Fruiting Fertilizer
 

After reading the last post about not using a fertilizer that is high in N when the plant is flowering. My IC is flowering right now, I have been using a 15-5-30. Should I change it up right now? If so what mix should I look for? Just any kind of Bloom Boost? Or is not the item for Bone meal?

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

not sure what an ic is (ice cream banana?)but as a general rule i would not use high nitrogen when the plant is flowering because it will promote leaf and foliage growth that may take energy away from the plant when it is already under stress from fruiting..it may cause problems, thats the reason the person posted that bit of info. if it makes you feel better you can try some bloom boost or any thing simular to that.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

Bananas cease to produce leaves (well, they produce them but in the form of bracts.) when they begin to fruit.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

Good evening Wormfarmer. The bloom fertilizer with a 2 to 1 ratio of potassium to nitrogen and 3 to 1 nitrogen to phosphous, is a good basic mix to promote blooming (the one your using). Make sure your plants are also getting secondary and trace elements.

Good growing! :2239:

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

15-5-30 is great for bananas. There isn't a general rule for plant nutrient requirements. Each plant will react differently and will use different amounts of nutrients through its life stages.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

i was giving the guy a general rule to use with most plants,since i didnt know what ic meant really..he said my ic is blooming.so i gave him a general rule...thanks..

i know the flag leaf is generally the last leaves of the main p stem before flowering. high nitrogen can't still affect the foliage growth of the suckers thats still attached to the main corm during fruiting ?? their excessive growth cant cause the hands to not fill out properly? someone let me know im still learning about bananas.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

Where can you get a 15-5-30? I just planted my first rhizomes and couldn't find anything close to 3-1-6 at Home Depot. You have to read the back of labels to find the actual nutrient content of alot of what's on the shelf; can you tell me a brand and where you got it from? Thanks.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

i have never really seen any high potassium fertilizer in any big chain stores that i visit..i would go to a farm co-op if i were you.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

I order mine from Richard. Plants That Produce
20-5-30

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

It seems that the higher the K/N ratio, the sweeter the fruit. I grow organically and for mulch use fresh horse manure mixed with shavings, adding quarterly, and apply a small ring of Kmag (0-0-23) around the mat afterwards. Watering frequently and trimming yellow and brown leaves and adding them to the mound after dicing them into one inch pieces helps. Those plants are planted about five meters from the house on the South side. The young TCs are out in the field and are just now pushing pups and growing nicely.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

big fan,
good job. i think the only good source of high potassium ferilizer without adding a lot of stuff you dont need is by giving it a shot of high k from a bag. if anyone has a way to add pure potassium without buying it please post it?? (we already talked about ashes and other things contained in them)

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

I've read that black strap molasses and kelp concentrate are high in potassium and other nutrients. Both can be used as a foliar feed and soil drench.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

I order it from Wellspringgardens on Ebay.

If thie 3-1-6 does not cost to much, you could just put 5x what is required to get 15-5-30, or you could even try 3-1-6 feeding every other day.

Someone told me that watering in Kept extract may cause a problem in the soil. I think he said it would rot and turn into alcohol killing everything in the soil. I do use Humic acid as a water in solution and have had great luck with it. I have not been using the Kelp extract as much anymore. I find that some plants either do nothing or some grow faster and some get burn marks on their leafs. So I just put one cap full to 32oz and mist all my veggies when they are on their 2nd leaf.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

thanks worm farmer,

i was gonna say just multiply the recommended application on a weak fertilizer to get what u want. i just knew someone would say it was a waste of money. i think i will only look for 0-0-30 or something like that. the other stuff is easy to come by... a good low cost or free high potassium source is all i need.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

I use 6-3-16 fertilizer made specifically for bananas. I buy it from AFEC(short for Atlantic Fertilizer something). I've had great success so far. For those of you in South Florida, it is on 260st and 182nd ave more or less. You can get more info from their web site. I think they do mail order as well. Oh, and the fertilizer is 50% organic...better than nothing right? :goteam:

As for doubling fertilizer for desired effect...it doesn't work that way. If you want 0-0-30, you need to buy 0-0-30. Feeding double the amount of 0-0-15 will only be adding way too much fertilizer. The only time I've mixed is when I apply blood meal(12-0-0 I think) and bone meal(0-6-9) to my veggies. I'd like to use them for my trees as well, but going organic can cost a pretty penny.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

From everything I have read, there really is no way to affect fruit production by fertilizing after the banana reaches maturity. I am sure nutritional needs are still high while in fruit, however. But the most important time to take care of a plants growing needs is in the first 4 months. Water, adequate sunlight, and proper nutrition during the first 4 months of the banana's life will determine the size of the bunch. This does not mean to stop fertilizing after 4 months, but after which point fertilizer will no longer aid in the increase of hands on the bunch.

Pineapples are exactly the same, infact. I have grown a top from the grocery store in sterile soil, and another by fertilizing regularly. The top recieving fertilizer is 3 times bigger than the unfertilized one, and it is not bothered by the spider mites. An early schedule of fertilizer during the pineapples first year of growth will determine the size and weight of the fruit regardless of how much fert it recieves the second year. When a pineapple flowers, large amounts of fertilizer are nolonger needed because it will be stored in high levels inside the fruit. After flowering I spray my pineapples 2-3 times a month with a nutritional spray that only contains minors like iron, zinc, etc. but than they also don't require all the potassium, calcium, and magnesium that bananas need during fruit production.

Chris P

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

All potassium fertilizer is currenlty expensive in comparison to N and P. Potassium chloride (Muriate of Potash) and Potassium sulfate (Sulfate of Potash) are the most commonly used fertilizers.

Ashes can actually hurt your plants if too much is applied. It will raise the pH to very high levels. Although it can help if your soil is too acidic.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

Supermario - I don't understand what you're saying. 0-0-30 is 30% K, and 70% inert filler. So, if you apply 10 ounces of this, you are putting on 3 ounces of K, and 7 ounces of nothing (filler). If you apply 20 ounces of 0-0-15, you are still getting the 3 ounces of K, and 17 ounces of filler, and the only thing that is increased is the amount of filler.

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

My reasoning is that if you are supposed to apply 1 lb of 0-0-30, but apply 2lb of 0-0-15, you will be saturating the soil with more 'filler' and fertilizer per square inch of soil. Let's take it a step further...what if you wanted to get 0-0-30 by applying 30 lbs of 0-0-1. Extreme, but the best way to illustrate what I mean. I would imagine that's way too much to apply at one time.

I'm not an expert in any way and may easily be wrong..I suppose adding the 0-0-15(or whatever combination) frequently over time as opposed to all at once would achieve the same results..?

:0519:

Re: Fruiting Fertilizer
 

Here is the info I use for growing all of my fruit trees...straight from UF.

HS10/MG040: Banana Growing in the Florida Home Landscape

You can search for any plant that grows in Florida. They have detailed information on most.