Is this normal for a banana tree (and a few more questions)

I saw an article here on DG about bananas in maryland. Well, I'm here in florida and if she can get them to grown in Md, I should be able to get them to grow down here. :)

Actually, I have one tree that my lovely neighbor from Trinidad via New York gave me. My kids dug it up and picked the place to transplant it themselves (they really wanted the tree). No one knows the cultivar. It's a small tree, maybe 5'. Don't know how old it has to be (it may be a year old at most) before it fruits.

Most importantly - except for the clipped up leaves that fall off the 'tree', how do I fertilize this puppy, and how long before I start to get 'pups' from it?

The attached picture is one of the falling 'leaves'. usually they turn yellow, then brown, then fall off. but this one is a deep orange. it has since turned brown, but was concerned about the color change indicating some other deficiency. A different neighbor mentioned it may need epsom salts for magnesium....dunno.

OTHER QUESTION:

I saw in the article here on DG that Wellspring Garden has many bananas. I'm on their website now, and see dwarf cavendish, dwarf orinoco, ice cream banana (ice cream banana currently buy one/get one free, btw), and raja puri. Which do you recommend, and why?

also - someone on facebook said that the banana tree would only fruit once - is that true? seems like a lot of effort to grow something for several years to have it only fruit once.

thanks.

SoFla,

Your tree looks normal for this time of year.

With our cooler weather all tropicals slow down their growth. A thick layer of compost with a thicker layer of mulch (like wood chips) will help, but, you won't see much change until March.

Under perfect growing conditions banana corms produce fruit about 16-18 months in a tropical climate. Since we are on the northern edge of the tropics it takes about 24 months (or more). Each stalk will produce a bunch of banana of various lengths and then die back after the fruit has ripened. Before the fruiting stems die they usually produce pups.

Adding trace elements - Magnesium, Iron etc will contribute a lot to any plant. I buy my trace elements from Southern Ag in a 25lb bag which is a dry 'powder', but, you can buy a liquid form they use on citrus tree at the big box stores, like HD. Ask for citrus tree trace elements.

I feed my fruiting plants every two weeks with Miracle Grow. 10 Tablespoons in a 5 gallon bucket poured slowly all around the plants abour 18" out from the trunk.

I don't have any photos of banana's so how about some flowers....

i want to get more banana 'trees' - any recommendations?

...and a different neighbor said that the banana trees attracted snakes - he said that snakes like to hang out at the top - that true, or was he just messing with me?

thanks.


.....and I liked those flowers - they'd be pretty in front of the sunflowers I plan to grow; a nice contrast. what are they?

The bananas that we buy in the store are ususally Cavendish. I have a dwarf Cavendish in the backyard. I have 'taste tested' other varieties, but, I was not wild about them. Even Cavendish tastes better if left to ripen on the 'tree'.

Bananas are classified as a moncot (grass). I have never seen a snake in banana grove, but, who knows for sure?

The plants above with the blue/purple flowers are Mexican Petunia. The state Ag people have declared it an invasive and asked people & nurseries not to grow it. But, as you can see my clients don't always care.

Orchids are not invasive....

thanks, Dale.