Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I planted a banana tree last fall, it died back and I dug up the root ball today and was thinking if it was possible to intergrate this plant into AP? The roop ball is no larger than a volly ball so it is only a one stemed plant. How much nutrients would this take up? and is it even plausable?

Can be done, check out TCLynx thread she grows them, as does DBird

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[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r8vPAJXgw4&list=UUYMBTg-2FAP8pOt0z8wyXWA[/youtube]

Pretty big. I wonder how deep their media is?

i have grown them in half barrels but they grew a massif root ball than clogged the bed. They grew very well but you will need a BIG grow-bed. Something like a full IBC may do the trick,

bananas are hungry and thirsty

I have a dwarf banana tree in a ibc that is about 14 inches deep. Going on 2 years old now. Plant is very healthy looking, but have not got any bananas from it yet.

I've got two big GBs

I've got a red Dwarf Ducca.

Sounded fancy when I bought it. I haven't had it long enough to see long term. But it seems to be growing well. I've never had one survive in the ground over winter. Hopefully with AP, it's in for a better chance.

Fun fact. A Banana is actually a berry. And the plant is a herb.

I think it is Dwarf Red Dacca, not Ducca, I have one in a pot sitting in GB #8, and it seems to be doing ok, and survived the 2 light frosts a month ago with the bit of protection the greenhouse provides. It had been on the house veranda a few years, but has never produced a banana.

Nice picture Colum - i might give bananas another go in AP!

I could be wrong, but I remember a banana will produce a certain amount of leaves before it sets fruit.

So it'll take x amount of leaves, then push out the flowers. I suppose it depends on how long it takes to get to x amount of leaves.

I was a little worried about my plants, I couldn't get all the dirt off the roots when I planted them, they were horribly root bound in the pot. I thought there might have been some rotting or something from the moisture in the potting mixture.

But in the last month, it seems to have pushed a stack of leaves out, and seems to be growing nicely.

And gunagulla, you're right about the name. I was trying to pick it off the top of my head. It's supposed to be a frost hardy, dwarf variety. So idea for my location, and small enough for AP.

The fruit is supposed to have a slight berry taste to it as well. I'll update when I find out.