Whether you are a hobby gardener, a plant lover or simply a curious observer - many people want to grow interesting, unusual or simply beautiful plants for their own four walls or garden. The banana is as exotic as it is imposing. But there are a few things to consider when propagating by growing your own perennials.

Grow your own bananas

You can also grow bananas at home with a little gardening skill. However, this plant has some special features that should be known in advance in order to be able to call your own Musa perennial soon. Because there are a few aspects to consider, especially when selecting the varieties that are suitable for growing yourself, as well as when preparing for sowing.

seed

The appearance of the banana seeds

The layman will first wonder which part of the banana, bot. Musa × paradisiaca, because now it is actually used for offspring. First of all, this question is easy to answer. With the bananas that we all know from the store, the seed can be recognized as the well-known small, black dot in the flesh. However, one would have to say correctly that this dot is merely the rudimentary remnant of the seed pods. Proper seeds suitable for sowing are slightly larger than a pinhead, dark to black and rather irregularly round. Obtaining them presents the hobby grower with the first major problem when growing his own bananas.

Obtaining Musa Seeds

The common varieties of bananas that are available as fruit in stores no longer have real, germinable Musa seeds. For more enjoyment without disturbing "accessories", the seeds of these species were bred as far back as possible. As a result, you can no longer create your own offspring from these bananas.
The hobby gardener is therefore forced to resort to breeding seeds from specialist retailers. These banana seeds are easy to germinate and above all fully developed. However, only Musa seeds for ornamental bananas available. Real, edible banana varieties, on the other hand, are almost impossible to find. And fruits that can be bred are also not available in our countries. So you should say goodbye to the prospect of harvesting your own fruit.

Step by step to the finished banana plant: instructions

Once you have found the banana seeds, you can successfully grow your own banana tree with the following steps:

sowing

  • Pre-treatment of the Musa seeds: sand down dry seeds from the trade, e.g. with a nail file and soak in lukewarm water
  • Potting soil: prepared potting soil with a pH below 7, permeable to water by adding sand or crushed clay
  • Drainage: plant pot with drainage, e.g. B. holes to avoid waterlogging
  • Sowing: Press the seeds about 3 cm deep into the firmly pressed potting soil
  • Water regularly with lukewarm water, keeping it moist but avoiding waterlogging
  • For even better germination, put a translucent foil cover over the plant pot at the beginning
  • ensure good ventilation to avoid condensation and the risk of mold growth

notice: It can take several months for dry banana seeds from the trade to germinate!

cultivation

  • Location: ideally bright with 25 °C to 30 °C during cultivation.
  • Avoid too much direct sunlight to prevent the soil from drying out
  • Avoid drafts due to dehydration
  • Ensure uniform heat while avoiding large jumps in temperature
  • Remove the foil cover as soon as the seedling is visible
  • Use low-lime, lukewarm watering water
  • keep moist, but without waterlogging

rearing

  • Watering: continue to keep moist, ideally only spray the soil so that the seedling is not damaged by water droplets
  • Position: keep warm and bright, avoid direct sun as the seedling burns easily; fully grown plant can easily remain outdoors in a sunny, sheltered spot in the summer or move to a conservatory all year round
  • Nutrients: after about two months for the first time, then fertilize regularly with small doses, fertilize weekly under optimal conditions, otherwise every two to three weeks
  • Repotting: required as soon as root can be seen in the drainage holes;
  • Procedure: Keep the drain clear of shards of pottery or stones and cover with root fleece, fill the pot halfway with a soil-sand mixture, place the plant loosely, fill the remaining space with the same soil mixture and press the soil down lightly, water well

tip: When repotting, you should not choose a pot that is too large, otherwise the banana will succumb to excessive growth. On the other hand, indoor plants in particular should grow slowly, so that a slightly larger pot offers enough space, but at the same time slows down growth!

Common mistakes when growing bananas

Precisely because bananas are not an everyday occurrence when cultivating, mistakes are made again and again, which in the worst case lead to the death or insufficient development of the plant. The following mistakes should therefore always be kept in mind and avoided:

  • Breeding attempt from seed rudiments of commercially available bananas - these varieties are mostly propagated in vitro and are no longer suitable for breeding from seeds
  • avoid changing temperature, location on the heater therefore only if no night setback or other shutdowns
  • Avoid direct sunlight on the seedling, otherwise burns may occur
  • Avoid soil without sufficient drainage capacity due to waterlogging and mold
  • soil that is too firm hinders roots from spreading and growth generally
  • Plant pots that are too large encourage intensive growth, so avoid them for smaller houseplants

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Garden plants