Position

To give your bananas the best possible start in life; choose a wind-protected, full-sun position with well- drained soil rich in nutrients and organic matter.

Preparation

The soil pH should be approximately 6.5.  Incorporate into the soil 200g Dolomite, and then reapply it once a year, spreading evenly over the soil around each plant.

Fertilizing

Commercial banana growers use a fertilizer called Nitrophoska or Rustica.  If you can purchase that from your local hardware or rural supplies store, then that is the best banana fertilizer of all.  Otherwise ask them for a fertilizer which contains Nitrogen(N), Phosphorus(P) and Potassium (K) in a blend as close a possible to 10N:3P:6K.

During warmer months apply fertilizer every 4 to 6 weeks as banana plants are heavy feeders.  Reduce this rate during cold months.

Bluggoe - Image Courtesy Jerry Coleby-Williams

At planting 

Apply 150g of the fertilizer around each plant, taking care not to allow any to come into contact with the plant stems, and water in well.

Watering

Bananas don’t like wet feet so drainage is very important. Heavy clay soils should be mounded up so water doesn’t pool around the base of the plant.  Maintain soil in a moist but not sodden condition.

Deleafing

Remove any diseased or down leaves, however try to maintain as many leaves as possible to ensure efficient photosynthesis.

At bell emergence

Apply a good handful of Potash around each tree.

Desuckering

Select the sucker or two you wish to keep for next year.  Remove all others before they reach 500mm tall  - cut them off at ground level, gouge a small hole in the top surface of the cut stem and pour in approx 5ml of kerosene or diesel.

Bunch trimming

Commercial growers remove the bottom couple of hands to increase the overall size and length of the remaining fruit.  Often these lower couple of hands are noticeably smaller then the ones above, so just snap them off with your fingers.

Bagging

When the fingers start to turn upwards, put a banana bunch cover over the bunch to protect it from hungry birds and flying foxes, leaving the bell attached.

Harvesting

Tree ripened fruit tastes the best, so if you can, just remove a hand at a time when the fruit are yellow.  Commercial growers harvest when the fingers on the lowest hands are rounded but still green.  You can ripen a hand at a time by storing them in a cool dry place alongside a ripe banana.

If you want to remove the whole bunch

Work with a mate if possible – the bunch could weigh as much as 40 kg.  Cut a notch either side of the tree at your shoulder height and then pull the bunch down onto your shoulder. Have someone else cut the bunch stalk from the tree.  Cut the remaining crown (leaves) off the tree as high as possible and leave these as compost around the base of the tree.  Leave the remaining stem as tall as possible as the retained water and nutrients will continue to feed the suckers.

Lady Finger - Image Courtesy Jerry Coleby-Williams