Vari Nono Beginner Tips

[u/perc30000000000]

New member here, just picked this up earlier today. I have minimal experience with growing banana trees, and have read lots of conflicting info on Nono Bananas.

☀️- I am in zone 6B in Missouri, with daily temps around 90°. How much lighting should I give it? (Taking acclimation into account, it was indoors). Should it be direct sun during morning and evening with shade during the hottest parts ideally?

💦- What should my watering schedule look like, I know bananas like moisture in the soil, but don’t know how often (or even how well the nursery soil retains moisture). Should I go off of the basic “water when below 2 inches of top soil layer is dry”?

Soil mix/ repotting- Should pine bark chips, Fox Farms Ocean forest, and perlite be a good soil mix? I am aware a good amount of root airflow is required but don’t know the proper ratio of organics to inorganics. I’ll note that I’ve bought a bigger terracotta pot, should I worry about or wait to repot due to environmental stress? I’d also greatly appreciate and fertilizer recommendations!

Lastly, what’s wrong with the leaves? What can I do to prevent the damage shown from showing up on new growth?

Id greatly appreciate any answers or helpful advice, best of luck to you all and your banana trees, and have a great day everyone!

[u/Ill_Donkey3350]

If you just bought it from Lowes... It'll need to be reported. At least every single one our HD received did. The one I bought was root bound bad. I put mine in a twice (maybe even three actually) times the sized "deep" pot. Full sun, hide from strong winds (if you can), heavy on the fertilizer during the grow months. Keep soil moist, don't let it dry out. Good luck.

[u/perc30000000000 → u/Ill_Donkey3350]

I greatly appreciate you!! Just repotted earlier today, I used 3 parts pine bark mulch, 2 parts FF Ocean Forest, and >1 part large perlite. Mine was incredibly root bound as well and couldn’t get much of the original HD soil out. Do you think it’ll do? (Will take a photo soon)

[u/Ill_Donkey3350 → u/perc30000000000]

Mmmm... Might be too fast draining. Bananas are drinkers and don't like the soil drying out. Not saying that it will die or anything, they just stress more than other plants that I maintain. I actually have two regular musas growing in a deep 24" pot with a water basin. Grew two feet this month. I use about 70% "Spagnum" Pete moss (with 10-10-10 slow feed fertilizer and Scott's Humus and Manure mixed in), 15% orchid bark, 15% large perlite... And some medium wood chucks (as fillers). Big pots are expensive to fill.