Bananas and plantain trees come in hundreds of kinds and variants (Musa spp.). Although many people refer to these tropical fruiting plants—which include the banana plant—as trees, in reality, they are enormous herbaceous plants without a wooden stem. Rather, they feature huge, rectangular, brilliant green leaves growing on succulent, tall stalks.
Usually appearing in the spring, the meaty, elongated, green or yellow fruit follows the showy blooms. You probably have a lot of questions regarding how to go about producing bananas and where to begin if you're considering it. You can grow a banana plant in your house by following the appropriate instructions and creating the ideal environment. This step-by-step instruction will help you cultivate a banana plant in your backyard.
6 Steps To Grow Bananas At Your Home
Soak your banana seeds in water, plant them in sandy or loamy soil, water them frequently, and keep the temperature at the right level to promote growth. The following six stages should be followed when growing bananas from seed at home:
- Assist the seeds by allowing them to become softer and somewhat warmer. After the water cools, replace the bowl containing the seeds with fresh, warm water. To encourage the embryo to sprout, let the seeds soak for 48 hours.
- Place seeds in a seed tray. Use potting soil that is more than half sandy or airy loam and contains a lot of organic compost. The compost's nutrients will be necessary for the seed as it grows and sprouts.
- Plant seeds in the tray, 1/4 inch deep. It is not feasible to sow seeds outside on a bed until the soil temperature stays above 20 degrees Celsius.
- Make sure the dirt in the tray is damp but not wet by adding water. Just keep the environment moist until the seed settles in and starts to germinate, being careful not to drown it. Too much moisture in the soil might lead to seed rot.
- To keep the soil temperature inside your home at least 16 degrees Celsius, use a timer for a heat mat. Examine your seed to maintain the proper ratio. Depending on the type, the banana may require up to 19 hours of low temperatures and just 5 hours of warm temperatures.
- The germination of banana seeds cannot be rushed. Seeds may germinate in two to three weeks, or they may take longer—two months or more—depending on the cultivar.
How To Take Care Of Your Plant?
Although they can be grown in pots, banana trees usually require at least a 57-litre pot in order to develop to their full potential. Make sure the pot has drainage holes, then fill it with loose, rich-in-organic matter potting soil. You may bring your banana tree inside to protect it from the cold and bad weather, which is an advantage of potting it. However, because they will use the restricted soil more quickly than banana trees planted in the ground, potted banana plants often have greater watering and feeding requirements.