Question about potted pup
 

I received a Musa balbisiana var. liukiuensis pup from bigdog and the same day potted the pup it has been three weeks I think and no new leaves the center of the stem is getting longer it has grown form about a 1/2 inch to about 4 inches, but the tip is getting black and the area around it is turning brown. the stem is looking a little yellow as well, I have watered regularly it is in a 10 gal pot for now in partial shade am I doing something wrong don't want to kill it.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

Jim, let it dry up between waterings if you're not doing that. I stick my finger in the pot and don't water till its dry an inch or 2 down depending on pot size. It is just getting acclimated to it's pot and should be fine.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

Exactly! Additionally, I'd advise you to do a drainage check - if the pot's sitting in a saucer, for example, you might be inadvertently drowning the poor thing, and soil that compacts around the plant is its next worst enemy.

The general guideline is that if the soil's still wet to the depth of your second knuckle you don't need to add any more water. And if it's difficult to get your finger in there, the soils are compacting and you need to amend them with coir or peat to loosen them up a bit so that they're not strangling the corm.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

Thanks I use a peat potting soil which may hold too much water so I'll give it a little more sun and let it dry out some.:nanertank:
My Dwarf Orinoco SP are putting out new leaves just about every other day now, so they must need a little more water than the big boy, at what size should I put them into more full sun they are about 8" tall now.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

I'd just sort of slowly move them into less and less shade each week until they were in full sun, myself.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

Hi

I often found that it is the change of environment that can get to a banana plant more then anything else. So for example if the plant was moved from greenhouse to outside, then this puts a lot of stress on the plant. Same the other way around. Was the plant sent bare-rooted? That would put a bit of strain on it. If it then gets an environmental change on top, it can be a real problem.

I would suggest the rule of thumb should be if moving a plant to another environmet, increase the light level (even at the expense of a little leaf sunburn). Increasing the light level really helps the plant get through. An example for that is moving a house-plant into a greenhouse.

If moving a greenhouse plant inside, make sure it gets into a much cooler environment. Example would be from greenhouse into the house. The light level strongly drops, and the plant can't generate enough energy. If the temperature is then too heigh, it has to grow, but can't produce enough energy to do so. This is often fatal. Last one is to move a plant outside. Try and match the lowest nighttime temperature where it was previously standing to the outside temperatures. If they are the same, moving it out should not be a problem, as long a light level increase (which they always will when moving things outside).

If the outside temperatures are lower, move the plant in and out for a period of about 2 weeks (out in the morning, in in the evening). That acclimatises them.

If any of the cord roots were snapped off, then that puts a lot of strain on the plant, but it will get through that, provided that the environment has not changed (no additional stress is created).

I hope your plant gets through. I would ask Frank where his plant was growing, and what the daytime and nighttime temperatures were, and how much sun it got. Then try and match that exactly.

All the best,
Christian

Re: Question about potted pup
 

i agree with giving the plant more light. at first more light me seem to work against the plant (droopy leaves, burnt leaves), but in the long run it will improve the health of the plant quicker than anything else.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

It just didn't seem happy in the pot the soil was really heavy and seen to be really compacting around the plant. so today I planted it in the ground in a bed I created out of topsoil sand and horse manure mixed together. actually when I scoop it up with the loader I get a mix so it all get blended together. we will see how it does now there were some new roots forming.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

I think that is just what the Dr ordered and it'll really take off now!

Re: Question about potted pup
 

Pup has a new leaf coming out now, :woohoonaner: can't wait to see it take off thought I had done it in but it has bounced back. has a SP that was doing poorly so I put it in the ground to see if it would bounce back, hope so.:nanertank:
here is a pic Banana Gallery - Banana Babies 2

Re: Question about potted pup
 

I have heard from a reliable source that to top dress and mulch with hot horse manure is good, especially in the cooler months; however, it's best not to mix it in the planting medium as it slows down the water drainage which is not desirable.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

When I scoop it up it has so much sand and soil in it, you have to really water it heavy to water log it. mine has no shavings in it so it holds less water. The chickens also scratch in it and breakup the clumps until it is a fine powder almost, so that helps as well.

Re: Question about potted pup
 

Some people swear by it!:ha: