How to grow a banana at home: exotics within walking distance. How to grow a dwarf banana in an apartment

Each of us knows what a banana is. These are delicious edible fruits are sold in most grocery stores and make up a significant portion of our diet. Children and adults love bananas and buy them willingly, and passionate gardeners grow bananas on their own windowsill. Yes, yes, you heard right, you can grow your own homemade banana, and the process will not cause much trouble. Want details? Read the article and you will learn all the secrets of growing an indoor banana.

Perhaps we should start with botanical classification banana, because this is what determines how to care for the plant. So, banana (lat. Musa) is the name perennial plants of the same genus of the Banana family (lat. Musaceae).

Despite its size (in natural growing conditions bananas reach a height of 10 meters), the banana is not a palm tree or a tree at all, but a grass, and the banana fruit, oddly enough, is a berry. Banana has quite a powerful root system, a short stem hidden underground, and oval-elongated large leaves, the number of which varies from 6 to 18 on one plant.

[!] What appears to be the trunk of a banana is actually its leaves, the lower parts of which are tightly wrapped around each other.

[!] In nature, there are also real trees called banana trees - plants from the genus Azimina. The taste of their fruits is very similar to banana and papaya.

Exact Origin Latin name unknown - according to one theory, the plant is named after the court physician of the Roman Emperor Antony Musa, according to another - the word has Arabic roots. The common name for the fruit is borrowed from West African languages.

The homeland of bananas is the islands of Southeast Asia and the Hindustan Peninsula. Over time, the plant, the fruits of which were very popular with the seafaring travelers who visited those places, spread throughout the world. Bananas are now grown in many countries with tropical climates and are one of the main export products. For example, the main exporters of bananas to Russia are Ecuador, Costa Rica, the Philippines, and Mexico.

For you and me, a banana is just a tasty fruit, but in southern countries the plant is used for a variety of purposes. In addition to eating, bananas are used in folk medicine, as a basis for fishing gear and rafts, for making ropes and so on. We can say that people have learned to process every part of this wonderful plant, obtaining many necessary products. And of course, one cannot help but note the culinary value of the fruit - bananas are eaten raw, fried, boiled, dried, baked. They are the basis of the diet of a number of countries and, in importance as an agricultural crop, can be compared with potatoes in the northern regions.

But let's return to the main question of the publication - how to grow a banana at home? Perhaps we should start by choosing the right variety.

Types of banana suitable for home cultivation

The homemade banana can still be classified as an indoor plant. And yet, the popularity of exotic fruits is growing year after year. This happens, among other things, thanks to the work of breeders who breed low-growing species and varieties adapted to indoor conditions. Today, all types of homemade bananas can be divided into two groups:

• decorative foliage,
• beautifully flowering,
• fruit.

Indeed, some gardeners grow bananas only for their beautiful leaves or flowers. The fruits of such plants, if they are formed, do not have the delicate, sweet taste we are accustomed to and contain too many hard seeds. TO decorative types relate:

Bloody banana(lat. Musa sumatrana Zebrina) - wide leaves are covered with a beautiful green-burgundy pattern. The fruits are small, red, inedible;

Chinese dwarf banana(lat. Musella lasiocarpa). Other names are Musella roughfruit, golden lotus. It has bright green large leaves and a beautiful bright yellow inflorescence. Maximum height plants - about one meter;

Banana bright red(lat. Musa coccinea Andrews) - like the previous species, it is beautifully flowering. Attention is drawn to the rich scarlet bract, favorably shaded by green foliage;

Velvet banana(lat. Musa velutina) is also known as purple, dwarf pink or velvet pink banana. It is distinguished by oval light green leaves, often decorated with red edging and large bright pink flowers. The skin of the fruit also has an unusual crimson hue. The variety is grown as a flowering variety, but, if desired, the fruits can be eaten;

Banana lavender or pink(lat. Musa ornata Roxb) just like Musa velutina is valued for beautiful flowers and the fruits are pale pink.

