Delicious yellow fruits of bananas ripen in clusters on tall bushes with wide leaves spread out to the sides. Despite the fact that these plants are quite high, they relate to herbs.
The article provides information about indoor banana, the features of its cultivation.
general information
Many people like to grow fruit plants. This is a rather fascinating section of home gardening. Of course, flower growers tend to get such exotic fruits in the house not for the sake of the "harvest" (it is small). The main thing for them is the process itself. It is very interesting to achieve the final result. Indeed, in nature, such fruits ripen only in distant tropical countries.
The banana houseplant has settled in flower collections relatively recently and is still considered exotic.
General botanical description
Genus Banana, botanists belong to the Banana family. It contains about 70 species of plants that are herbaceous perennials. The homeland of these species is the Pacific Islands and Asia (Southeast). However, thanks to the efforts of people, for several centuries bananas have been growing on almost all continents with warm climatic conditions.
It should be noted that the fruits of not all species of this genus of plant are tasty. Among the huge variety of varieties, only a few are a source of delicious food. Many of them are almost fruitless (or produce small and inconspicuous fruits) or their fruits are tasteless.
There are types of bananas reaching a height of 12 meters. However, their appearance is deceiving. The trunk itself is shortened and practically invisible above the ground. It’s just a false dense stem with huge fleshy leaves. Leaf plates are collected on top of the stem in a bundle. Leaves can reach a length of 3 meters and a width of 0.5 m. Most varieties have green leaves, but there are species with leaves of purple hue.
A powerful flower stalk of the plant breaks through a tube of leaves, forming a large inflorescence at the very top of the bush. The flowers are yellowish-green, can be male, female and bisexual. Only on female inflorescences located below, fruits (berries) are formed. Birds and bats are participants in the pollination process.
Externally, a banana houseplant is similar to its exotic counterpart, which grows in natural conditions.
Varieties
Indoor bananas can be of different types, but not on each of them edible fruits can ripen. There are decorative varieties grown only for beautiful foliage. The most popular among flower growers are several species.
- Banana Cavendish dwarf. Low-growing species, abundantly bearing small bananas. Externally, the peduncle resembles a burgundy bright candle.
- Super dwarf banana. It is the best species for home growing. Like the dwarf Cavendish, this plant is created artificially by crossing a Balbis banana and a pointed banana. A houseplant is popular with gardeners.
- The banana is bloody. Purely decorative look with expressive leaves with a green-burgundy pattern. Inedible fruits are colored burgundy.
- Banana Paradise. A variety widespread in agriculture. Dwarf varieties of this species have taken root well in indoor floriculture. There is one drawback - the plant is too bulky (rarely found below 2 meters).
- The banana is velvety. A houseplant, often called pink or dwarf. It can bloom even at one year old. Feature - bracts of a bright yellow shade have a delicate aroma. Light green leaves are decorated with a reddish edging, which makes the plant attractive. Small fruits have a pinkish tint.
The above species are the basis for creating many varieties.
The soil
Banana can be attributed to plants, unpretentious in almost all respects. This is a completely undemanding culture. Any universal mixture is suitable for her, only acidity should be close to neutral. The soil is desirable permeable, loose and nutritious.
For independent cooking, the following mixture is convenient: in equal proportions, mix humus with sheet and turf soil. Add a little sand to it (approximately 20% of the total volume).
Growing conditions
When buying indoor banana plants should take into account their size. Even dwarf varieties have a decent height and spreading, wide leaves. It should be noted that these plants look great indoors with large windows, with wide and spacious window sills. They need the presence of heat, moisture and light.
Banana loves bright light, and it perfectly tolerates even the direct rays of the sun. He needs light even in winter. And the heat should be kept indoors at all times of the year. In the spring and summer periods, the temperature should be within +20 ... 30 ° and more, and in winter - not lower than +16 ... 17 ° .
Top dressing
Banana, however, like many other plants, needs additional fertilizing, especially during periods of vegetation, flowering and fruiting. You can alternate mineral universal fertilizers with organic top dressing.
During the growth period, bananas should be fed once a week. In autumn and winter, feeding is not needed. A little lower in the article provides more information about the use of banana peels as fertilizers for indoor plants.
Humidity and watering
Bananas do not grow well without sufficient humidity for them. It is necessary to raise it constantly and by any means. We can say that such work is the most difficult process in growing such a plant in the home. You can regularly wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or spray them. On warm days and nights, the plant should be exposed to the open air. This contributes well to its development.
Watering bananas is not necessary very often, but plentifully. The plant responds well to a warm shower, only the excess water from the pot must be drained. In hot and dry weather, you can water twice a day. In winter, this should be done as the upper third of the soil layer is completely dry.
Banana as a fertilizer for indoor plants
Many people know that this healthy and tasty fruit contains a lot of potassium. Its flesh contains important trace elements.
The peel of this fruit is usually thrown away, although it can be used in floriculture and gardening. It also includes important vitamins and minerals: calcium, potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus. Many experienced gardeners and gardeners use these useful skins as fertilizer for indoor and garden plants. This helps to improve their growth.
The banana peel is successfully used as a substitute for phosphate and potash fertilizers. Today, there are several gardeners tested ways to use a banana peel. Feeding indoor plants with a banana is in no way inferior to fertilizer with such means as soluble sticks and humic concentrates. The use of the peel in combination with twigs of grapes makes it possible to obtain an excellent complex fertilizer that contains almost half of the chemical elements from the periodic table.
Fertilizer preparation
Quite effective is the simplest way to use a banana peel for indoor plants. It can simply be cut into small pieces and buried to a shallow depth in the soil. After 10 days, nothing remains of them, since they are completely processed by soil microorganisms. It is noted that even the most weakened plants quickly respond to such top dressing, developing lush foliage.
There are many ways. It is only important to consider that some precautions should be followed. Bananas or peels must be washed in hot soapy water, and the white fibers from the pulp should be removed, since manufacturers use different chemicals, wax coatings and other harmful substances during transportation. In addition, banana plantations are treated several times a year with pesticides.
In conclusion about the reviews
Most lovers of exotic plants speak positively of indoor banana. In addition to decorativeness, a fairly fast growth and relative unpretentiousness are also attractive. This is especially true for super dwarf varieties. Many note that banana is almost not affected by pests and diseases. For example, the spider mite and the whitefly are not very good at certain plant species. Especially flattering reviews regarding the Kiev banana variety, which is not only decorative, but also bears fruit.