Banana Tree Fertilizer

A good banana tree fertilizer will contains high amounts of potassium, since bananas need ample amounts of this element to thrive. As you probably know already, eating a banana will provide your body with a lot of potassium and this potassium is in turn absorbed from the soil in which the banana plant grows. If the soil contains to low amounts of potassium, it will harm the plant and decrease its growth.

Potassium is a chemical element that makes up roughly 1.5% of the weight of the Earth's crust and it is commonly occurring in most soil types. It is never found free in nature and when you purchase a fertilizer with potassium the potassium will normally be in the form of a chloride, sulfate or carbonate. The name potassium is derived from potash, since potash was once used to create potassium for commercial use.

If you want to purchase a commercial banana tree fertilizer, look for a 5-10-10 or 10-20-30 mix and use roughly 40-50 lbs a year for each plant. (This figure is only a general rule-of-thumb and must naturally be adjusted somewhat depending you banana plant size, variety, the length of the growth period and the quality of yours soil.) Always use a balanced fertilizer, i.e. a fertilizer that has all three numbers on its label. The fertilizer should not be too high in nitrogen since this is not beneficial for the plant. Do not drench your banana plants in banana tree fertilizer once in a while – it is much healthier for them to receive a low dose that is spread out evenly from early spring to mid fall. If you live in a warmer part of the world, you can fertilize your banana plant year round.

Organic fertilizers work well for bananas and a mixture of compost and mulch has proven successful in the past. Adding a lot of mulch will also retain moisture and protect the rhizome from temperature swings and chilly weather. As your banana plant grows, the old leaves will begin to yellow to leave room for new, fresh leaves. It is naturally tempting to remove the yellow leaves, but it is actually better to be a lazy gardener and let them stay because as the yellow leaves shrivel the nutrients will be re-absorbed back into the banana plant. Old leaves will therefore serve as a form of banana tree fertilizer. If you cannot stand the sight of yellow leaves, cut them off using a sharp knife and place them on top of the mulch. This way, a major part of the nutrients will still have a chance to go back into the banana plant.