Fruit species and varieties of domestic exotics are not so diverse. Almost all of them are just like their brothers. growing on outdoors, bred on the basis of two species - pointed banana (lat. Musa acuminata) and balbis (lat. Musa balbisiana). Most often you can find the following representatives of edible indoor banana on sale:

Dwarf Cavendish banana(lat. Musa acuminata Dwarf Cavendish)

Super dwarf Cavendish banana(lat. Musa acuminata super Dwarf Cavendish)

Both varieties are characterized by low growth, which allows them to be grown in room conditions, and abundant fruiting. The leaves of the plants are large, dense, bright green, oval in shape. The peduncle is bright burgundy in the shape of a candle.

Caring for homemade banana

The first thing flower growers who decide to get a homemade banana should pay attention to is the size of the plant. Even dwarf varieties They have an impressive height (up to one and a half meters) and large spreading leaves. Therefore, it is best to grow banana in large rooms with tall and wide windows.

Secondly, when caring for a banana, you need to remember that its homeland is the hot tropics. This means that the ideal room conditions for the plant are warm, good lighting, high air humidity. Let's look at each parameter in more detail.

Temperature and lighting

Unlike many other indoor plants, this southern guest is very, very thermophilic, and the comfortable temperature range for it is 25-30°C. There is no dormant period for bananas and this heat air is practically necessary all year round. Only in winter it can be a little cooler - about 20°C.

The countries of Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa, where the banana grows naturally, have a large average annual number of sunny days. In our climate there is much less sun, so the banana must be placed on the most illuminated windowsills - southern, south-eastern or south-western. On a too hot sunny day, to prevent burns on the leaves, the location of the plant can be slightly shaded.

[!] Health and appearance indoor banana directly depends on the amount of sun. In the shade, homemade exotics will stop growing, blooming and, of course, setting fruit.

Watering and air humidity

Bananas cannot be classified as either very moisture-loving representatives of the flora, nor among those who prefer drought. Rather, the banana gives preference to abundant, but rather infrequent watering - on average once or twice a week. At the same time, it is useful to imitate a warm tropical downpour using a shower in the bathroom. After this procedure, you need to leave the plant for about half an hour to allow excess water to drain.

One of the most important parameters for keeping bananas at home is high air humidity. The air in our apartments, especially during the heating season, is too dry. This negatively affects the well-being of most house plants. In order to southern flower did not suffer from dry air, it is recommended:

• place the bowl with the plant on a tray filled with wet pebbles,
• place a banana next to the aquarium,
• spray the leaves with water from a fine spray bottle at least once a day,
• use a household humidifier.

Additional moisture is vital for a banana, so you should never forget about air humidification.

[!] IN warm time During the year, bananas can and should be taken out into the open air to replenish moisture.

Soil, replanting and fertilizing

As for the soil, here indoor exotic plants demonstrate unpretentiousness. Any universal soil from a specialized store that has sufficient looseness, which means water and breathability, and neutral acidity, will do.

One of the most common plant problems is root rotting. To prevent this disease, a high drainage layer, at least a third of the total volume of the pot, is required. Expanded clay, broken brick or clay shards can serve as this material.

You can prepare the substrate yourself by mixing leaf soil, turf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. Coconut fiber and vermiculite, added in small quantities to the soil, will help reduce the risk of developing root rot.

As a rule, homemade banana develops quite quickly, so an adult plant needs to be replanted annually. In some cases, when the banana grows very actively, the indoor exotic plant should be moved twice a year. The container for transplantation should be only a few centimeters larger than the previous one.

[!] Too large “to grow” dishes can cause acidification of the soil and, as a result, rotting of the roots. In a bowl that is too small, the banana will stop growing and blooming.

During the period of active growth and development (spring, summer), bananas must be actively fed. For additional plant nutrition, you can use universal mineral and organic fertilizers, alternating with each other. In general, the frequency of fertilizing during the growing season is once a week. With the onset of autumn and throughout the winter, fertilizers should be eliminated.

Reproduction

Propagating bananas at home is not an easy task. There are only three ways to get a new young plant:

• using seeds
• with the help of shoots
• using division mother plant,

each of which has its own subtleties and secrets. Let's take a closer look at them.

Propagation of indoor banana by seeds

First of all, it is worth saying that banana seeds are quite unusual - they look like small nuts covered with a hard shell. It is because of the shell that the seeds germinate rather poorly - not every sprout is able to break through the strong shell. In order to facilitate the germination process, nuts can be scarified.

