Banana is a plant that needs warm and humid climates, but you can do it yourself at home. Keep in mind that bananas are demanding in care, which means that you will have to learn all the intricacies of caring for them. find out, how to grow bananas at home and add a touch of tropical exoticism in your own summer cottage.
Ways to grow a banana at home
Advanced summer residents know how to grow a banana from seeds, as well as from a purchased banana. Before planting a plant, decide for what purpose. If you sow the seeds of a banana tree, an uncultivated plant will grow, so its fruits cannot be eaten.
The advantage of such a banana is that the tree will turn out to be stronger and more resistant to various diseases. Another option is to buy a ready-made banana seedling in a pot. Today, breeders have bred different subspecies of bananas, which, after flowering, will delight you and your children with edible fruits..
Are you planning to grow bananas in your apartment? Then give preference to dwarf varieties, for example, Super or Kiev dwarf. These bananas are small – up to 1.6 meters, so they are suitable for growing in a room.
How to grow banana seeds yourself
Unlike others, banana seeds have a dense skin and therefore need scarification before planting. To do this, you need to take a needle or a piece of sandpaper and damage the shell of the seed. A few scratches will be enough for the seed to germinate and the first sprout will appear from it..
Find a suitable pot and prepare a mixture of peat and river sand. Good drainage is important, so no fertilizing is needed. Press the seed well into the prepared soil, while you should not fill it up from above, leave access to the light. When growing a banana from seeds, the pot will need to be covered with plastic wrap to increase germination. Do not forget to ventilate the sprout after 3-4 days, lifting the film. When the earth dries up, it should be moistened with a spray bottle. Watch out for mold. If, nevertheless, a fungus has developed on the surface of the earth due to moisture, pour the banana with a solution of potassium permanganate.
Do not worry that seedlings do not appear within 2-3 months. This is normal when growing bananas at home. As soon as the first shoots appear, the plant will actively grow, so you can transplant bananas into the ground in your garden..
If you want to grow not a decorative, but an edible banana with your own hands, then it is better to immediately buy an already grown bush. It can be grown both indoors and outdoors..
Caring for a banana tree at home
Regardless of whether you bought a plant or grew it yourself from seeds, it is important to properly care for it in the future. Remember that banana needs good drainage, which can be done with expanded clay. If initially the plant is in a small pot, it is better to immediately transplant it into a container of 5-7 liters..
Bananas love moisture, so you need to not only water them, but also spray the leaves regularly. When the tree blooms, it can be fed with organic matter. To prevent the tree from withering and dying, it is important to maintain a temperature regime of 25-30 degrees. Under optimal conditions, a banana grows quickly and after the appearance of 10-15 leaves and blooms.
A banana tree can grow in the country, however, not every variety is suitable for growing outdoors. The rhizomes of some types of bananas are strong enough and can easily tolerate sub-zero temperatures. Before the very frosts, the plant is completely cut off, leaving about 10 cm of the stem, and then covered with sawdust. In this case, your banana will survive the winter season well, and in the summer it will again give lush foliage..
Watch the video: How to grow a banana from a purchased banana
Now you know how to grow bananas at home, all you have to do is find a convenient way, choose the right type of plant and try. Expand your green corners at home and in the country, decorating them with new tropical plants. A banana tree will become a real highlight of a summer cottage or a windowsill.