Post #814483 by Gregory87 on Wed, Dec 18, 2024 11:46 PM

Hello everyone,

I'm sorry to revive such a distant subject, but it's particularly close to my heart, as I've just started to get interested in banana plants, and I've got a few questions running through my head. I haven't found anywhere else to talk about them, so I hope you can help me.

So, I started reading articles on the subject like this one : https://www.bulbsociety.org/organic-banana-live-plant-grow-your-own-tropical-fruit-home/ and so many others that explained to me that I had to cut the stems every year to stimulate the growth of new shoots, but also to prevent the plant from becoming too bulky. This gave me a better understanding of how to manage the pruning and health of my banana plants throughout the year.

I'm still a beginner in this field, and I have several questions about growing banana plants. Here's what troubles me:

Regarding cutting the stems, is it really necessary to cut the stems to about 1.80 m each year, as some of you mention? I understand that this helps stimulate the growth of new shoots, but doesn't it weaken the plant in the long term? Isn't it too stressful for it?

On the subject of bulbs and shoots, should the shoots be separated as soon as the bulb is dug up, or is it better to leave them attached to the main bulb until spring, as some have suggested? Would it harm their development if they were separated too soon?

For winter, I've read that some people dig up banana plants and store them in a cool place. Is this really the best solution, or are there other ways of protecting the plant during the cold months without having to dig it up?

And finally, regarding the pruning of banana plants, is it possible to control their size by cutting off the shorter stems early on, or does this have no effect? I've seen that there are varieties like “Giant Dwarf” that stay small, but can other types of banana trees also be grown this way?

Thank you very much for your help, and sorry again for opening this old topic.

[ Edited by Gregory87 on 2024-12-27 04:27:24 ]

[ Edited by Gregory87 on 2024-12-27 04:28:02 ]