[!] Scarification is a mechanical or chemical violation of the integrity of the hard shell of seeds.

This is done as follows:

1. The seeds are soaked in warm water for two days.
2. The swollen shell is carefully ground down with sandpaper or a nail file, trying not to pierce it.

Experienced flower growers who grow indoor bananas often express the opinion that there is no need to scarify the seeds of a tropical plant; it is enough just to keep them in water a little longer, about a week, for better swelling. As an experiment, some of the seeds can be scarified, and some can be planted without scarification.

After the above-described manipulations, banana seeds are planted directly into the ground:

1. For germination, it is recommended to use a peat-sand mixture (1:1), coconut fiber, and sphagnum moss.
2. As a container, you can take a food-grade plastic container with a lid, which is quite suitable for the role of a mini-greenhouse, or buy a ready-made greenhouse from a specialized store.
3. For better germination, banana seeds are placed with a recess on their side and slightly buried in the substrate.
4. The greenhouse is moved to a bright and warm (25-30°C) place and wait for seedlings, which should appear in about 1-3 months.

During the entire germination period, the soil with the seeds should be slightly moistened, but without excessive stagnation of water, and the greenhouse should be ventilated approximately once a day.

Germinating banana seeds is a rather long process. Flower growers who want faster results can try planting young shoots of the plant.

Banana propagation by shoots and division

As a rule, an indoor banana produces fairly dense root shoots, with the help of which the banana reproduces in natural conditions. At home growing these root shoots can also be used to produce a new plant.

For planting, a well-formed shoot with several leaves is selected, carefully removed from the ground and cut off from the mother plant along with the rhizome from which it grows.

[!] Rhizome is part of a branched rhizome that does not have a central stem.

To avoid rotting, the cut sites are sprinkled with crushed coal, after which the shoot is planted in a new container with the same soil as for an adult plant. Typically, young banana shoots take root well and do not require special care.

Banana propagation by division is carried out during plant transplantation. Mature plant cut into two or three parts, each of which should have a healthy, formed shoot and rhizome, after which the resulting specimens are placed in a separate container. In general, propagation by division is a procedure similar to planting shoots.

Fruiting homemade banana

Before expecting fruits from indoor exotic plants, it is worth finding out the timing of its fruiting. On average, a banana grown from seeds will bear fruit only in the third or fourth year. The plant obtained from the shoot will bear fruit earlier - within one to two years.

In order to get delicious fruits, you need:

• place the banana in the sunniest place in the apartment, highlight it additionally in winter,
• maintain high air humidity year-round,
• Feed your homemade banana regularly.

Pests and growing problems

As for diseases, the root of all plant health problems is improper care for it. Main banana diseases and their symptoms:

Banana doesn't grow. Most likely, the problem is that the pot is too small. If there is not enough soil, the homemade banana stops developing. In addition, the cause of this phenomenon may be a lack of sunlight.

Black-brown spots appear on banana leaves, and the leaf blade loses turgor. The reason is flooding and waterlogging of the soil. This is a dangerous sign indicating the possible occurrence of root rot. It is necessary to remove the plant from the ground, carefully examine it, cut off the rotten areas, sprinkle the cut areas with crushed coal and plant them in new soil. In the future, the frequency and intensity of watering should be reduced.

Banana leaves dry out around the edges. Such symptoms indicate that the air humidity is too low. Indoor bananas especially often suffer from lack of moisture during the heating season.

If dries and subsequently dies off as the basis of a homemade banana sprout, but at the same time the young shoots are developing well, do not worry - this is not a disease, but a completely normal phenomenon. The growth, development and reproduction of bananas in natural conditions occurs in exactly the same way. As a rule, the largest sprout dies immediately after fruiting.

Dark spots on the leaves of young seedlings. This feature is found in some varieties of indoor exotics. The spots have a characteristic red-brown color and are located along the lateral veins of the leaf blade. Typically, as the plant matures, the spots disappear and the leaf turns a uniform, rich green color.

Do you know that according to ancient Indian legend, the insidious tempting serpent seduced Eve not with an apple, but with a banana? This means that banana can be considered a heavenly fruit that you and I can grow at home.

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Banana - tropical plant, which means it prefers a correspondingly humid and warm climate. At home, it is quite possible to recreate the microclimate suitable for a banana plant. Remember, banana is a herbaceous plant and therefore more demanding to care for.

