banana tree help

[Don and Leslie Wilson]

does anyone have a banana tree? we have had ours for about a year, never produced any bananas, it did get hit with a little frost this spring, but we have been getting new leaves. The trunks look a little yellow, maybe it's just the heat?  do you fertilize regular? with what? any tips?

Don & Leslie

[Catherine, The Herb Lady]

Hi Don & Leslie,

 

I have been growing a variety called "Blue Java" aka Ice Cream banana for about 4/5 years now.  They will go totally mushy/down to the ground with the kind of cold we had this year.  If you only have one, it may put out babies before fruit. IT can take up to 12-18 months depending on variety for the original plant to develop both root mass and size to produce the flower. The fruit will take about 4 months to mature from flower to picking stage.  We add compost and citrus-type fertilizer to them several times a year.  The yellowing could just be a little sun damage.  A healthy banana plant this time of year should be putting out a new leaf about every 2 weeks or so. They do best in a sunny spot which gets some shelter from high winds.  Do not cut the leaves off even if they shred and look bad - as long as they are green they are feeding the plant.  Sometimes the challenge is by the time the initial plant gets big enough to put out a flower it is late enough in the year the fruit may not mature before frost.  But meanwhile the root system is getting bigger and bigger each year - think of it as a large piece of grass.  Generally many banana growers keep only 2-4 plants in a location at a time, so the root mass is putting energy into the older plants and not new babies.  You can cut the baby pups out and plant elsewhere or give them away.  Each of my plants only produces one flower - and that is a terminal flower - the plant will die off after flower/fruiting.  Don't forget the leaves can be used to steam foods in - gives them a fruity flavor.

 

Hope that helps, ask if there are things I did not think of.

 

We have gotten usable fruit off the plant and want to keep it going but if I had a different yard I would have put them in a different place to encourage more mass.

[Don and Leslie Wilson]

Thank you so much! that was very helpfull!

Don & Leslie

 

[Catherine, The Herb Lady]

You are welcome.  I should have also mentioned that going down to the ground does not mean the root mass dies, but it could take some time getting going again if we have another bad cold winter.  Good luck :-)

[Liz & Dan]

I agree with Herb Lady!  Bananas are HEAVY feeders and need a LOT of fertilizer and water to be really happy, especially during the peak growing season, spring/summer.  Ours are planted on the east side of our flood irrigated yard with additional water from our washing machine.  The soap we use (Oasis) breaks down essentially into fertilizer, so they get a lot of nutrients and are sheltered from the harshest afternoon sun.  In this environment they have multiplied into a banana forest in the year and a half they have been in the ground.  There are pups everywhere and a large hand of fruit forming.

[Don and Leslie Wilson]

Thanks for the info. I will fertilize more often, We have lots of pups and lots of  new leaves, just no fruit. :-(     Like everything in our garden, lots of green leaves, little/no fruit. ug!

[Catherine, The Herb Lady]

Hi Don & Leslie,

 

You comment on no fruit prompts me to ask about the pollinators.  Do you have a lot of bees and butterflies in the garden?  The pollinators do most of the work for us.  If the garden has little or no pollinators we humans have to substitute our efforts with paint brushes and q-tips.  I let about a quarter or half of my herbs and other plants that can flower, "be in bloom" all year long to encourage the pollinators.  You might assess that aspect.