What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

I heard 10-10-10 is good. Is there anything better or is this the standard? Where is the best place to buy it?

I picked up some black cow at HD. Heard that was good, but my sources don’t have much experience. Looking for experienced advice.


Also, what kind of soil is best for bananas? Can I just buy it at Home Depot or Lowe’s or is it better to order online? Really want these guys to do well and prevent wasting a lot of time on silly mistakes.

It’s amazing that there’s not that many professional videos on YouTube on how to plant bananas. I can usually find anything there. The only 3 good channels I can find are Green Dreams, What’s Ripening, & IV Organics. All of which are not really banana specific.

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

There are many vids on how to make your soilless mix.
Redefine your search to tropical plant soilless mix's.
Or best soilless mix for bananas..
Pick and choose what works for you...

Here is fun start..
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hostaf...57659727243221.

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Thx for the help man. I see you’re a container grower. I have a quick question about that. I ordered a Namwa and Cavendish plants (tissue cultures), but the Cavendish is not very cold tolerant I hear. I’m thinking about putting that one in a container.? Or should I just try to winterize it also? If I put it in a container what is a good size for dwarf Cavendish plant. Thx!

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Great pics BTW! You have a really beautiful setup!

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Plant in the ground and amend with lots of compost, then mulch. How cold do your winters get? Perhaps you can get away with covering your in ground plants with Agribon frost cloth.
I exclusively use the “Fruit Fuel” fertilizer for years with great success (PM and I can share).

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Ok, I will do that. My winters mostly get to lower 40's. Although we do go into the 30's sometimes but it's not very common. Last winter we had the crazy Texas snow/ice storm. Temps were in the 20's and even teens in some parts of Texas, but around my place it was 20's and that is pretty rare.

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

What's a soilless mix? ( I guess it's kind of obvious by the name, but...) I just used the palm soil bags from HD and so far my plants have been doing great. They struggled a little at first. I planted them back in November. All winter it struggled, then started growing again when spring came. But now it's doing great and even has some pups. Is there something wrong with using regular potting mix of some kind?

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Commercial potting mix mixed 50/50 with perlite works great for container growing of bananas. .... In ground, don't worry about it the soil unless it is all clay. Bananas will adapt to most any soil except mud. For growing bananas on clay you need a raised bed to allow water to drain away.

Bananas are shallow rooted and the corn top should be at ground level.

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

I was reading about the perlite last night. Now I know why most pot plants come with it on the soil.

Surprisingly my dirt seems really good here. Was kinda shocked when I dug into the ground back there.

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

I think I have clay. I actually potted mine in a raised bed (slightly raised). It's doing really well except for one thing. It seems to want to lean and I keep having to use bungee cords to straighten it out again. I'm afraid it will just fall over one day if there is a strong wind. I am worried that the potting mix is not heavy enough so I actually added more dirt for weight. (actually it was manure, but still adds weight)

Is my concern about toppling legitimate?

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

You sound like a ground kind of gardener.

In your zone a freeze or two over the fall and winter season will not hurt your plants...

There are forum members around you that enjoy their plants in ground 24/7:08:

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Yes, I’m more of a ground guy I’d say although I’m not opposed to pots. That’s great to hear that the plants will survive the winters. My goal is to get one as far as I can till this September and the cut and winterize the stem. Hopefully having a good head start next spring and getting the plants to fruit mid to late summer. :-)

Of course taking guidance for all you pros. :-)

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Do the mulch thing if you have a doubts.

It can only be used as mulch and weed suppression next season:)



Inexpensive mulch
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

I don’t know your microclimate, but assume you will be fine without cutting and winterizing the pseudostem.
Probably you will have a bunch of pups before the winter. A thought is to pot those up as a backup and let the main plant be. If necessary, you can try to wrap the main plant in Agribon frost cloth, but overall trimming it without a severe threat of cold damage will make it harder to recover in the spring.

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

I have some Mulch ready to go. I just bought a bag of brown mulch from Lowe's. Are they all about the same?

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Ok, will try that. How could would it need to get before there are concern's of of death and winterization.

You know my eye is on the Dwarf Namwa and any other Dwarf that is more cold tolerant. :bananas_b

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

Is it the actual frost that kills them completely dead or ground temps below a certain level? Or is it a combo of the two together?

I've seen people use bubble wrap, leaves, hay, duck tape, and you name it. What do you guys think is the best and will keep the plant the warmest?

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

In 9a most ABB and some AAB banana cultivars are safe unprotected, in that they won't die left unprotected. In good years you might not get much damage and might fruit them especially if in your area you don't get temperature below 32F every winter. In this case they will love it there. In any case, they will survive in ground.

I don't have experience with AAA varieties(like Cavendish) in 9a so cannot speak for those but if you dont see much below 32F no banana will damage much if at all.

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

I sure hope so. I'm assuming only the leaves will die, but the P-stem will remain the same.

Do you guys pull dead tissue off the P-stem to keep it looking green and pretty after the winter?

Re: What Soil and Fertilizer is best for planting Bananas?
 

I would not use dyed mulch for edibles. Check out “Chipdrop” in your area.
Or does your city have a green waste program? We can get free compost and mulch from the city and it is better quality then what I have ever seen at a “Big Box” store.