A cold hardy banana tree that is planted outside will go dormant during the winter when temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When that happens, cut the stem to 24 inches tall and loosely cover it with thick plastic or burlap. Mulch the root area to help regulate the temperature and provide a steady stream of nutrients.
Separating banana plants will give both the new pups and the parent plant a better chance at survival, as the new pups can take away water and nutrients from the parent plant causing it to die back. Dividing banana plants should be done only when the pup being divided has grown to at least a foot (30.48 cm.) A pot with a diameter only slightly wider than the stem. As for outdoor grown plants, except that the growing medium must be prepared first. Mix the grit into the compost, aiming for about 70% compost to 30% grit. This will provide the banana plant with ideal drainage conditions. Banana Tree Bloom Stages. The stages of a banana plant's flowers is a case of "After you!" The female flower forms and creates the fruit, with no need of pollination by a male flower. Only after the fruit appears do the male flowers emerge. Bananas (Musa spp.) grow in USDA hardiness zones 8 to 11, where they are fast growers. After picking the fruit, the stem will die and a new one will grow from the rhizome to give you your next round of bananas. How long does it take for a banana tree to bear fruit? Bananas generally take four to six months for fruit to reach full size after flowering, depending on temperature, variety, moisture and culture practices. In fact, indoor banana trees require bright light for about 12 hours or so for most varieties. However, you need to protect the banana plant from getting too hot to prevent scorching. Banana plants also do best in soils with pH levels between 5.5 and 7.0. Plant the banana rhizome upright and be sure the roots are well covered with soil. Most people are familiar with the yellow Cavendish banana, by far the most common type around the world. However, there are actually over 1,000 varieties from which to choose. In fact, one of the lesser known types comes from the variegated banana tree. Depending on conditions, an adult fruit fly can live as long as 30 days. Health Risks of Fruit Flies Research shows that fruit flies can transfer germs from a dirty surface onto a clean one. gqwC8.