How to Grow and Care Banana Tree
Banana is one of the most popular fruits in the whole world. It is hard to find anyone who has not eaten a banana. Banana contains vitamin B6, fiber, potassium, and also vitamin C. In simple words, eating bananas will bring lots of benefits to our body. I have been growing bananas in my backyard for almost five years. I started with one banana tree, but now I have many banana trees in my backyard. Many people believe growing banana trees is a very difficult task. But actually, it is not. Let me share with you how you can also grow banana trees in your garden and how to take care of them.
Planting
The banana plant is technically a warm climate tree. That means bananas grow best in warmer climates; in many countries, people grow bananas in greenhouses. Because of its nature, the banana tree is very famous in Asian countries, especially in India, where you can find banana trees everywhere. There are lots of banana varieties that you can plant, such as Double Mahoi, Grand Nain, and Blue Java. Well, it depends on your decision which variety you want to plant. Banana plants grow suckers, so if you wish to grow banana trees in your backyard, planting sucker growth is the best choice. You can collect sucker growth from the closest nursery. Do bananas need special soil to grow? The answer is no; basically, bananas can grow in any kind of soil. That means you don’t need to prepare the soil before planting. All you need to do is dig a hole, plant the banana tree, and water it.
Growing and Taking Care
If you wish to grow bananas faster and yield massive bunches, you have to take care of your banana tree. First of all, there are three things that banana trees need to grow properly: sunlight, water, and fertilizer. Bananas grow fast in warmer places, so you must plant the banana tree where sunlight can reach properly. You must also water the banana plant regularly. Water is the most important factor for the banana tree because banana trees basically store water in their leaves and body, so a lack of water can cause slow growth. That’s why you have to water the plant regularly, especially in the dry season, so that the plant can have enough nutrients to grow banana bunches. The last thing is fertilizer; it is also very important for banana growth. Banana trees benefit from extra feedings of organic fertilizer such as chicken manure, organic blood meal, or natural manures from your own animals. I recommend using compost every two or three months, especially in warm seasons and main crop growing seasons. All you need to do is throw three or four handfuls of organic fertilizer at the base of the tree.
Protecting
Protecting bananas can be a hassle sometimes. Did you know bananas are very attractive to wildlife? When banana bunches start to show signs of ripening, they are attacked by bats, birds, possums, and rats. As a result, banana bunches get damaged, and you will get a lower harvest. So how can you prevent these animal attacks? Well, you can bag your banana bunches to prevent animals from getting to them. In my garden, I attached galvanized mesh to the base of my banana bags, and that stops the fruit bats from climbing up inside the bag and getting to the fruit. There are also many diseases and pests that can harm your banana trees. For that, you have to monitor the plant every week; if you see something unusual, investigate it and take proper action to prevent it.
Harvesting
If you are growing a banana tree, you have to wait a long time to get a harvest. Banana trees won’t produce fruit before growing completely. Normally, it takes 12 months for banana trees to grow completely. That means 12 months after planting, your banana tree will start to produce fruit. In most cases, it takes 15 months for banana trees to bear fruit. If you take care of your banana tree accordingly, you may start to get fruit in 12 or 13 months.
