Banana trees will bring a relaxed tropical atmosphere. Although some trees will bear fruit, some people plant them only for decoration. Whatever your reason for planting a banana tree, its leaves should always be cared for. There are a few simple steps you can follow to properly prune a banana tree.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Knowing When to Prune Banana Trees
Step 1. Check the banana tree every season
By paying attention to the exact time of year, you will know when it is time to cut the banana leaves. Banana leaves can be damaged for various reasons. Some of the common causes are frost, insects, and dehydration. The causes of this can vary, for example, frost tends to strike after winter, while insects are in the spring, and dehydration in summer.
While there are several causes of damage, your approach to dealing with dead leaves will be the same
Step 2. Trim the brown leaves
Dead or dying banana leaves will be seen quite clearly. The leaves will look wilted, dry, and brown. Once it turns brown, there is no way to get it back and the leaves must be cut to keep the banana tree green.
Make sure the banana tree gets enough water. If you live in an area that gets a lot of rain, there is no need to add additional water to the banana tree. If you live in a dry area, water the tree until the soil is damp
Step 3. Check the leaves for holes to see which ones to trim
If the banana leaf has holes, the plant may be attacked by insects. This is common in spring and summer. In this case, you may have to treat the tree with an insecticide or other treatment.
Although banana trees are not often attacked by insects, you should still be aware of any diseases that might attack the tree
Step 4. Check for frost damage
If you don't prepare your plants for winter and instead decide to just let them fight the frost, you'll see how banana trees survive the low temperatures. Although banana trees are tropical plants, many people say that their trees can withstand cold weather.
- Frost damaged banana leaves will look wilted at first before turning brown.
- One common way to avoid frost damage is to dig up and remove trees. However, if this is not an easy option, you can cut the stems up to 30 cm above the ground. After that, cover it with a plastic pot to protect the tree from the weather.
Part 2 of 2: Cutting Banana Leaves
Step 1. Prune the dead brown leaves with cutting shears
You can easily tell if a banana leaf is dead by its brown color and dry texture. Banana leaves can be damaged for many reasons, but the most common is the weather. Make sure you only cut the leaves and don't cut the stems or trunk.
- Start at the outermost leaf and work your way up to the middle.
- If you want to cut the petiole down to the trunk due to damage, be aware that this can affect the tree's ability to flower.
Step 2. Use a machete or sharp knife to cut the leaf stalks
Cut with a clean, sharp knife about 1-2 cm from the tree trunk. With regular pruning, banana trees will always look green.
Make sure you wait until the plant has finished flowering and all the fruit has been harvested before cutting the trunk
Step 3. Cut off the growing shoots
If there are shoots growing far from the main tree, remove them as they tend to spread. Leave at least one shoot to be allowed to grow into an adult banana tree instead of the first tree.
The main trunk is often referred to as the mother tree. When fruiting, a banana tree will only bear fruit once in its lifetime
Tips
- Sanitize garden tools before use.
- You can chop up the cut trunk and use it as mulch for the tree.
- Wear ugly clothes. Banana tree sap can leave stains on clothes. So better, wear ugly clothes.
