How to Grow Bananas (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Growing delicious and healthy banana plants can be exciting, if you prepare the right planting season. If you live in a warm climate or have a suitable indoor growing location, keep reading this article for tips on growing bananas for a year.

Step

Part 1 of 4: Choosing a Planting Place

Step 1. Pay attention to the temperature and humidity in your area

Humidity must be at least 50% and constant. The ideal daytime temperature is between 26-30ºC (78-86ºF), and the night temperature is no lower than 20ºC (67ºF). Acceptable temperatures are warm and very rarely lower than 14ºC (57ºF) or higher than 34ºC (93ºF).

It can take up to a year to produce bananas, so it's important to know the temperature range during that time of year

Step 2. Find the warmest area of the page

Banana plants will grow best in areas exposed to direct sunlight for 12 hours each day. Bananas can be grown in areas that lack sun, but are better planted in areas that receive the most sunlight.

Step 3. Choose an area with good drainage

Bananas need plenty of water, but are prone to rot if the water doesn't drain properly.

To test the drain, dig a hole 0.3 meters deep and fill it with water, and let it drain. Refill water if empty, then measure how much water is left after 1 hour. Drainage of 7-15 cm of water per hour is ideal for banana plants.
An embankment of plots or an additional 20% perlite to the soil will help drain the water.
This is especially important if the banana plant does not yet have leaves, or the leaves have been removed for shipping. Foliage helps evaporate excess water.

Step 4. Give it enough space

The banana plant is an herb, but is often mistaken for a tree. Some varieties and single trees can reach 7.6 meters in height, but you should check your local banana plant source or banana grower for a more accurate estimate of banana plants and varieties.

Each plant needs a hole that is at least 30 cm wide and 30 cm deep. Areas with a lot of wind need bigger holes (and more soil).
Keep banana plants at least 4.5 meters away from trees and shrubs (not from other banana plants), as their large root system can compete with banana water.
Many banana plants can help each other maintain humidity and temperature levels, as long as they are planted at the right distance. If you can, plant several plants in groups 2-3 meters apart from each other, or 3-5 meters if the number of banana plants is much larger.
Dwarf banana varieties need less space.

Step 5. You can plant indoors

If the outdoor environment is not adequate, you will need an indoor location with the same requirements (12 hours of bright light, warm temperature and constant humidity).

You will need a large enough planting container for the size of an adult plant, unless you want to move the bananas into a larger pot later.
Always use a pot that has a drain hole to allow water to drain properly.
You can grow dwarf banana varieties if you don't have enough room in the room.
Use half the amount of fertilizer when growing indoor plants, or stop completely if you don't have room for larger plants. (This is suitable for house plants that are not meant to produce fruit.)

Part 2 of 4: Growing Bananas

Step 1. Choose banana seeds

You can buy banana vine (small shoots from the base of a banana plant) from farmers or other plant nurseries, or buy them online. Banana rhizome or tubers is the base on which the vine grows. Network culture produced in the laboratory to create higher fruit yields. If you are growing a mature plant, prepare a hole that is the right size and ask for help when planting it.

The best vines to use are 1.8-2.1 meters tall and have thin, sword-shaped leaves, although smaller tendrils can work well if the mother tree is healthy. Large, round leaves are a sign that the vine is correcting the lack of adequate nutrition from the mother tree.
If the vine is still attached to the mother tree, remove it by forcibly cutting it down with a clean shovel. Include an appropriate portion of the underground base (tubers) and roots.
Rhizomes (tubers) without important tendrils can be cut into pieces. Any parts with shoots (like tendrils) can grow into banana plants, but it will take longer than using tendrils.

Step 2. Trim the plants

Cut off any dead, insect-eaten, rotting or discolored plant parts. If most of the plants have been affected, remove them from other plants and look for other seeds.

If using vines, remove them and leave only a few centimeters (1-2 inches) from the roots. This is to limit the presence of disease. You can also remove any leaves that are longer than five strands and/or cut off the top of the plant at an angle. This is to increase the amount of sunlight that will warm the soil for root growth and prevent rot

Step 3. Dig a hole for each plant

Remove any plants or weeds growing at the planting site, then dig a circular hole 30 cm wide and 30 cm deep. A larger hole will provide more support for the plant, but will require more soil.

If growing indoors, use a pot this size or larger

Step 4. Fill most of the hole with loose, fertile soil

Leave a few centimeters of space at the top to push the drains.

Do not use potting soil, or regular garden soil unless you're sure it will fit. Mixed soil is intended for good yields, or ask other farmers who grow the same variety.
The ideal soil acidity for bananas is between pH 5.5 and 7. An acidity of pH 7.5 or higher can kill the plant.

Step 5. Place the plant upright in the new soil

The leaves should point upwards and the soil should cover the roots and be 1.5-2.5 cm away from the base. Compact the soil down so the plants don't shift, but don't overcrowd.

Part 3 of 4: Caring for Plants

Step 1. Monthly fertilization is carried out at a short distance from the stem of the plant

You can buy fertilizer, compost, manure, or a mixture thereof. Add fertilizer around banana plants immediately after planting, and repeat monthly.

Young plants require 0.1-0.2 kg monthly, and 0.7-0.9 kg for mature plants. Increase gradually as the plant grows.
If the temperature drops below 14ºC (57ºF) or if the banana plant hasn't grown since last month, skip fertilizing.
Fertilizers are usually labeled with three numbers (NPK) which are the amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus (Potassium), and Potassium. Bananas need a lot of Potassium, but other nutrients are also important. You can use a balanced fertilizer (all three are roughly the same dose) or a fertilizer that can correct deficiencies in the soil.
Do not use any manure produced in the last few weeks, as the heat released during rotting can damage the plant.

