[Jamie0507]

There are both organic & inorganic fertilizers out there, just a matter of personal preference. I try to stick with organic when trying to treat pests/diseases etc. but not necessarily with fertilizers.. To each his/her own I suppose but from what I've read when bananas are actively growing they are huge feeders, and that makes it more difficult to keep up using only organic fertilizers especially in a potted culture. Just my 2 cents, but I'm always open to hearing from others.. Im here to learn from everyone and share experiences.

[Harborseal]

I'm so jealous

[Jamie0507]

What a great help he was Ryan, I received a return email from him yesterday and he informed me what I have going on is called "banana choke" and happen in weather below 60 degrees and feeding them while they are wanting to be dormant. Don is the man's name, and I will definitely buy bananas from him in the future Thank you for sharing his info with me!

[Jamie0507]

pukzpukz Harborseal you both hit the nail on the head, I just found out it is called "banana choke" and due to the cold weather and my continued feedings!

[Jamie0507]

What beauties they are Joe! Wow sure wish I had your climate so I could leave them outdoors all year too They are not happy in my house during the winters here that's for sure!

[pukzpukz]

Here are a few pic's I grow in ground and Pots I also Grow Papaya

[pukzpukz]

Jamie bananas grow slow or are dormant at below 60 only water once a week and flush the pot of salts that build up they don't need much during the winter they won't use it.

[pukzpukz]

I have over 20 types Of fruiting Bananas what are you wanting PM me

[Jamie0507]

Thank you Bob! This makes a lot of sense to me.. Your postings have helped me on so many occasions, I want to let you know that I really appreciate you for taking the time to give me your input I was getting ready to super dose these banana trees with fertilizer but now I see & agree with your assessment.. I've got to learn a whole bunch more about how fertilizers in general work, but your explanation has most definitely opened my eyes to the importance of maintaining balance and that "more" is not always better.. Seems its the right mix of nutrients in the proper proportions for each particular type of plant.. Boy I sure have a lot to learn! Lol thanks again Bob!

[cis4elk]

That is pretty much what mine looks like, except not that big and it has one light green mostly unfurled leaf sticking straight up.

[bunti]

I want to grow organic crop. Giving all the fertilizers makes organic? Fertilizers are good for health of humans?

[Gr8Figs]

I'm hoping for some bananas from this Dwarf Cavendish that I started growing Summer 2015.It was about a foot tall when I got it. I cut off the pups to try to get maximum growth and bananas as soon as possible.

I'm storing it in the crawlspace until Spring arrives.

http://i.imgur.com/WIWOtwO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/jeQXeQx.jpg

[cis4elk]

Yes, great info here. I'm not going to waste time showing my tree. It's embarrassing compared to you all's lush green trees. In my defense, my goal was to make it go as close to dormant as a plant like this can go last fall and then just hold it in stasis of sorts this winter in the sun room, I accomplished that. In about a month it's going to go from a 5 to 10 gallon pot and I suppose I'll have to figure out some way to double the pot again this summer. Bananas might be a good candidate to build the larger wooden box type planter/pot for, seeing they shouldn't really be a long term occupant.

[Harborseal]

Hi, Jamie0507 ! I'm not a banana expert but I'm sure you have not under-fertilized them. You don't have any deficiencies but the balance of N to K may be off. Bananas are different than a lot of plants because they have super high K requirements. Even their leaves have more K than N. So while you're not deficient you have 2 potential issues.

One is a high N to K ratio (relative to the plant's requirement). I wouldn't add more fertilizer at this point but I would stop using foliage pro and after letting some salts wash out find something with a ratio perhaps 0-0-10 or 3-1-12 or something like that to go with your Osmocote. You want your total fertilizer ratios to be K>N>P. Your fertigating fertilizer is better off without micronutrients since your Osmocote provides them. The good news is that Pro-Tekt has some K in it.

Two is that you may have excess salts in your pot. You are giving them 1.5 - 2x the recommended amount of fertilizer. and since two have trace elements, twice the recommended amount of those, also. I don't know the sodium content of what you're using but excess sodium will inhibit the absorption of Potassium (K), further worsening the N/K imbalance. Your fish fertilizer may have taken a month or more to release its N as well.

Now all that is just a guess. Your plant is not unhealthy. I'm assuming it's warm and you have a mix that drains easily. If so when you water use enough so some drains out of the pot. That will wash some salts out. Do that for maybe 3 waterings and then continue the Osmocote but switch to a fertilizer with much more K than N and as little P as you can.

Best of luck. Here's some info on Banana culture.

http://www.haifa-group.com/files/Guides/Banana.pdf

I decided this was better as a post so it will be easier to find in the future.

[COGardener]

Mine is a dwarf Cavendish from Wellspring.

[IamKriya]

Bob, that's some great info. I'm going to print what you wrote as a reference. Thanks!

[Hobo62288]

I also started bananas not too long ago. I bought one I've Cream from Wellspring late last summer to early fall and I'm overwintering indoors. It seems to be doing good considering I only have fluorescents. Hoping it will fruit this year but I have no idea. I'm keeping fertilizing and waterjng to a minimum until closer til spring when I can start shuffling. Probably plant it inground but haven't decided for sure yet.

[Harborseal]

Hi, Jaime! See below

[Figinqueens]

I am generally not that patient for fruit, but the plant looks great out on my terrace for the summer. It is tall enough that it should try and fruit next year hopefully.

[bunti]

here are my banana plants, Raja puri and super Dwarf. When I used to grow bananas in india, they used to lover water. I would like to have dwarf red banana plant too.

[bunti]

This super dwarf plant. It's max height is 3', so the leaf growth is like that. There is nothing wrong with that. Bigger banana plants have room to grow leaves. Semi dwarf have little more closer leaf pattern. Super dwarf has tight leaf pattern.

[Jamie0507]

Thank you Ryan! I am going to write him right now I'm so glad you started this topic, as I would never have thought to do it.. If I find out any good info or solid causes, I will share with you all

[Jamie0507]

Hi Bob As for fertilizer, at the end of last summer when I had to take these two overgrown pups from the mother plant, I mixed in Osmocote (14-14-14) at the rate recommended for a 20 gallon pot (escaping me right now the exact measurement). I also added in some fish fertilizer then too. Up until about the end of September I used a semi-weak mixture of foliage pro at the rate of 1.25 tsp per gallon of water until I brought them inside. Since they weren't growing at all and I assumed they were in a state of dormancy, I stopped fertilizing and really cut back on water so they wouldn't rot. Now in January they slowly started putting on leaves (that look stuck) so I added a half a capful for each plant of Osmocote indoor/outdoor version (15/9/12 fortified with minerals) and gave them a good watering with the foliage pro (same rate as before) and protekt (1.25 tsp per gal) & have been giving them that at every watering. Maybe I am starving them? I know bananas are suppose to be big eaters but being that it's winter my thoughts were to hold back on it. I am definitely a novice at growing but I would love to learn more & do better for them. Can you make any recommendations for me?

[growcrazie]

here is my dwarf red Musa, I only have room for one, I would like more

[IamKriya]

Bob, I would have done the same, I think. I really do admire those who have that patience year after year waiting to get fruits.