banana boat song

Soil: Bananas will grow in most soils but thrive, they must be planted in rich, well-drained soil. The best possible place would be over an abandoned compost heap. They prefer acid soils with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. Bananas are not tolerant of salty soils.

Irrigation: The large leaves of bananas use a great quantity of water. Regular deep watering is an absolute necessity during warm weather. Do not let the plants dry, but do not overwater. Standing water, especially in cold weather will cause root rot. Plants grown in dry summer areas such as Southern California need periodic deep waterings to help resolve the soil of salts. Spread a thick layer of mulch over the soil to support the conservation of moisture and protect the shallow roots. Container grown plants should be watched to see that they do not dry Out. An occasional deep watering to leach into the soil is also helpful.

Fertilization make them faster rate of growth of bananas heavy feeders. During warm weather, apply a balanced fertilizer once a month - A 8:10:8 NPK fertilizer appears to be adequate. A mature plant may require as much as 1-1/2 to 2 liras of the above fertilizer every month. The young plants need a quarter to one third as much. Spaced evenly around the fertilizer plant in a circle extending 4 - 8 feet from the trunk. Do not allow the fertilizer to come in contact with the trunk. Feed container container plants in the same monthly schedule using half the rate for external systems.