Question
QUESTION: Hello! I just received a super dwarf banana in the mail today. The plant looks very healthy with about 5 leaves and is 3-4 inches tall. It's still young (I received it planted in a 4inch pot and the soil is moist, not wet), but what I noticed while cleaning it up was that the growth point in the center appears to be brown. How bad is this? I'm assuming it'll recover and send up a new offshoot from the base, but is it big enough to do this?
Thanks,
Jessica

ANSWER: Hi Jessica, actually new growth will emerge from the center (where the browning leaf is..),,,it won't send out a "pup" from the base until it has matured somewhat,,probably by the end of the Summer; it needs to be potted up with a rich potting soil, in a larger container with drainage medium #pebbles, gravel etc.#.lining a couple of inches of the bottom.The root section of a Banana is called a "Corm",,,which will swell as the plant crown develops, so you need to continue to check this, and change it out to larger containers as needed. You don't want it to become root bound, so check for this rapid growth, by checking it frequently throughout the Summer. Keep it damp, but not wet and keep the leaves misted to simulate the needed humidity; fertilize it once a Month with a soluble like Miracle-Grow, and once every other Month with a granular that has a large last number,,which is Potassium...#like 10-10-10 or 6-6-6...the last number represents the Potassium count, which Bananas need.# Keep an eye on that new leaf that appears brown,,,it could be rotting because of the wet soil,,tug on it gently, it should hold tight if all is ok,,,if not , it will pull right out, and then you will need to let the company that sold it to you know,,,so you can get it replaced. Nick

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QUESTION: Ok, thanks. The center growth tip is brown about 2/3 of the way (it's only about as thick as a thread), and a piece of the brown broke, but the rest seemed solid. How long does it take on average for a new leaf/point to be made? I also don't see any roots in the bottom of the pot near the holes, but do I need to repot it anyway (I have a clay pot on hand).
Thanks again,
Jessica

Answer
...leave it in the pot it came in for about another week,,,keeping it damp but not wet...and place a clear baggy over the plant to hold in humidity; watch that browning lead though, hopefully it will green up as it emerges. Place the pot in a window where it will get direct Sunlight for 6 hours or so.  Once the weather outside gets to the point where the nights stay above 50 degrees,,,you can move it outside in a gradual manner.