Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Thanks Richard! That's exactly the info I was looking for! Glad I asked too, I would have overdosed my little ones!

Thanks again!

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Richard- The instructions on the bag have faded almost completely now. Can you repeat the dosages for my bananas that I'm now planting for the season after inside wintering as dormant plants? Thanks.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Sure, just use the instructions I gave on 5/13 to mrthegreek. :)

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

That;s easy!

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Hi Richard,

I'm posting for the first time today, even though I've been avidly reading this site since December 2008.

I realize this thread is about the Grow More formula and I am planning on ordering some of the Grow More fertilizer for fruiting bananas when available. In the meantime, I have some of the Stokes Tropicals Banana Fertilizer- Controlled released fertilizer (3-month Formula) Analysis: 6-2-12 with minors.

I can figure the dosages, I think, for fruiting bananas, but there's one thing that makes me unsure. Theirs is a controlled release formula which would have to alter the situation somewhat. With the Grow More, it's released quickly, so I know, based on your post, what I would use and how often. How would this change for a formula that is released over three months.

I'm just unsure how the controlled release changes things, if it does. I would appreciate any insight you, or anyone else, can offer.

John

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Consider a dwarf or standard (not super-dwarf or giant) fruiting banana planted in the ground with plenty of root volume (approximately 1 cu.yd. or 200 gallon). Suppose this banana is mature in size but still 3-4 months or so away from fruiting. In the year prior to reaching this stage, you will want to have applied NET 1 lb of N and 1.5 lb of K. Since the 6-2-12 is limited in N we will calculate with K: 1.5 lbs / 12% = 12.5 Lbs during the 1 year period above and thereafter since the corm will have grown to the appropriate capacity.

For smaller root volumes and pots, scale the dosage by volume. So for example, a fruiting banana in a 20 gallon pot would have the capacity for 1/10th that amount.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Thanks. That helps a lot. I'm gathering that the only difference the timed-release aspect of my current fertilizer causes vs. one not time-released is in when I fertilize. What I mean is that if I want to taper off late in the season to prepare my bananas for over-wintering, then I'll need to start tapering off earlier than I would with one like the Grow More.

I am seriously considering getting a 1000w Metal Halide lighting system to allow me to still get some growth over the winter on these. That should reduce some of the need to taper off the fertilizer. I know this won't be nearly as bright as natural sunlight, but I should at least get some moderate growth over the winter and put me a leg up for possibly getting fruit next year when I move them back outdoors. At least that['s the plan anyway. :)

Thanks again for the information. I appreciate it.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

One more question (heh heh). Since for some of my plants I'm dosing a mat of 6 to 16 plants in various stages of development, what should I use? 1/4 cup seems much too low for the mat (basjoo). However, I don't want to burn the younguns.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Consider the total volume of the corm and roots that comprises the mat, and scale appropriately. It is that maturity of the corm that matters.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

That makes sense. Thanks!

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Nice information here richrd. You have helped me a lot in gaining the knowledge. and it is quite inspiring to grow the plants indoor. Till now i was thinking about it but now i have decide to build my indoor setup.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Richard, Puchased 28-8-18 fertilizer from you and would like to know if I should use the same dosages as you recommend for Banana Fuel for fruiting bananas.

BANANA FUEL DOSAGES DURING ACTIVE GROWTH SEASONS:
Very Young Plants, TC's: 1/4 teaspoon per gallon of water every watering.
Young Plant in 2 gallon pot: 2 tablespoons per month.
Plant (not juvenile) in 10 to 20 gallon pot: 1/4 cup per month.
Plant in ground with significant root space: 3/4 cup per month.
Hydroponics @ 150 ppm K: 1 Tbs per 6.5 gallons of water.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

For 28-8-18 on ornamental bananas, use 2/3 of the above dosages for 20-5-30 on fruiting bananas.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Thanks for the quick response!!

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Would I be able to fertilize bi-monthly instead of monthly using it but with a smaller dose each time?

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

There is no horticultural reason for doing so.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

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Was that a yes or no answer?

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

You can fertilize every time you water if you want

WATER SOLUBLE

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Or use the whole 3/4 cup and appy all at one time?
Just one time a month?

Same results?

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

That's what I do on my mature-size plants -- although the root system is so large I use 3 5-gallon buckets each with 1/4 cup per plant.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Wow....That's exactly what I did. 1/4 cup dissolved in 4 gallons of water for each plant. SO.........Now how many days till I need to do the fertilizing again?

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

No, that is not what I said. :)

If the plants are mature in size, then FOR EACH PLANT: 3 5-gallon buckets of water each with 1/4 cup of fertilizer.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

How about for the banana fuel i recently purchased from you it's 20-6-16 should it be 4tsps per gallon? For mature plants

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

For constant feeding, use 1/2 teaspoon per gallon.

For less frequent feedings, your goal is to deliver a maximum of 5 lbs per plant per year. However, you should not exceed 1 lb in a single feeding and it should be dissolved in 5 to 10 gallons of water. As with any water-soluble fertilizer, it should only be applied during the active growing season.

:08:

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Hi Richard,
I'm using your 28-8-18 fertilizer on ornamentals (musa basjoo). Do you have any thoughts on using a garden hose bottle sprayer such as this (Amazon.com : Gilmour 362 Professional No Pre-Mix Sprayer, White : Lawn & Garden Sprayers : Patio, Lawn & Garden) to apply fertilizer? I was thinking I would dissolve the fertilizer in a small amount of water and fill the bottle with the solution.
Thanks!

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

It will require some arithmetic. Let's suppose your Gilmour (or Ortho) hose-end sprayer is set to deliver at 1 Tablespoon per gallon. That's a mixing ratio of 1:256 (there are 256 Tbsp per gallon). These sprayers will hold up to 1 quart of solution. So if the concentrate you put in the hose-end sprayer is 1/2 cup in 1 quart of water (equiv. to 2 cups/gallon), then the actual concentration coming out the sprayer will be 0.375 teaspoons per gallon -- which is about right for a foliar spray.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Thanks Richard!

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Good information here!

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

What is considered 'constant feeding' and what is considered 'less frequent feeding' in regards to time in between.

Thanks!

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Constant feeding means every watering.

Less frequent feeding means once per month.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Many thanks to Richard and others for this great thread.

I have a couple of questions that I haven't found answers to:

I see various references to the annual amount of fertilizer that bananas can use. I am wondering how this relates to length of growing season? In the tropics, for example, the growing season may be all 12 months, while in Iowa my growing season is basically four months for outdoor bananas. So when I read that a banana can use up to a pound of nitrogen per year, should I assume that's a banana being fertilized year-round, and my four-month growing season would need only a third of a pound? Or would that not be correct?

Also: If water soluble fertilizer is applied once per month, should I be concerned that some of it will wash out with subsequent waterings (watering frequently during the summer) before the next fertilized watering?

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Brian -- your calculation is correct. The constant feeding method is a good choice because no guesswork to the growing season length is required, nor is there an issue with washout.

Re: Water Soluble Banana Fuel Dosages
 

Very good info. Thanks!