How To Plant Bananas

By Author: Sadie Hurst
Total Articles: 17
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Planting Bananas

Plenty of preparation is required to grow any type of plant and bananas are no exception. When planting bananas you need to pay special attention to the soil before planting the stems i.e. the rhizomes.

Soil and Light Requirements

The banana plant requires plentiful sunlight and high amount of soil drainage. There is no other point more important than this while planting bananas. A banana plant can die under 60 minutes if its roots are allowed to soak in water for a longer period of time. Air is also necessary but excess wind can hamper the foliage.
Acidic soils aids in growing banana plants. Usage of yard soil should be avoided as it is very heavy. You need to ensure that you have more than sufficient soil for covering a little more than half of the rhizome.

Fertilizers and Water

Once the soil dries upto half an inch after the first water, don't repeat the process. Watering and fertilization of the plant needs to be done simultaneously. Bananas will not grow efficiently just by watering the plant on a weekly basis. Water should be added only after the soil has dried ...
... to the desired level.

Climatic Conditions

The best climate to grow bananas is in the warm winters. Bananas require exposure to the sun for at least 12 hours a day. Favorable temperature in the day should be near about 80 and at night time it should not cross the 70F mark. 50% or more humidity also aids in the growth of banana plantation. Aridity should not be confused with the warmth as excessive dry weather will surely kill the banana plant.

Using a Container

A 6" or 8" pot should be chosen if you decide on planting bananas in a container. An opening which acts as the drainage should be there in the container and the contents of the plant will also be transplanted once they've matured.

Rhizome Plantation

The first and foremost step in banana plantation is plantation of the stem. 1 foot deep and 1 foot wide hole needs to be created. The stem and suckers union has to be six inches. This union needs to be covered completely not allowing even a single air pocket through. Each of the plant needs to be planted at a distance of 10 feet from the other.

Managing the Growth of the Plant

The suckers will start to show once the plant has reached ¾ of its growth. You now need to slice all of them save for one. The leftover stem is known to be the follower and it will transform into the primary stem of the plant. Once 30 leaves appear, the fruit stem starts to emerge. The banana plant takes about four to five months to reach a mature stage.

Banana Harvesting

Bananas can be harvested once the fruit turns plump by slicing through the bunch. Ribs should not be present. The stalk should be cut over the row or the top hand of the bananas. Bananas are known to ripen themselves, so anyone who gets a green hand should be okay.

The bananas should be placed in a plastic bag and then stored in a cold, dark area. The temperature in the fridge is considered too cold. The fruits are expected to ripen in 24 to 48 hours.

Once the harvesting is complete, the mother plant needs to be chopped down to the surface level. In the next season, the follower will produce the fruits.
There are almost 300 known species of the banana fruit but less than 22 are known to be nurtured commercially. Approximately 15 rows are the result of properly cultivated plants each. 20 bananas are generally found in each row. A typical banana bunch weighs from 80 to 130 pounds. Bananas of poor quality can be used as animal food sometimes.

Planting any of the fruit species is fun and easy. With the right amount of patience, you will realize that banana plantation is an enjoyable experience.

Sadie Hurst is an expert in the field of Home Improvement. She has written various articles on How To Grow Bananas. You can find more information on planting a bananas here: How To Plant Bananas