Growing bananas in containers is easy!

I am growing Gran Nian, dwf Orenco, super dwarf cavendish, Little Prince and Truly Tiny. The only way I can keep them over winter is indoors with little water. i have o greenhouse as of right now, but keep some on my enclosed porch, and in windows in the house. Very little water and kept warm and they make it thru for me. my only problem is with our cats trying to use the pots as a litter box!

John

The local ag center that mixes and bags fertilizer says they have a 21-7-14 that is 50% slow release. It contains sulfer, copper, iron, manganese and zinc as well. I was wondering if anyone had used anything like this for container grown Bananas.

Perhaps half strength? I would enjoy hearing from anyone who has. BTW: The store mainly serves the ag community and their prices are very economical (but they wont make a satement pro or con regarding how it works on containers or tropicals...) A 40# bag is only $12.95.

Look forward to hearing from anyone on this subject or review if you have used and experiences with this type of product. Paxetamor, Mick -- Abilene, TX zone 7b

PS: Its raining today. I think our drought is officially over. The lakes are full, rivers and creeks running. We have exceeded our annual rainfall, which is rare for West Central Texas.

Bananas are voracious feeders. Any fertilizer that contains a higher proportion of potassium and nitrogen can be used. The amount of fruit a banana will eventually produce is directly proportional to how satisfied you keep the plant as it grows. A happy banana plant is highly watered and fertilized. A 21-7-14 should do fine. I am currently growing four different banana varieties using a similar formulation.

Thanks, Newton. I bought some high dollar stuff off E-bay. Water soluable. But I thought maybe a 50% time released might stick around longer for the plants to use. I dont mean to be a servant to my tight wad tendancies, but the 40# will cost me less than the 3# I bought from e-bay, not cost freight and keep some dollars in the local agriculture economy. Paxetamor, Mick -- Abilene, TX dolphin_79605@yahoo.com

Bananas are very heavy feeders. The best results are obtained with slow release fertilizers placed directly in the hole at planting, and then regular applications of a granular fertilizer through out the growing season. Watering bananas can be tricky. Brown leaf edges are a sign of water stress. Containers should be watered until the water drains out, then allow the soil to dry out long enough until the top couple of inches of soil dries out before watering again. The most common cause of death for bananas, especially in containers, is water logged soil. Air cannot get to the roots, and the plant suffocates.

I've been using 15-5-30 water soluble with miro nutrients over the past few years.

I noticed in the book "Bananas You Can Grow" Volume 1, the two recommended fertilizer formulations for growing bananas are 6-2-12 and 9-3-27. these result in better flowering and fruit production. Always be sure the fertilizer used includes all the trace elements.

I do it easy - where I live the bananas grow in the ground, but everything you people say is transmitted to my sister in law who lives in melbourne - a much cooler climate and one that gets quite a lot of frosts. She's trying her first lady finger this year and using all of your container tips to help her.

Question, I have a Super Dwarf and its now inside, and in a window and I am reading here says to let it go dormant? It is still growing, must they be made to go dormant or can they just keep on until spring>>>??? This is my first Banana and so ....advice? Great place online called "Going Banana's" that I purchased mine from!

__________________
A word to the wise is sufficent

Certainly bananas do not need to go dormant. In fact it is much better for the growth cycle to continue through to maturity uninterrupted. A banana will continue to grow in temperatures between 57F and 95F. The higher the temperature above minimum, the faster the banana will grow.