Ornamental bananas require a lot of care. There are many questions about watering and fertilizing that we would like to answer here.
A few questions arise when caring for ornamental bananas. For example, how much water does an ornamental banana (Ensete ventricosum) need? Or how often does it have to be watered and what fertilizer should you use? And what do the strange drops on the leaves of the plant actually mean?
Questions upon questions. Here are the answers! In general, ornamental bananas are among the plants with increased water requirements. They have large leaves, through which a lot of moisture evaporates. Of course, this has to be balanced. But beware. You should also not give the plant too much water. So that your ornamental banana develops splendidly and is not prevented from growing due to various care mistakes, here is an overview of what you should know specifically about watering and fertilizing ornamental bananas.
Watering the ornamental banana - That's what matters
The ornamental banana appreciates a permanently moist soil without waterlogging. If the substrate dries up on the surface, the plant does not mind as long as there is still residual moisture in the root ball. You will quickly recognize an acute lack of water by the sagging leaves. It is better to water your ornamental banana more often and a little more sparingly.
During the warm season, daily watering in the morning hours is ideal. The warmer and sunnier the location, the greater the amount of water should be.
Choose the right water
If possible, use rainwater to water your ornamental banana. Tap water, with its often high lime content, is not good for the roots in the long term. If you don't have rainwater available, a decalcification device for tap water (such as this one) will do a good job. In addition, the water should be lukewarm rather than ice cold when pouring.
Detect excess water
You can recognize excess water by standing water in the saucer. Discard any liquid that does not evaporate or be absorbed during the day. If you regularly notice large drops of water on the leaves of the ornamental banana, this is also a sign thatYou tend to water too much. This exudation of liquid, known as guttation, is not dangerous for the plant. At best, your floorboards or carpet will suffer from the constant dripping. Just water a little less and the problem is solved.
Wet leaves
In dry to very dry locations you will probably rarely experience the phenomenon of guttation because the surrounding air quickly absorbs any moisture given off by the plant. Pronounced drought, however, is not good for the magnificent leaves of the ornamental banana and can also lead to unsightly dust. Regularly wetting the leaves with water from a spray bottle is an easy remedy.
Fertilize ornamental banana - How it's done
Water-permeable potting soil is best suited as a substrate for your ornamental banana. However, nutrients are washed out of this soil relatively quickly. You can compensate for this with a moderate addition of liquid fertilizer (my recommendation: Compo green plant fertilizer) to the irrigation water. Choose a weekly rotation from spring to autumn and a monthly rotation during the winter months.