Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

My wife recently brought home a red banana from a nursery. We repotted it into a larger container, adding Miracle Gro Cactus, Palm and Citrus mix to fill up the remainder after adding about 3 inches of rocks at the bottom of the pot. About 4 days later the leaves are starting to wilt. We're keeping the plan indoors in front of an east facing window with a good deal of light all day. It is warming up in Indiana, but it does sit under a vent and we keep our apartment at about 75.

She's been watering it a bit every day, but I'm not sure how much. We haven't added any fertilizer yet. The leaf coming up in the middle is new growth. The leaves are pretty floppy and feel really

Re: Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

Welcome to the Banana Forum.


1st. The plant sitting under a vent; The heated air blowing from the vent is much hotter than the apartment. It should be in high 90's to 100 deg. which is too hot for banana plants. ... The same with AC vents the cold air should be in the upper 30's and too cold for bananas.


2. Bananas need warmth (75 to 90 deg) and lots of humidity. The environment of a house or apartment is very low in humidity. So young banana plant needs misting a couple of times per day.


3. Watering the pot every day is not good for the banana plant. Keeping the soil wet prevents the roots from getting air. The potting soil for bananas need to be very fast draining so excess water drains out of the pot and not make the bottom of the pot soggy. For this reason the pots much have drain holes. A soil mix of commercial potting soil with 50% perlite is recommended or a very course pine bark potting mix. .... The large corm stores water so you only need to water the pot soil when it is near dry in the middle & bottom of the pot. Get and use a long stem moisture meter.


4. The rocks in the bottom I do not recommend. You may as well just use a smaller pot. It would be about the same. Banana roots grow fairly fast and needs the soil space. Use a coffee filter or landscape filter fabric in the bottom if needed to prevent soil leakage thought the pot drain holes. Then the soil moisture can be checked with a moisture meter thought the drain holes.


5. The commercial soil mixture used should already contain enough fertilizer for 4 or 5 months to feed the plant. But I do recommend forliar (misting) feeding the plant with miracle grow once a week. Mix per instructions for potted plants.





Wilting banana leaves is caused by lack of water (including root rot) or high heat (100 plus deg).

Re: Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

I've seen bananas grown semi-hydro (roots constantly wet), with the only problem being the size of the plant being too big / heavy for the plant to stay upright.

I've seen some watered every day with no problems unless there was standing water which would then cause other issues.

Air needs to be warm and humid. I think you are drying yours out with the situation you described.

Re: Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

I wanted to post an update on this, the plant has been thriving for the last 3 months, growing almost at a rate of a leaf a week until the tallest leaves almost reached 8 feet high.

In the last week, it's been losing leaves faster than it's growing them and we haven't really changed our processes - fertilizer every 2 weeks or so, watering when the soil is barely moist. We did have spider mites, but my wife washed the plant regularly and I can't see any signs of them. What else should we check?

Re: Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

Does it perhaps need a larger pot? Have you increased the amount you are feeding as it has grown in size?

Re: Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

I just got a red banana plant that i am keeping indoors. My leaves are looking a little wilted. I was concerned that i am giving it too much water. the soil feels moist but i only gave it about half gallon of water, which isn't much.
It's in a big 18 gal plastic storage tub.
There are no drainholes.

I also have it in regular potting soil. Do i need to change this and add perlite?

Re: Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

Hi Lbigred,
Bananas need great drainage ( big drainage holes), I'm very heavy on the perlite and a layer of gravel/ small stones in the bottom, they also need humidity so if its not possible to place it outside I recommend a good daily misting, post up some pictures of the plant,pot and growing medium so you can be helped further.

Re: Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

Thank you. Do you have yours in a non draining pot?
I did go to the store today and buy some perlite because i figured that might be the case.
The lady in the store said to me to put the draining pot in another pot because i have wood floors and can't risk any run off with a saucer. ( I have the non draining pot on a dolly to keep it off the floor.)
She said to put a layer of stones in the non draining pot so that the actual planter could sit on top of it. Water will collect int he stones and create humidity for the plant.
If i do this do you think i still have to mist as well?

Re: Red Banana Leaves Wilting
 

Here is a photo of my banana. All repotted with the cactus mix, perlite, regular soil in the draining pot in a pot.
(Well, not a pot really just a big old walmart storage tub.) It was pretty beat up from wind damage when we bought it.
The yellow concerns me. It wasn't yellow when we got it. I know the one leaf looks like it's dying but there's a little yelloow spot on the leaf in the upper left.
The soil wasn't too wet so i don't think i overwatered.