There are actually two ways to grow indoor banana. You can plant a banana at home as a seed, or you can purchase a ready-grown specimen. You need to keep in mind that these will be different plants. By purchasing banana seeds, you will be planting a wild, uncultivated subspecies that is stronger and more viable, but such bananas have inedible fruits filled with seeds. Garden stores often sell selected varieties of bananas that reproduce vegetatively and after flowering can delight you with real homemade edible bananas.

There are specially bred dwarf banana varieties intended for growing at home, less demanding on conditions and resistant to disease, for example Kiev dwarf, Super dwarf. These varieties reach a small height of up to 1.5 and are quite suitable for growing in apartment conditions.

Growing banana from seeds.

By purchasing seeds banana plant and if you look at them carefully, you will notice that they have a fairly strong shell that needs scarification. First you need to slightly damage the durable shell using, for example, a nail file or a needle. There is no need to pierce the seed; a few scratches will be enough so that the future sprout can break the shell.

For planting seeds, choose small pots, about 10 cm in diameter for each banana seed, or you can use long ones flower boxes for several seeds, keeping a distance of about 15 cm between them. For the substrate for germination, a 4:1 mixture of river sand and peat is suitable; no fertilizers are needed, ensure good drainage. Distribute the seeds on the surface of the moistened substrate and press them in a little, without falling asleep on top, leaving access for light.

Cover the pots with seeds with film and place them in a bright place, but without direct sunlight. Every few days, ventilate the pots, and if they dry out, spray the substrate with a spray bottle. Do not allow the soil to become waterlogged or rot. When mold appears, the affected area of ​​the substrate must be removed and the entire surface treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.

When growing a banana at home from a seed, you will have to wait quite a long time for the emergence of seedlings: 2-3 months. However, after the sprouts appear, rapid growth of the plant will begin; after about a week, the young bananas must be transplanted into the ground.

If you set out to grow your own edible bananas or simply want to avoid possible failures when planting seeds, it is possible to purchase an already grown banana of indoor fruit subspecies. Subject to certain conditions cultivation and with proper care, it is possible to achieve flowering and fruiting of bananas in an ordinary apartment.

Growing conditions and care for bananas indoors.

After purchasing a banana tree, keep it alone at home for several days, in the place where it will grow in the future. Then the purchased plant needs to be replanted. In a 5-7 liter pot, make drainage using expanded clay, cover the expanded clay with a small layer of sand. Simple soil from a deciduous forest, with the addition of humus 1:10, is suitable as soil for a banana, or you can buy a flower mixture at a garden store.

Tell your friends about it.

Is it possible to grow a banana at home or in a greenhouse to see flowering and fruiting? Can. But it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to enjoy the taste of its fruits. If you do everything correctly, there will be both flowers and fruits. But their edibility will be very relative.

The fact is that bananas are different from bananas. The ones we buy come from plants that did not exist in nature before human intervention. In wild bananas, approximately 90% of the fruit consists of large (about a centimeter long) black inedible seeds. But people noticed that some bananas had few or no seeds. They began to purposefully reproduce the offspring of plants containing in their fruits minimal amount seeds

This is how (with some simplifications, of course) the varieties of bananas that we know arose.

In addition to the already mentioned cultural forms, there are others in which the presence of seeds is not only allowed, but even encouraged.

For example, the notorious textile banana. And there is also decorative bananas which are grown to decorate rooms.

Start by preparing the seeds. They have a fairly hard shell, which must be damaged in order to allow water to penetrate inside to the embryo. This treatment is called scarification. You can do it using sandpaper, a nail file, or simply scratching with a needle. The main thing is not to overdo it. The shell should not be destroyed, but only damaged.

Another important point- choice of dishes. If there are no more than 10 seeds, then the easiest way is to plant them individually in plastic disposable cups. Large quantity It is more convenient to sow seeds in a common bowl. It should be wide enough, but not too deep. Do not forget to make holes about 10 mm in diameter in each corner and in the center of its bottom to drain excess water.

