only 5-6". I really hope will survive. I think from now on is a game of wait and see.

CValentine

I am beginning to live by the, 'Less is More' adage too...

Hope it pulls through for you figafita! ~Cheryl

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bencelest

That plant will survive if you leave it alone and don't water much. As Chong said water it only when the soil on top is 2 to 3 inches dry. If you put too much water, the corm will rot for sure. No fertilizer at this time until leaves are established. Semi neglect it if I were you.

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Banana Nut

figafita

Thanks all. I put it in a shade area and I will forget about it ...for a few days...is it possible?... No, I do not think so ...It's my first baby, I want to watch it. I look at it a few times a day but I am not going to do anything to it for awhile.

bencelest

Fig:
I know what you mean. My wife locked me outside saying that I should sleep with my bananas for I spent more time outside than inside the house. I just want to watch them grow and I think it's therapeutic. My doctor can't find anything wrong with me during my physical. Everything is normal. And you are right it is impossible. Semineglect I mean don't do anything but watch for bugs and stuff.

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Banana Nut

Rmplmnz

General Instructions I recommend:

Plants are typically shipped "bare root" so they will need to be potted or put in the ground ASAP.

Care: Plant your Heliconia/Banana as soon as you receive it using a well draining soil mixture. DO NOT USE POTTING MIX unless it has a considerable amount of aggregate added to it, such as coarse sand.

Also do not use soil from your back yard – heavy, dense soils will hold too much water and cause the rhizome to rot.

It is very important that your soil is well draining. When you are ready to plant you can often look at the rhizome and see where the soil line had been while it was growing.

If you are not sure you may grow it upright with the lower base in the soil.

WATERING / LIGHT / WARMTH/ HUMIDITY FOR PROPER HELICONIA/Banana GROWTH

After your first time watering do not water until the surface soil is dry to the touch. It is very important that you do not keep the soil too wet.

Heliconia/Banana happen to like warm temperatures and bright light to grow strong. An ideal temperature would be 60* F with humidity over 40 %. . Zone 9-11

Bananas
Good soil mix for bananas is 1/3rd compost (if available), 1/3rd rich potting soil and 1/3rd perlite (for good drainage) you can put them in almost any kind of soil but remember drainage is key. If you don’t have access to compost, just mix the parts ½ and ½ and they will do just fine.

They do prefer a more acidic soil and compost will do that for you. You can’t really go wrong, bananas are not too particular with soil type but the worst type of soil is a clay/loam soil.

Water thoroughly at planting, keep on the moist side ( NOT WET ) if base of plant begins to soften or look discolored , this is a sign of to much moisture, stop watering until healthy growth appears. Once planted resumption of growth is quick as new leaves unfurl from the top center of the pseudostem, or stronger new growth will emerge from underground portions of the corm (suckers) and produce a new banana plant.

Heliconia & Ginger
Cultural Directions Upon receipt of rhizome or bare root plant, carefully unpack, plant quickly not to let rhizomes or roots dry out. Soak bottom 2/3 of rhizome or roots if visible for ½ hour at room temperature.
Rhizome or bare root plant should be planted in a well draining soil mix of
1/3 peatmoss, 1/3 perlite and 1/3 coarse potting mix ( soil less ) with the very tip of the rhizome protruding out of the soil. Most rhizomes and bare root plants will have cut stalks attached to rhizomes, let these remain above soil line. Water thoroughly and let mixture dry out somewhat between waterings, if kept to wet, there is a good chance that rotting could occur.
Heliconias grow best at temperatures at 70 degrees and above, requiring bright light, and are heavy feeders of any well balanced fertilizer.
Fertilize at least once a month during growing season. Daily misting of plants is beneficial if grown inside or in dry outdoor environment.

Do not plant the corms deeper than the soil line where they were previously planted, if anything plant them a little higher. Roots only grow from the corm (not the side of the pseudostem).

figafita

Wow ! Thanks Rmplmnz for such detailed info. I did add a bit of perlite and vermiculite to the potting mix but not much. Should I re-potted? Is it safe to mess with the roots now since it din not have many and they were new -white ?

TommyMacLuckie

I take the approach of it being a Sabal palm - I cut off almost all the fronds. Other than that, I don't plant it deep or too shallow and I water the hell out of it for the first two-four days, regardless of fertiliser. After that it's on its own with the exception of the normal daily watering from irrigation.

In the DVD they show the sword pups having been cut off completely root wise as well as the p-stem hacked so there is nothing - and then planted about a foot or so deep in the ground.

I've never planted a banana plant deep. Is that a common thing to do? As in, it's OK to plant bananas deep? I've always thought that they, like most other plants, would not like wet feet, could rot or suffocate.

sunfish

I think wet feet has more to do with how well your soil drains than it does with the depth of the plant.







Here is a thread you might want to read.

Need Help With Mulch

Rmplmnz

I would recommend that you leave it (as you did add some perlite and vermiculite). Just do not over water and follow the other directions.

figafita

After I read some threads I discovered that what I have is actually a water sucker. I hope will survive and make fruits for me.

Rmplmnz

My experience has been that it is easier to control the moisture if you :

"do not plant the corms deeper than the soil line where they were previously planted, if anything plant them a little higher. Roots only grow from the corm (not the side of the pseudostem)."

The primary reason I recommend that you not plant the corm too deep is this allows the soil to dry out, the deeper the corm is planted the longer it takes for the water to evaporate off. We experience multiple days of heavy rainfall, when I plant fruit trees (avocados in particular) I always plant them on a mound of soil to allow for drainage.

Other members with different climates and soil conditions will have recommendations based on their growing conditions.

You can get 10 different recommendations from 10 different people. These tips have worked well for me and the people I have shared them with.

Good luck!