Some people believe that burying a banana in your garden will result in it growing into a banana tree. This is partly true, as propagation of this plant is possible this way, but growing a palm tree from a store-bought banana is unlikely. However, it is possible to grow a banana tree in your own backyard and successfully cultivate it. However, to do so, you'll need to buy seeds, a grown banana palm, or another propagation method rather than store-bought bananas.
Why you can't bury a store-bought banana and grow a palm tree
The plant is classified as a grass; in fact, the banana tree is a herb. It grows well and reproduces naturally through bananas—the fruits fall and, after a certain period of time, can germinate. However, bananas sold in stores, markets, and supermarkets, even when fully ripe, are sterile. This is due to the following factors:
- Imported fruits do not contain seeds, as they were removed from varietal plants that are propagated in a different way.
- Bananas in the store are treated with certain chemical compounds that eliminate the possibility of their sprouting.
- Regular store-bought fruits that are sold everywhere are not suitable - you need to look for specific ones that contain seeds.
How to grow a banana in your garden or in a pot
Banana trees can be grown not only in containers but also in open ground, even in temperate climates. However, a banana tree grown in a garden will not bear fruit—it takes about nine months and temperatures of at least 20˚ C to mature. The banana palm's root system is frost-resistant, and if the above-ground portion is cut off and covered with insulation, the plant will regrow with the first warmth. To ensure fruiting, the palm is often grown in containers, but not all varieties are suitable.
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Varieties suitable for indoor growing
The banana palm is a herbaceous plant that can grow up to 15 meters tall. However, dwarf varieties have been developed that reach a maximum height of 4.5 meters if not restricted. In containers, these palms reach smaller heights—1.5-4 meters—but can still bear fruit. Among the dwarf varieties, most often grown indoors and sometimes in open ground, are:
- dwarf red;
- Brazilian;
- Cavendish;
- Kyiv dwarf;
- Rajapuri;
- Gran Nain;
- Jamaican;
- Williams Hybrid;
- Lady fingers.
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These varieties begin to bear fruit in the fourth or fifth year, reaching a height of approximately 1 meter. These plants grow well indoors, as well as in the garden or vegetable patch, but only with proper winter protection. Their fruits are edible (they do not bear fruit outdoors), but have a distinctive flavor. These specimens can also be propagated by seeds harvested from mini banana palms.
Extracting seeds from the fruit
To extract the seeds from a banana, you need to ripen it until the peel turns black. This is often done by leaving the fruit in a clear plastic bag in a warm place; 1-2 days is enough to ripen it. Then, peel the peel and cut the flesh down to the core. Then, remove the seeds one by one, carefully scooping them out with a knife and laying them out on a napkin. To germinate the seeds after removing them from the banana, follow these steps:
- the extracted seeds are washed;
- the material is poured into a container with warm (+25…+32˚ C) water and left for 2-3 days;
- Rinse the seeds again and dry them on a paper napkin.
After sorting, the seeds are germinated in a neutral substrate, such as coconut or sphagnum moss, which can be purchased at flower shops. This substrate must be steamed, and after cooling, it is mixed with perlite and watered with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate. Another suitable substrate is coarse river sand and a peat mixture in a 3:1 ratio.
The bottom of the container in which the seeds will be germinated is filled with drainage material—expanded clay, broken brick, or clay shards—followed by adding a 5-6 cm layer of substrate. Before distributing the seeds over the surface, their seed coats are broken by filing them with a nail file or scratching them with a sharp blade. The seeds are pressed in slightly, but not too deeply, and the substrate is then thoroughly moistened.
Cover the container with the sprouting seeds with glass or food-grade plastic. Maintain the room temperature at approximately 27 to 33°C, lowering it to 20 to 25°C at night. Seedlings will only appear after 2-3 months. To prevent any mold or persistently damp substrate, treat it with potassium permanganate at the first sign of growth. Store-bought seeds are treated in a similar manner.
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How to care for seedlings to get a banana tree
Once the seedlings emerge, they are transplanted into small containers 8-10 cm in diameter. The substrate should be light, breathable, and moisture-permeable, enriched with compost and a peat mixture. The seedling is placed in the container, and the voids are carefully filled with the soil mixture. It's important to thoroughly moisten the substrate and keep it constantly moist. When the seedling reaches 10-12 cm, it is transplanted into a larger container using the transshipment method, preserving the root ball, as the banana palm's root system is fragile. The conditions required for growing the plant are:
- Lighting – a daylight period of about 13-14 hours is required; in winter, the plant is provided with additional illumination using a phyto-lamp.
- Watering schedule: As the top layer of soil dries, allow water to flow from the drainage holes. Also, mist the foliage 1-2 times per day.
- Humidity in the room is approximately 60-90%.
- Top dressing – once every 2 weeks with nitrogen preparations for the first 1-3 years; during the fruiting period, a mineral complex with potassium is needed 1-2 times in 3-4 weeks.
- Pre-winter care: trim the foliage slightly and move the plant to a room where the temperature is around +11…+18˚ C, but not less than +10˚ C.
Growing a banana tree from a regular store-bought banana is virtually impossible, as these fruits are seedless. Furthermore, simply burying an exotic plant in the garden and growing a palm tree is impossible because the fruit is treated with certain chemicals that slow down rotting and prevent germination. However, it is possible to grow a full-fledged plant from a seed, but only if the fruit was harvested from a banana grown in a pot. Caring for the plant is simple, and a banana tree can thrive even in temperate climates if properly prepared for winter.