banana blooming, BUT with only 1 small leaves

[knlim000]

banana blooming, BUT with only 1 small leaves on the plant.  What else can I do to keep the banana forming and growing big banana?

[murahilin]

Pics? If it actually is blooming there is probably nothing you can do.

[merce3]

From my experience they usually don't fill out and are subpar without leaves to support growth... You may have a better chance if you remove a few hands, but I don't know if that will help much with only one leaf.

[meristos]

Just cut the bunch as it got no leaves to feed it. Select a sucker and wait for the next bunch.

[knlim000]

here's the picture.

[zands]

here's the picture.

Blooming due to pot confinement?
Yours must be in a pot. Maybe you need a larger pot to accommodate. Bananas are hard to kill...even where you are.

[knlim000]

Zand,
It's in the ground. Winter usually kill all the leaves. This plant has been 7yrs.  Blossom looks healthy. But no leaves to support it.

[zands]

Zand,
It's in the ground. Winter usually kill all the leaves. This plant has been 7yrs.  Blossom looks healthy. But no leaves to support it.

• with spring here you need to hack off the dead leaves that are shielding bananas from springtime sun and warmth.
• I bet there is rot and mush on lower parts of bananas near ground.
• Clear it away for new emerging growth
• I would consider pugging it to one-two ft high and throwing some poly plastic over it to warm it up...making sure bananas don't get cooked on hot days
• throw two handfuls of cheap 10-10-10 on it and some wood chip mulch.

[zands]

Zand,
It's in the ground. Winter usually kill all the leaves. This plant has been 7yrs.  Blossom looks healthy. But no leaves to support it.

I really like bananas. Just the way they look. If I were in your climate they would be in ground too.

[bsbullie]

Zand,
It's in the ground. Winter usually kill all the leaves. This plant has been 7yrs.  Blossom looks healthy. But no leaves to support it.

• with spring here you need to hack off the dead leaves that are shielding bananas from springtime sun and warmth.
• I bet there is rot and mush on lower parts of bananas near ground.
• Clear it away for new emerging growth
• I would consider pugging it to one-two ft high and throwing some poly plastic over it to warm it up...making sure bananas don't get cooked on hot days
• throw two handfuls of cheap 10-10-10 on it and some wood chip mulch.

Dont agree with these instructions.   Since its blooming, no harm in letting it go.  The stalk will either fruit or its a go er anyway.

Dont need to cut leaves off.  If you do, make sure you cut and do not strip.

It needs a good fert that is higher nitrogen and potassium or at least supplement with potassium.  They love organic/compost feeding and  being mulched too.

[raiders36]

Just leave as is and let it fruit. Mine only have two leaves. The bunch came out nicely. Harvested 3 weeks ago.

[knlim000]

yeah, i'll just keep pouring steer manure onto it.  Thanks all for advices. two winters ago, I did have one flowering it but it was in Dec and unfortunately it did not give me banana. Since it's starting to get warm now, I think I have better chance this time.

[merce3]

Steer manure is probably not the best way to go as it is high nitrogen I believe... You want high potassium for bananas.

[venturabananas]

I've had bananas mature and ripen fine on plants with no leaves, but the fruit are always smaller than on a plant with leaves.  Can't hurt to let it go and see what happens.  Prune off the dead leaves so the "trunk" (pseudostem) is exposed to light because it can photosynthesize, too.

[zands]

I've had bananas mature and ripen fine on plants with no leaves, but the fruit are always smaller than on a plant with leaves.  Can't hurt to let it go and see what happens.  Prune off the dead leaves so the "trunk" (pseudostem) is exposed to light because it can photosynthesize, too.

His banana(s) has been in ground for seven years. This should form a decent banana mat even in Red Wood City California? So I would think. How foggy is it there anyway? I hear about San Francisco fogs during summer that keep it cool.