The beautiful crown of the Indian banana is not the only reason why this North American tree is also planted in the home garden in this country. Above all, he should give us his exotic-tasting fruits. But he wants to be supplied with plenty of nutrients on our part.

The Indian banana gets by with surprisingly few nutrients

life without fertilizer

This tree will be able to live for a long time without additional fertilizer. It gets its nutrients from the garden soil. There, however, these will inevitably become fewer and fewer over the years. So it is inevitable that at some point the tree will not get enough nutrients to fulfill all its tasks.

We'll still be able to admire its attractive foliage, but flowering will slow down. As a result, the autumn harvest is also modest. If you want fruit in large numbers, you need to fertilize the tree in a targeted and regular manner.

Plant in nutrient rich soil

The tree should receive its first supply of nutrients when it is planted. For this, the excavation is enriched with compost or another organic long-term fertilizer. So well cared for, it will root well and also develop splendidly above ground.

Fertilize annually

The nutrient depot in the soil should be replenished regularly. But one fertilization per year is sufficient here. The best time for this is early spring, even before the tree sprout again.

Appropriate fertilizer

The nutritional needs of an Indian banana can be compared to the nutritional needs of native pome fruit. A slow-release nitrogen fertilizer works well, as it provides the tree with an even supply of nutrients throughout the growing season. For example:

  • compost
  • horn shavings
  • mature horse manure

The fertilizer is spread around the root area and then carefully worked into the soil. Then please water well.

tips

While the tree bears its flowers, it is important to ensure that there is an adequate supply of potassium. This element promotes fruit set.

mulch layer

A thick layer of mulch is also recommended on sandy soils. It prevents too much water from evaporating in summer. As this layer is gradually decomposed by microorganisms, it also enriches the soil with nutrients.

Avoid lime

Indian bananas do not find any calcareous soil in their natural habitat. Even if it can adapt well to high pH values over time, it is not uncommon for it to initially react with chlorosis.

A pH value between 5 and 7 is ideal. In the case of calcareous soils, you could therefore use the pH-lowering rhododendron fertilizer as a preventive measure.

Fertilize tub specimens

Since only a limited amount of soil fits in a bucket, you should fertilize here in several courses. However, only during the main growing season. A liquid fertilizer is the better choice here.

Category:

Vegetable garden