Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

That seems like a strange reaction to weed killer. Not saying it couldn't be, but anything I have ever seen that had taken a hit from weed killer had some resulting brown leaves, etc.

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

There is nowhere I can get them tested, but the new leaves were starting to crinkle, and I think it was a systemic weedkiller of the sort that causes accelerated growth. The fruit on affected plants was also showing signs and I would never have been happy to eat it. They are all history now - dug up and gone. So now I am prowling around looking for replacements - doing what a girl does best - shopping!

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

Thinking about it - the 2 different types reacted differently. The cavendish type was slower to look bad, but of the small-fruited apple-tasting type, the large plant fell over quickly as you saw and on a smaller plant 3 of the 7 leaves turned pure yellow and the new leaf was growing deformed. I also have a very tall slim type which was not too badly affected and I have kept this just to see what happens.

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

Your neighbours don't seem that fond of plants in general, i guesse! I would make sure, in a mild fashion, they don't repete that kind of behavour. I can imagine how you feel about it! It' your precious, and they just treat your surroundings like ****, just carelessly polluting.

I never use those weedkillers at all. But, ofcourse, it's a big industry. :nanertank: Easy to garden your way into a moonlandscape! There are many alternitive ways to kill particular plants in the garden....
I think if it's been a weedkiller based on chemicals the rootstock can still be ok, but if it was based on hormones everything will die off, even the rootstock. It's created for that kind of plants with rhizomes. The cells bearst open and the whole plant dies.

Anyway, i wish you all the best.

Greetings,
Gunther, Brussels

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

Thanks for your concern Gunther. I have had them dug out now as my fruit is all organic and I would never have been happy eating from those plants even if they had survived. Hopefully in about a year's time my new plants (as yet unfound) will be close to fruiting and I will have pictures to post.

Cassie

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

What are your plans for cleaning the soil of the weed killer?

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

Actually I hadn't thought about that, assuming rightly or wrongly than it would deteriorate on contact with the soil like Paraquate et al. I really need to find out what it was exactly to know how to go on from here. Thanks for the prompt.

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

Hi Cassie, you're probably right about the eating part.
About cleaning that soil, it's ofcourse quite dependant on the stuff they sprayed on it. I would scrape off the upper layer (5-10 cm's) and start mingling with a lot of compost. Inject the ground with lots of bacteriological life. Keep allowing air into the ground and let it bread for 4-6 weeks.

I hope you'll get a nice bananacultivar by then, something really special, tasty and beautifull. You desearve it after all that palaver. Maybe the breaders on this forum of Florida or LA could help you with sending some bananabulbs?!

Greets,
Gunther

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

aparently what they used was Porteron - which as far as I can tell is really toxic and only cleared for farm use - it clears broad leaved weeds and woody plants - my palms are also looking sick and I am negotiating with the sprayers. I have to stay calm or else I would lose it completely.

Re: Is this problem caused by too much water?
 

Oh Cassie, your palms too, that's a real bugger! Keep us informed.

Greets,
Gunther