Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

Hey everyone,

I amended Black Kow composted manure 0.5 - 0.5 - 0.5 into the soil(1 part Black Kow and 1 part native soil) when I planted my Basjoos. Is it okay to use banana fuel in addition or will that overfeed/kill them?

Thanks, I'm a newbie!

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

That will definitely keep it happy for a while. I do about the same, but am in Florida, and it burns them for a few weeks at first, but stuff washes thru our sand so quick, that is all. It may take longer to work out of your soil there in Atlanta, with the clay and all.
It also depends on how big your plant is, mine were little TC plants about 8-12 inches tall (On the stem, not the leaf) If yours is a couple feet tall there shouldn't be much of a problem. I also top dress with black kow (Actually I found a .5-.5-.5 at walmart for much less, Manure & compost, not the other way)

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

Thanks for the reply, sputinc7!

I also used Black Kow .5-.5-.5 to top dress too and they seem to love it. not sure if it is composted manure or compost and manure since I already threw out the bag. I'd think they are the same?

The Basjoo plants I have are about 4-5 feet now and popping about 1 full leaf out a week. I want them to explode.

If Banana Fuel is so good, why does it burn them? I just made my first order now I just read on wiki that its only for tropical climates....now I'm really confused as I saw everyone saying this stuff was the best. LOL HELP!

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

I have heard this before from Richard, our resident fertilizer specialist...
It will work in northern areas as well, so long as you supplement with a little more nitrogen.
The Black kow burned mine, mainly because the sandy soil here promotes a rapid release of nutrients, especially nitrogen. Wait a few weeks and add your banana fuel and I am sure all will be fine. Just remember, with any fertilizeer, you are already adding some nutrients with the manure, so adjust the banana fuel accordingly.
The manure and compost I was referring to was from walmart. They have compost with manure ($1.59 a bag) at a fertilizer rate of .05-.05-.05 and manure with compost ($1.98 a bag) which is .5-.5-.5 (10x stronger) Black kow is also .5-.5-.5 at $5.79 a bag.

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

I definitely used the Black Kow Composted manure .5-.5-.5 for $5.17 a bag from Home Depot. I just looked it up lol.

You said to wait a few weeks but I've had these planted for over a month now. Do you think I'm now in the safe zone to use the Banana Fuel? Is there another fertilizer for my region that carries high praises like Banana Fuel? I don't really like the idea of buying expensive Banana Fuel and having to buy an additional nitrogen supplement, as I thought I was buying the magic button. Do you think the Black Kow Composted Manure .5-.5-.5 will give me the additional nitrogen preferred?

Thanks for all the help and sorry for so many nit picky questions!

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

No prob. I assumed you just planted when I first wrote that. Yes, I meant wait a few weeks after planting to allow the plant to acclimate. It's difficult to over water or over fertilize a banana.
The black kow also has .5 of all the others, so it probably wouldn't. I sometimes doubt the accuracy of their claim to be .5 on all 3, though. Seems to me manure is more nitrogen than anything. I know milorganite is mostly nitrogen, but has a heavy metals issue if I remember correctly. then there is ammonium sulphate and calcium nitrate but I don't know enough to tell you what to get. Until Richard returns from his honeymoon and feels like it, I would go with the black kow and banana fuel. It will work fine.
Learn to relax and enjoy watching them grow.

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

I have been told that Ammonium Sulfate 21-0-24su is a good source of Nitrogen. Urea dissipates into a gas very rapidly. Be careful not to get any form of nitrogen on Psrem or leaves. The sulphur helps the nitrogen be more available to plants. Don't take my word for any of the above. I too am always searching for the magic pill!
:0519:

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

On the side of the bag there is a paragraph called the directions......read it!!!

You are in a good climate to use it. And if used correctly your good.
I could use it in my climate if I wish.:nanadrink:

Also this product has been discussed in many threads....Key words "banana fuel"
When you get some fruiting plants next year........ use it.....the forum says it works:08:


This is a great journey....is it not?

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

It hasn't arrived here yet so couldn't see the directions just yet.

I was going to use it as soon as it gets here even though my banana trees will not fruit this year. I wanna sit back and watch them explode...hopefully

Re: Black Kow Composted Manure and Banana Fuel
 

200 lbs of black kow per mat of bananas if you are trying to grow fruit. That is based on typical potassium removal in the fruit.