First pour a drainage layer of small pebbles or expanded clay 1.5-2 cm high into the selected dish. Then - a layer of substrate. Its height is largely determined by the depth of the dish, but it should be at least 4 cm. There should also be about 3-4 cm of free space from the surface of the substrate to the edge of the bowl so that the emerging shoots do not rest against the glass covering the greenhouse from above.

And you definitely need to cover it. The fact is that the germination period banana seeds(even fresh ones) is quite long - at least 3 months. Before planting, the seeds need to be placed for 30 minutes in a fairly saturated (the color of very strong tea) solution of potassium permanganate. It is advisable to generously water the substrate with the same solution (and a hot one at that) an hour before sowing.

The substrate in this case is a simple mixture of coarse river sand (previously thoroughly washed and calcined in dry metal sheet) with a small amount of steamed peat (4:1). Introducing something “nutritious” into the substrate is not only pointless, but also harmful - it will attract to the crops a host of those very putrefactive bacteria and fungi that we want to get rid of.

The seeds are evenly laid out on the surface of the substrate and lightly (!) pressed into it. They need light to germinate.

It is clear that the bowl itself with the crops should be in a fairly bright place. But exposure to direct rays of the sun is unacceptable, as overheating and death of the seeds will inevitably occur.

When the substrate dries out, immerse the bowls with crops in a slightly larger container filled with warm water. boiled water, slightly painted over with potassium permanganate. The immersion depth should ensure that the bottom of the substrate comes into contact with water. But no more. A reliable sign of the end of watering is the appearance of wet spots on the surface of the substrate.

When mold appears, which can appear as a small white rash on the seeds themselves, cotton-like white lumps on the substrate, or white fluffy cobwebs, you must respond immediately. Using, for example, an ordinary teaspoon, affected and suspicious seeds and areas of the substrate are mercilessly removed. This is done with a fair amount of area and to a depth of at least a centimeter. At the end of the operation, the entire surface is generously sprayed with a previously prepared strong solution of potassium permanganate, and the cover glass is immediately returned to its place. By the way, it should also be disinfected.

Everything will change with the appearance of seedlings. Banana grows amazingly fast. In suitable conditions, tender seedlings will turn into powerful plants 2-2.5 m high and about 15 cm thick (at soil level) within a year.

But for this they need to be given plenty of everything: light, heat, water and fertilizers. Prepare for the fact that by the end of the first year of life, your pet will no longer need flower pot, and a tub or box holding 30-40 liters of earth.

There is one consolation - this will stop the wild growth of the banana, it will bloom, the fruits will appear and ripen, and the plant itself will safely... die. Yes, yes, don’t be surprised and don’t be indignant. Banana- this is grass, albeit large. And the destiny of all herbs is the same - to grow quickly, produce offspring and make room for a new generation.

By the way, if you don’t stop there, you won’t need to bother with the seeds. Next to the dying old banana, babies will appear (10-15 pieces), which you just need to carefully separate and plant in the appropriate container. And everything will happen again.

Do you like bananas? Most people will answer yes. These fruits are highly nutritious and are often used as snacks. It's much healthier than eating a bun. Surely everyone, having heard about a banana tree, imagines paradise in the ocean, where clusters of ripe fruits hang from tall palm trees, and monkeys feast on them to their heart's content. Did you know that a tree can easily be grown at home? Interested? Then read on.

Short description

If you are looking for a plant that can decorate a room and enliven the interior, be interesting and unusual, then a banana tree is just what you need. A nice bonus is that the plant will also bloom and give you a whole bunch of magnificent fruits. Of course, this is not exactly the palm tree that we have seen so often in the movies. Dimensions indoor plant much more modest, so you can easily grow it at home if you study the basic requirements.

What is the correct name?

Indeed, the banana tree is, rather, its nickname, which it received for the external similarity of the fruits. In fact, the plant is called differently - pawpaw three-lobed. Despite its exotic nature, it is not tropical. It is a deciduous tree that reaches 4-5 meters in height if not pruned. At home, it usually does not exceed two meters. Belongs to the Anon family. The plant has very interesting leaves - they are very similar to those that grow on a real banana palm. Large, up to 30 cm in length, shiny and bright green, they will delight you with their appearance until the fall. With the onset of cold weather, the leaves turn yellow and fall off, so it is better to move the plant to a cooler place to rest.

