Hi,
Need help on a couple of things
these spots started appearing on new leaves, i thought the older ones were just getting old. They're starting to spread to newer leaves and I'm getting worried.
After a couple of days/weeks with the spots, the leaf will wilt. I also see white fluffy spots, they might be mealy bugs. Might there be a relation between the brown spots and mealy bugs?
What can I spray/clean the leaves with for the brown spot and mealy bugs?
Eliz
You have banana plants growing NOW in Toronto?
These don't look like fungal leaf spots. It looks more like cultural damage. Watering, too much fertilizer, bad drainage, etc... problems. The leaves on the plants in the lower right corner have some browning on their edges too.
If the fluffy white spots are mealy bugs, a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol, and touched to the insect will kill it.
Yep, we have bannanas growing in toronto, we bring them outside during our hot summers, but they stay inside during our winters. They seem to tolerate decreased sunlight during our winters okay. They're not as lush but they're okay inside the house. I've seen some greenhouses growing them during the winter and the look in perfect condition.
I stopped the fertilizer, and the leaves have already fallen off, just waiting to see if the little bud left will still survive =(.
I tried your suggestion of alcohol on mealy bugs, and it kills them off just like that =). But I still have to do mealy bug checks from time to time to make sure they are eliminated. =)
Thank you again for your suggestion!
Eliz
The crawlers (nymphs) are very small and so will go undetected. As they get larger and form the wax, you can see them. That's why you have to keep constant vigilance. A good spray with soapy water should help eliminate a lot of the nymphs. But you'll still need to keep watch...
