Going Bananas With Wally

Have you ever tried growing bananas? At home, we have a corner of our garden dedicated to Lady Finger banana plants. We’re fortunate to harvest a bunch every few months, and they’re absolutely delicious! If you’re considering growing bananas yourself, take a look at this article by Wally. He’s an expert with a wealth of knowledge and an incredible passion for all things gardening.

Bananas are surprisingly easy to grow and quite hardy. With a bit of care and the right conditions, they can thrive in many parts of New Zealand.

If you’re looking for alternative ways to manage plant nutrition as well as pest and disease control then be sure to check out Wally’s Gardening & Health Products website where you’ll find loads of helpful products to optimise the productivity of your garden.

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Going Bananas With Wally

From Wally …

(Not that fund raising thing for kids but actually growing bananas at home.)

I remember years ago when one of the house plant nurseries put out Lady Finger Type banana plants to have as house plants. Not likely to flower and fruit indoors unless in a conservatory situation with amble sunlight onto the plant.

Bananas are easy to grow and are fairly hardy, so they will do alright in many parts of New Zealand with a little care and right situation. I have heard suggested that after they flower and have set fruit you can help the development and ripening by putting the bunch into a plastic bag tied at top where the bunch is connected to the parent plant. I have grown them in Palmerston North in containers and here in open ground in Marton.

Going into winter when I sprayed all my more tender plants with Vaporgard I forgot about my banana plant and on the first good frost it took out the foliage and a young pup plant growing from the base. I was recently happy to see that a new green leaf is starting to form from the top and around the base many pups are developing. All good signs that it is alive and well.

Bananas have lovely big leaves that unfortunately get shredded in the wind, spoiling their appearance from exotic to tatty.

A few months ago a nursery from up northland contacted me asking about stocking Wallys products in their shop. I had not come across this nursery previously so looked up their web site. Located just 15 minutes from central Whangarei, Land of the Lotus has bananas for sale (plants and fruit), pineapples, other tropical fruit plants and lotus.

Having thought I had lost my banana plant here was an opportunity to replace.

The web site says: Our banana stems are growing everywhere from the Far North to Invercargill! It’s completely possible to grow bananas in New Zealand although you may have to do it in a greenhouse if you are further south. We can advise you on the best varieties to plant. At Land of the Lotus we have a boutique collection of different varieties of bananas, and we specialise in rare and unusual plants. Come for a visit and walk in amongst the plantation areas – many who have been overseas say it’s like walking through a plantation in Asia! Ask us about the different types available – we ship all over New Zealand.

I did I asked for a list which was emailed to me and the range of banana types was very impressive. So I asked my Filipino partner to choose ones she knows best from the Philippines of which 3 types were selected; Lakatan, Pisang Raja and Saba.

They arrived last week along with planting instructions. The instructions said if planting into a container it should be at least 10 litres in size. Well having a few 200 litre drums (which the Neem Oil I buy from India comes in) they would be a great cut in half making 100 litre containers. I have use the same in the past for fruit and citrus trees and being made of a thick tough plastic they will last for several years before starting to break down in sun light. Check around, used they can be obtained free sometimes or for up to $50.00 each. See Trade Me.

After cutting in half with a electric Jig Saw, I then drilled some 50mm holes at the cardinal points about 50mm up from base leaving a reservoir for water at the bottom of the drum about 50mm deep. Do not think of having bottom draining holes as they are no good for draining on a flat surface like concrete. If on soil then the roots will find their way out of the bottom drainage holes and you end up with a big tree that cant be moved without cutting the roots that have got into the ground. That can be alright if you want to have as a permanent feature in that spot.

The instructions said fill container with rich compost or if planting in open ground a hole not less than 250 mm deep. Or sufficient so only the top of the stem shows. Filling around the plant with rich compost or untreated sawdust. In my case I took my favorite compost and put that in the bottom of the drum filling to about half full. Then off to my hen house which was due for a muck out of chicken manure. A good layer of this was added on top of compost along with some BioPhos, Ocean Solids and Unlocking your soil.

Bananas are gross feeders having a shallow root system which can reach up to 1.5m radius around as the clump forms.

Later on a liquid manure tea would be a nice way to feed them over the years. Keeping the plants weed free and well mulched is the secret to success. They also suggest that creating a circle of banana plants around a compost heap which can provide the best fruiting conditions.

One on the interesting aspects of gardening is the challenge of growing something that is because of your conditions and weather is not easy to do so. When you are successful in beating the elements you have a great award in doing something many could not do.

Contact Land of Lotus and obtain a list of plants available, if you have a water feature or lake then a Lotus plant or two maybe worth a go. Pineapples are very hardy and easy to grow the challenge is to obtain the flower and fruit.

A Christmas present for a keen gardener could be a banana plant you have potted up into a bucket size container for them to grow out doors or in a larger container. There is ample time to have it ready to give just before Christmas.