Growing a plant

If you want to grow your own banana tree, first consider how many years you are willing to wait for it to mature. If you can’t wait to surprise your friends and family, then it’s better to buy ready-made shoots in the store. But even in this case, you will have to wait a very long time for home-grown fruits. It must be remembered that the seeds present in the fruits may not sprout, since the plant reproduces best by lateral shoots. First of all, the banana tree (we provide a photo in the article) decorates the room with its spectacular leaves, and therefore care must be taken to ensure that the crown is healthy and strong. To do this, it is important to maintain conditions suitable for a green pet. When purchasing a ready-made seedling, do not forget to ask whether you can expect fruit from this particular specimen: the fact is that not all plant varieties bear fruit; there are exclusively decorative species.

Soil preparation

Whatever propagation method you choose, you need to prepare the soil that is most suitable for your “guest”. True, in this regard the plant is not too whimsical. You can buy ready-made soil mixture or even prepare a regular one, garden soil. It is advisable to use the top layer of soil, as it is more nutritious. The soil should be additionally enriched with humus, sand or wood ash. This is another one important nuance, which must be taken into account, because this is the only way to grow a beautiful banana tree. Photos displayed on the pages of magazines and on portals of relevant topics will inspire anyone to take up garden tools and grow the same miracle for yourself.

The thoroughly mixed substrate must be steamed to protect the plant from pests. To do this, you can pour the soil onto an iron baking sheet and heat it in the oven, or pour boiling water over it (or a weak solution of potassium permanganate). It is very important to take a pot large enough for a large plant. Provide a high drainage layer so that the roots do not lack oxygen. These could be stones, broken bricks or expanded clay. You need to put a layer of sand on top, and only then fill it with soil.

Planting pawpaw

A homemade banana tree can also be grown from seeds, the most important thing is to buy high-quality seed material. The plant has fairly large seeds, they look like persimmon seeds. Before sowing, we should remember where this plant came from. The banana tree is a child of the subtropical zone, which means that the seeds must be stratified. To do this, it is best to place them in cups with soil and dig them in the garden. Sprouts should appear in April. If you live in an apartment, you can use a refrigerator instead of outside.

Seedling care

When the April sun begins to warm up well, it’s time to plant your plants or plant purchased ones. A banana tree grows very readily at home; the most important thing is to provide it suitable conditions. This is light, fertile soil; wood humus is also perfect. Remember to choose a well-lit, sunny place. Azimina loves the sun very much and does not grow in the shade.

Growing and care

In the first year of life, the plant requires virtually no care. It only needs to be watered and periodically very carefully loosened. In October, pawpaw sheds its leaves and prepares for a period of dormancy. Now until spring you need to provide your pet with moderate watering; you can move the plant to a cooler place. In April, sap flow begins, which means it’s time to fertilize. The best option The fertilizer will be nitrodiammophos. Approximately 20 g per bucket of water should be diluted.

Watching a banana tree grow is very interesting, although the process is not fast. Every year the plant grows by about 20-30 cm. However, it should not be replanted unless absolutely necessary, since the roots are very fragile. When your handsome little one turns 2 years old, he will begin to develop lateral shoots. Now we must not forget to feed the plant to ensure its optimal growth and development. Nitrogen-phosphorus compounds are the most favorite fertilizers for this crop.

Flowering and fruiting

It will be six long years before your plant begins to form fruit buds. They are usually laid in the fall, and next year open up into very interesting flowers. They have six petals and a large number of stamens. It is necessary to pollinate using a thin brush.

After pollination, the fruits begin to grow quickly and after about a month and a half reach 5-6 cm. They ripen by September, at which time the peel turns yellow. Ripe fruits fall off and spoil very quickly. Therefore, check them every day - ripe fruits fall off easily. As we already said, growing this interesting plant It’s not complicated and is accessible even to beginners. If you do everything correctly, you will definitely enjoy delicious fruits.

The very idea of ​​growing bananas in your apartment or house seems quite fantastic. However, anything is possible. It is possible not only to grow real bananas, but also to enjoy delicious fruits that will be no different from those you can buy in a store. It all depends on the plant variety you choose. Of course, something like this exotic plant You can easily sell it and make money on it.