Step 2. Water the plants often but not too often

Lack of water is a common cause of banana plant death, but too much water can cause root rot.

In warm weather without rain, water the plant daily, but only if the top (1.5-3 cm) of soil is dry. Check with a finger before watering.
Reduce the amount of water per session if the plant is submerged in water for a long time. (Because it can cause root rot).
In cold temperatures where the bananas are barely thriving, water them once every week or two. Remember to check soil moisture.
Leaves help evaporate excess moisture, so be careful not to soak (moisturize enough) young plants that are not yet leafy.
Sprinkle the fertilizer around to help it absorb into the soil.

Step 3. Add mulch

Remove dead leaves and plants, cut into places around live plants. Yard waste and wood ash can also be added as soil nutrients.

Check the mulch regularly and remove any growing weeds. Weeds can compete with banana plants

Step 4. Watch for discoloration, dead leaves, and pests

If there are sick plants, identify them and treat them immediately, or remove them. Insect pests must also be controlled immediately if any are found. Nitrogen and potassium deficiency are two of the most common nutritional problems encountered in bananas, so recognize the signs.

Signs of nitrogen (N) deficiency: very small or pale green leaves; reddish pink leaf midrib; slow growth rate; small fruit bunches.
Signs of potassium (K) deficiency: the appearance of color on the leaves quickly changes to orange/yellow followed by leaf death; small or damaged leaves; delayed flowering; small fruit bunches.
Examples of major plant diseases include: Wilt/Moko Bacterial Disease; Panama Disease/Fusarium Wilt; Banana Bunchy Top; Black Spot/Root Rot/Fall; and Black Leaf Streak."
Examples of major crop pests include: Corn Beetle; Banana Aphid; Mealy Bug. Fruit pests include: Flower Insects; Red Rust Thrips; and Scarring Weevil.

Step 5. Remove the vines

Once the plant is mature and has several tendrils, remove all but one to increase fruit yield and plant health.

Cut all the vines except for one at ground level and cover the affected plants with the soil. If the vine grows back, cut it again with a deeper cut.
The uncut vines are called followers and will replace the parent tree after death.
A very healthy plant may have two followers.

Step 6. Support the plants to avoid falling plants due to strong winds or heavy bunches

There are 3 easy ways to do this:

How to Wire/Rope and Bottle: Cut the bottom of the plastic bottle. Insert a very long and very strong wire/thread through the mouth and bottom of the bottle. Squeeze the bottle to make it bend and soft. Pinch the banana stem against the bottle, and use a wire to pull the stem a little bit straighter. Tie the braid for more support.
One Bamboo Way: Use a 3 m long bamboo pole, or other strong and durable material. Cut a Y-shaped piece of wood 10 cm thick and 6 cm wide. Let the stem rest in the center of the "Y" and push the bamboo up slightly so that the stem is tightly squeezed into the "Y". Plant the other end of the bamboo (base) into the soil. Press firmly.
The Two Bamboo Way: Use two bamboo poles 3 m long. On one of the posts, tie it with 30 cm long strong wire. Open the pole so that it forms the letter "X". Leave the stem remaining at the short end, push it up slightly to create pressure, then plant the other end of the post. Press firmly.

Step 7. Provide care in winter

If the months of winter temperatures are too low for the plant, there are several ways to care for it:

Cover the stems with a blanket or soil. If there is no frost and the plant is still small, this may be adequate protection until the temperature rises high enough for the plant to grow.
Keep plants indoors. Uproot the entire plant, remove the leaves, then store in wet sand indoors. Do not water or fertilize; the plant will be dormant until you are ready to replant it outside.
Grow plants indoors. You need a large pot with a water hole. If you don't want your bananas to grow too big in your pot, you'll need to stop or reduce fertilizer treatment.
Cut the plants for later replanting. If frost or cold has killed most of the plant, the tendrils and tubers at the bottom may still be used. Cut off the dead part and store it in a small pot for later planting outside.

Part 4 of 4: Raising and Harvesting Fruit

Step 1. Wait for the purple flowers to appear

Banana flowers ideally grow in 6-7 months, but can take up to a year, depending on the climate.

Don't throw leaves around the flowers, as this will protect them from the sun.
Not to be confused with Banana Bunchy Top Virus. Check out the tips below.

Step 2. Wait for the petals to retract and reveal the banana bunch

This may take an additional 2 months or more. Each bunch is called a "hand" and each banana is called a "finger".

Step 3. Once the bunches are revealed, remove the extra parts

The remaining flower buds and/or additional small banana hands are the sterile male parts of the plant. The hands will wither on their own, but removing the flower buds will allow the plant to put more energy into the growing fruit.

The male part of this flower is called the "banana heart". Some varieties of the banana plant produce banana blossoms that are popular in Southeast Asian cuisine, but not all are suitable for consumption.
Use sticks to support the plant if the bunches are dragged down.

Step 4. Cover the bunch with a plastic cover

This will protect the fruit from insects and other hazards, but the bunch must be open at both ends to allow enough air and water to flow through.

Tie a nylon plastic or sack with a soft thread a few inches from the first hand

Step 5. Harvest bananas when flowers or plants die

The tiny flower at the end of each banana will dry out and be easy to pick, or most of the leaves on the banana plant will fall off. This is a good time to harvest the fruit.

Cut a notch halfway into the tree, on the opposite side of the bunch.
Let the tree bend carefully and then cut the bunch.
The fruit will ripen quickly after harvest, so choose one that is really ripe so that excess fruit does not go to waste.