Our banana tries die in the farm is there something like a virus around?

[Sandman77]

Last year I bought 100 banana tries, but only the half of them have banana but the rest the leave change to yellow color and then dry out, is there something like a virus around or banana tries not like to much water during the flood?

[Crossy]

Bananas drink like fish, but they don't like having wet feet.

If you've been flooded that's likely the reason for them dying off

[happynthailand]

banana tree's only make one bunch of banana's

after that they die off,most likely those tree's that are dieing out aready made banana's

sorry missed the part where you said "Flood"

Edited February 20, 2015 by happynthailand

[dotpoom]

Bananas drink like fish, but they don't like having wet feet.

If you've been flooded that's likely the reason for them dying off

My wife just confirmed this.

[overherebc]

Once they have produced banana you should see new shoots coming up around the base. Cut down the old plant and the new shoots will grow faster and produce bananas

[maderaroja]

The banana is not a tree, it is a very large tropical flower. It will flower once and produce seed pods, (bananas), that are not able to reproduce.

The plant will produce root shoots that should be removed and planted when they are about 1 meter tall.

Once the plant has flowered and produced bananas, you should cut the main stalk at about 50 centimeters from the ground. The cut stalk will continue to produce root shoots that will grow into new plants.The stalk that you have cut down should be laid on the ground between the banana plants; it will provide nutrition to the growing plants around it.

All bananas are female plants. That is why they produce seed pods that do not have viable seeds.

Bananas need lots of water and very good drainage, they do not like to sit in water. If the sit in water for a week or more, the plant will die.

Thailand has many varieties of bananas, even some banana plants that do not produce seed pods, (bananas). You should sample to find your favorites, then seek out shoots of these varieties to plant.

Edited February 21, 2015 by maderaroja

[neeray]

Good words from maderaroja about bananas. My fiancé owns a palm tree farm. We are wanting to augment the palm with other fruits.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

The banana is not a tree, it is a very large tropical flower. It will flower once and produce seed pods, (bananas), that are not able to reproduce.

The plant will produce root shoots that should be removed and planted when they are about 1 meter tall.

Once the plant has flowered and produced bananas, you should cut the main stalk at about 50 centimeters from the ground. The cut stalk will continue to produce root shoots that will grow into new plants.The stalk that you have cut down should be laid on the ground between the banana plants; it will provide nutrition to the growing plants around it.

All bananas are female plants. That is why they produce seed pods that do not have viable seeds.

Bananas need lots of water and very good drainage, they do not like to sit in water. If the sit in water for a week or more, the plant will die.

Thailand has many varieties of bananas, even some banana plants that do not produce seed pods, (bananas). You should sample to find your favorites, then seek out shoots of these varieties to plant.

Agree with what you wrote, just to add. The root shoots should be thinned out to 3 generations, the main shoot, daughter and grand daughter (different sizes/ages). If you allow all the shoots to grow the growth of the plants will be affected and the plant line will move (plant spacing will become too small over time).

[maderaroja]

The banana is not a tree, it is a very large tropical flower. It will flower once and produce seed pods, (bananas), that are not able to reproduce.

The plant will produce root shoots that should be removed and planted when they are about 1 meter tall.

Once the plant has flowered and produced bananas, you should cut the main stalk at about 50 centimeters from the ground. The cut stalk will continue to produce root shoots that will grow into new plants.The stalk that you have cut down should be laid on the ground between the banana plants; it will provide nutrition to the growing plants around it.

All bananas are female plants. That is why they produce seed pods that do not have viable seeds.

Bananas need lots of water and very good drainage, they do not like to sit in water. If the sit in water for a week or more, the plant will die.

Thailand has many varieties of bananas, even some banana plants that do not produce seed pods, (bananas). You should sample to find your favorites, then seek out shoots of these varieties to plant.

Agree with what you wrote, just to add. The root shoots should be thinned out to 3 generations, the main shoot, daughter and grand daughter (different sizes/ages). If you allow all the shoots to grow the growth of the plants will be affected and the plant line will move (plant spacing will become too small over time).

Thank you for your addition.

When the daughter shoot is about 1 meter high, I use a sharp spade to cut the daughter from the base of the mother, also being careful to preserve the small cluster of roots that the daughter has developed. I move the daughter to a new planting hole and try to maintain an orderly row system, by so doing.

I find that a row system, with spacing of about 1 meter from plant to plant, allows each plant to get a maximum of sunlight.

I also keep a lot of leaf cover around the base of the plants to help maintain coolness in the root area.

My favorite variety is the gluey nahm wa.

Edited February 21, 2015 by maderaroja

[Mudcrab]

I prefer to cut the mother tree about 3/4 of the way through after fruiting and let it lay down over the cut trunk.. I you cut it completely off you will find it will shoot again from the cut part.

This won't produce any fruit and will just absorb nutrient from the suckers or daughter plants retarding their growth.

[swissie]

Half of the trees dying ? Has the dying started with 1 single tree at the beginning ?

If yes, you may be dealing with the "Stem Borer". ( No, it's not the name of some Swedish politician. = It's an insect). It drills itself into the soft center of the stem and starts eating. No hope for the tree.

Remedy: Cut the tree and burn it completely. Of course, if half of the trees should already be affected by Mr. "Borer", you have a problem. Hope not.

Cheers.

[maderaroja]

I prefer to cut the mother tree about 3/4 of the way through after fruiting and let it lay down over the cut trunk.. I you cut it completely off you will find it will shoot again from the cut part.