First, let's talk about the plant itself. Banana is a herbaceous plant, not a palm tree. The root of such a plant is located deep underground and has a spherical shape. On the surface there are leaves that, very tightly adjacent to each other, form a pseudostem, from which an inflorescence subsequently appears. After fruiting, the pseudostem dies off and a new one grows in its place. A banana rhizome in the ground can live up to 40 years, constantly producing new shoots that continue to bloom and bear fruit.

Bananas reproduce by seeds, division of rhizomes or amniotic shoots. The bananas we buy in the store are seedless and only reproduce vegetative way. Bananas, which reproduce by seed, are not usually eaten. Since there are a lot of seeds inside the fruit, but there is practically no pulp, and it doesn’t taste very good. They are bred mainly for their decorative appearance.

Some varieties of bananas can reach 12 meters in height. But there are also those that are low-growing and can be grown at home.

Now let's move on to banana varieties. All banana varieties can be safely divided into two groups: decorative And fruit.

First, about the decorative ones. They are grown for decoration and landscaping. Most fruits of these varieties cannot be eaten. Examples: banana lavender, can reach up to 1.5 meters in height, velvety banana - 1.3 - 1.5 m, and bright red banana, it can grow up to one meter in height.

And now about fruits. Such varieties are grown for their tasty fruits, these are the most banana bananas. Examples: Dwarf Cavendish banana, this variety can grow up to 2.5 meters, the banana is pointed, the height of this variety can reach two meters. And new varieties bred in 1998 by Ukrainian breeder A.V. Patiem, Kyiv dwarf– 1.5 - 1.7 m in height, and Kyiv superdwarf– up to one meter in height. The scientist claims that these varieties can be grown indoors, with proper care, and their harvest will be up to 150 fruits, the taste will be the same as in the store.

Instructions “How to grow a banana at home”

And now to the fun part. How can you still grow such a miracle as a banana at home? The most important thing is, of course, the substrate and correct transplant plants. You need to find good soil for preparing the substrate; it can be dug out from under trees such as linden, acacia, birch or walnut. Soil from under poplar, oak or chestnut is not recommended. Take a top layer 5 - 10 cm thick.

A bucket of this soil contains: wood ash - 500 g, river sand - 2 kg, humus - 1 kg. Stir and disinfect by pouring boiling water and heating.

Don't forget to make drainage, it can be from 3 to 10 cm, look at the size of the pot. On top of the drainage layer, place a layer of river sand, always wet, and only then lay out the soil. Do not forget one important nuance, do not place the pot directly on a pallet, put something like a grate between them, you can take several flat stones, air will get into the resulting space, which means it will get to the roots, which is quite important. Air is very necessary for the roots, both below and above, so a couple of days after watering, loosen the top layer of soil.

Watering. Bananas love moisture very much, but they are watered rarely, but very generously. It should be watered only when the top layer of soil is completely dry by 1 - 2 cm. The water temperature should be 25 - 30 degrees. When watering, make sure that water seeps through the holes in the pot. In winter, when the temperature is 18 degrees, reduce the amount of watering, otherwise the roots will rot. Air humidity plays a significant role for this plant. In summer, leaves should be sprayed daily, in winter at least once a week. Remove dust from leaves.

The temperature regime is very important for fruit ripening, since at a temperature of +15, growth slows down, so it should be +25 - 30 degrees.

Lighting plays an important role in the ripening process. Bananas require bright and abundant light, so it is better to place the pot closer to the window. In summer, if the plant is located outside, make sure that it does not get direct Sun rays, it is better to place it in the shade of a tree.

To enjoy delicious bananas, the plant needs to be fed. It is advisable to introduce fertilizer into moist soil so as not to burn the roots. In summer, fertilize once a week; in winter, once a month will be enough. The best fertilizer solution is humus, just don’t use pork or chicken. An infusion of an herb such as lupine, quinoa, or common weed is also effective. For adult plants, one meter high, humus with fish soup is well suited to enhance fruiting.

If we talk about diseases and pests, then in the home environment there are practically none, but due to low humidity, they can start spider mite. As for its natural habitat, the plant is affected mainly by various types fungi, as well as black weevils and roundworms.

As you can see, it is quite possible to grow a banana at home; the price of such plants is quite significant. Therefore, gardeners and plant lovers, in addition to their own interest in something new, a new culture at home, can also earn some good money.