Though it would be almost impossible for anyone to help you without actually seeing the plant/planting medium, I'd suggest that it looks like it's in a stress mode. Whether from being inside, or being overwatered, or planted in a potting medium that it doesn't like, too little light....I don't know. Perhaps a combination of all.

they are in plain old potting compost, peat based generic kinda stuff. Could they get this upset over that? This is my first time growing bananas so please excuse my ignorance. They are in my garage/office under a 500w metal halide light and 2 skylights though this time of year we dont have much sun. I was over watering at first but stopped about a month ago after another post on the web alerted me to the error of my ways. The roots look ok, i pulled one plant out to look at them.

Is it crazy to repot now with perlite and more suitable compost?

Tks as always,

R,

If the potting medium is really mucky, then it would probably be a good idea to repot now. But if not, best to leave it, I think. I truly suspect that the primary problem is that it's inside.

rhizo, thank you, and i have another question. They seem to have gotten worse since i sprayed with the 2% insecticidal soap. My one perfect plant just had its center leaf flop over dead. What can i do to save these plants? I have another 500w MH light i could hook up, i can leave the heat on high 24 hours a day, i am a desperate man, should i fly you over from america to look at them in person, though its a bit cold here at the moment )

Thanks for helping me,

Ronaldo

If it's warmer than what it is here (-9 C), I might take you up on that!

Other than the very general information I've been able to give you, I'm afraid that I just can't offer any other suggestions. Did you know that there is a Banana Forum? I took a quick look and it appears to stay pretty active during the winter months, and I'll bet that you'll get all kinds of good help in there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here....I'll take you to meet the Banana Forum!

Rhizo, in case you check back...many thanks for your help. I have posted over on the banana forum. -9C is pretty damn cold, we might get that once in 10 years. What does the damage here is wet/ light freeze/morning sun, a dry cold is better i think...

R,

I had a basjoo with mites that I drenched with neem oil and the center leaf did not like that one bit. I would cut off any leaves that are seriously damaged from mites, and mix up some gentle dishwashing liquid like Ivory Liquid and use that to wipe down each leaf front and back with a paper towel every week for several weeks. More light and heat at this point would probably just encourage the mites because it would lower the relative humidity. Get the mites under control, then consider adding more light.

watergal, thanks for the suggestions. Any idea if these plants could survive the winter if they were encouraged to go dormant? Maybe too young??

R,

Today's Ivory Liquid is not any milder than any other dish detergent. They stopped making that kind of Ivory a loooong time ago, darn it all. Truthfully, the mildest and safest 'soaps' to use on plants are any of the commercial insecticial soaps which are true soaps and not detergents.

Ronaldo, as far as I know, bananas can be made to go dormant, and stored in fairly cold and dark conditions. I've seen lots of folks let the frost hit them to kill the tops, then cut them back to store them in the garage or basement.

Thanks rhizo, i will take the worst of them and see if they can go to sleep and wake up in the spring, not much to lose as they look close to death as it is. I just ordered more seeds from a place called rarepalmseeds.com in germany so i will try and learn from my mistakes for next time around. If i get some to germinate they will have to take there chances outside next winter, its just too expensive to keep them in the comfort they demand, at least my wife can put on another jacket when the temp drops in the house but not the darn bananas.....

thanks again,

R,