This won't produce any fruit and will just absorb nutrient from the suckers or daughter plants retarding their growth.

In my case, I want the cut stem to shoot again so that I can harvest the daughter plants. So, I cut the plant completely off and lay it between the rows to provide nutrient to the soil.

[Thomas Hannah]

They call it a tree.But it is a weed.Eating to many banana,s will kill you.

[happynthailand]

better not tell the monkeys that eating too many banans's will kill them

[willyumiii]

A banana is not a tree.

A banana is not a weed. Unless you do not want it! ( by definition a weed is any plant that you do not want)

A banana is the world's largest herbaceous perennial plant!

Timber Bamboo is the world's tallest grass plant!

Now, isn't Thailand amazing?

BTW, some very good advice on culture above.

Now, what thoughts do you experts have on removing the "second" flower on bananas? ( see photo )

( I love plants! )

Edited February 21, 2015 by willyumiii

[TomYumpoochai]

Im finding a lot of fat grubs with 4 legs buried in the ground next to my banana trees.

Ive only just learned how bananas grow!

[Johpa]

The banana is a grass. While the plant is growing, you should cull the offshoot daughter plants down to about three healthy plants somewhat equally spaced around the mother stalk. Cut the leaves that droop down from the mother stalk to insure the daughter stalks are not covered from sunlight. Once you harvest the fruit you can cut the main stalk of the mother tree and, as others noted, just lay it down nearby to decompose. Be careful in that if you have very healthy trees you may need to support the trees with some bamboo poles to prevent heavy bunches from breaking the plant. Your family of banana plants should produce for many years. And as others noted, you can transplant young plants (at least one meter high) to a new field by using a sharpened spade or by a more specific tool that looks like a long heavy wide chisel. Most Thais do little of the above on an annual basis and still get decent fruit, but that is the basic plan of attack in the commercial fields I worked on for several years a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

[willyumiii]

The banana is a grass. While the plant is growing, you should cull the offshoot daughter plants down to about three healthy plants somewhat equally spaced around the mother stalk. Cut the leaves that droop down from the mother stalk to insure the daughter stalks are not covered from sunlight. Once you harvest the fruit you can cut the main stalk of the mother tree and, as others noted, just lay it down nearby to decompose. Be careful in that if you have very healthy trees you may need to support the trees with some bamboo poles to prevent heavy bunches from breaking the plant. Your family of banana plants should produce for many years. And as others noted, you can transplant young plants (at least one meter high) to a new field by using a sharpened spade or by a more specific tool that looks like a long heavy wide chisel. Most Thais do little of the above on an annual basis and still get decent fruit, but that is the basic plan of attack in the commercial fields I worked on for several years a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

Good post!

I did not think a banana was a monocot.

I checked, and you are correct.

Thanks for the education!

[willyumiii]

The latest in virus protection for bananas.

[Toknarok]

My wifeand I have argued whether or not to remove the dead leaves at the base of the main stem of the plant. She says leave them on, who is correct?

[maderaroja]

My wifeand I have argued whether or not to remove the dead leaves at the base of the main stem of the plant. She says leave them on, who is correct?

Remove them. It will allow the shoots to get some sunshine. They will be happier.

[sandyf]

The bananas in one corner of our garden just stopped growing. I cleared all the dead leaves away and found the ground infested with snails. I put salt all around the surrounding area and now after about 2 weeks most of the plants have new leaves or are showing signs of new leaves.

[lostinisaan]

My wifeand I have argued whether or not to remove the dead leaves at the base of the main stem of the plant. She says leave them on, who is correct?

Remove them. It will allow the shoots to get some sunshine. They will be happier.

Haven't met, or ate happy bananas in my life. Thanks for haring.

[maderaroja]

My wifeand I have argued whether or not to remove the dead leaves at the base of the main stem of the plant. She says leave them on, who is correct?

Remove them. It will allow the shoots to get some sunshine. They will be happier.

Haven't met, or ate happy bananas in my life. Thanks for haring.

Happy bananas will be sweeter and larger, depending on the variety and the amount of sunshine and water that they get. They are living creatures, after all.

[maidee]

mr bill gates & monsanto deceided you should only get to eat GMO banana's

one crop & then cough up the money again

[swissie]

The most dangerous virus that so far has been isolated in rural Thailand is the virus that is transmitted by Thai-Wife. "Let's plant something on family-land for good money, since your pension- money is getting less and less" (Worsening exchange rates, etc. etc.) = The virus.

Most small to mid sized farmers from the Isaan would rather drive a Taxi in Bangkok than continue a business that (after cost) produces plenty of headaches but little profit.

So, Farming to a Farang should be a hobby and not be seen as a substitute source of income.

This is what I would have to say about dangerous "Viruses" in Rural-Thailand. All others, affecting individual plants on occasion, I would classify as "benign".

Cheers.

[SurichTan]

Good words from maderaroja about bananas. My fiancé owns a palm tree farm. We are wanting to augment the palm with other fruits.

I guess you mean Oil Palm Plantation. Yes, while waiting for Palm to grow, you can plant some cash crops and banana is good choice. We do that in our plantation in Malaysia. But we are planting tissue cultured seedlings and that will prevent diseases from passing down to the next generations. To save cost, sometimes, 2nd generations seedlings are used but not the 3rd.

[maderaroja]

Since intercropping was mentioned as an interim crop in an oil palm plantation, I will offer my suggestion. You should take a look at cocoa as a very profitable intercrop for oil palm. The world market price is high because of scarcity and you can hook up with a processor who will assist you in finding the right plants and processing them in the best manner.