Likes well drained but moist fertile soil. Ideal temperature is 68-80F (20-27C).2
The Banana ‘tree’ is actually a sucker growth of the banana plant (which is actually, technically, a herb!)
To avoid confusion, imagine the banana plant is actually the underground root system (a bit like a rhubarb) and the things that many would call the banana trees, are actually the banana stems.
When you plant your first banana sucker, it will soon start shooting up more stems. You can just let them do their own thing, but commercially, or if you want to focus on a big crop, for each banana plant, you should only have about 3 stems going at one time; one that’s fruiting, one that’s getting big enough to get ready to fruit, and one little one coming up.
When one of the stems begins to flower, the female flowers are at the top. They are very beautiful, almost like orchids. These will swell up and become the bananas. After a while you will notice the female flowers are no longer growing, and there will be a length of stalk underneath with another big flower type thing hanging under. this is the male flower (can be called the bell). Once the female flowers appear to have reached their maximum number, the male flower is usually cut off, to reduce the weight on the stem and to avoid attracting creatures who might like to munch.
After the fruit has been harvested, that stem won’t fruit again, and is usually cut down. Cut close to the base with a sharp machete or pruning saw.
As the new suckers come up, you can let them all grow for a wild banana plant, or reduce them to maximise the crop. Apparently ones with spear shaped leaves make better banana bunches. To reduce, just cut them off at the base, or cut them out with a sharp spade and you then have a new banana plant to grow elsewhere.
Bananas die when they produce their fruit. Transplant the off sets individually. They should be planted on a slant position and the plant will grow strong.
This plant is propagated by suckers.
Normally after the banana finishes bearing the fruit, the mother plant dies and leaves at least one if not more sprouts. These can be divided and planted separately.
If you live in Queensland, or Northern NSW (above Taree) you need a (free) dpi permit to transplant banana suckers. This is to try and eliminate the bunchy top disease from Australia.
Ensure that temperatures are mild (minimum night temperatures should be around 20°C / 68°F) and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Banana plant is a tender plant.Cover the forming bananas within a bag, open at the base, to protect from insects, etc. The banana bunch, when well formed, (when the fruits have plumped out to the desired shape)can be cut from the plant while green and left to ripen indoors.
Bananas can be harvested when fully grown but still green and used as a vegetable.
These estimates for how long Banana plant takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average days | Min days | Max days (0)
Average 277 days | Min days | Max days (0)
Banana
Musa L., Musa chinensis, Musa cavendishii, Musa basjoo