Currently_Planted
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Unhealthy banana plant?

Hi everyone,

I have a small banana plant in a container that I purchased a month or so ago. It's been growing quickly, but I'm not convinced that it's healthy.

Here is the whole plant:
banana plant.jpg
The sort of "broken"-looking leaf on the right side was growing when I got the plant, so I figured maybe its "lack of structural integrity" was due to transplant shock and didn't worry too much about it. The lower leaves weren't that yellowy-brown when I got it, though, that happened recently. Is that due to lack of water? Lack of sun? (The plant is kept outside and gets indirect light most of the day; it's right next to the house, so it's in the house's shadow most of the time, but is on the southern side.)

Then today I looked on the inside of the plant to see if a new leaf was growing, and I saw this:
banana plant inside.jpg
It sort of looks like...rabbit turds, or something, but since that would be extraordinarily unlikely, I assume it's not that. I don't think it's old soil that fell in there while I was planting, either, because I got most of that out at the time (plus it doesn't really look like the dirt I used). Is it some sort of grub or parasite? Could it be why my banana plant doesn't seem to be doing so well? Could it have caused the tattered holes on the newest leaf? Am I over-thinking something that's totally normal?

Thanks in advance!

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applestar
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Ha. Definitely looks like poo, but it could just as well have been a passing bird or something.
The holes do look like something has been munching -- could it be slugs?

I would go ahead and wash the crud out of there with water. Tip the pot over and examine the drainage hole for possible slug hiding place. They do love terracotta and ceramic pots and will stay cool and moist underneath during the day, then come sliming out at night for a snack.

Currently_Planted
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Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Update:

After washing out the inside with water, I discovered a caterpillar curled up. With some wrangling using a kitchen spoon (which is now soaking in bleach), and quite a few unnecessary "eww!"s, I got it out. I assume this was what was munching on the leaves, and I can only hope that the brown stuff was, indeed, its feces and not its offspring since flooding the area with water meant the contents spread over the rest of the plant and its soil.

Anything I can do to discourage other caterpillars? A particular pesticide, perhaps? (Eco-friendly options are preferred, but I don't want to deal with them again so I'll take any recommendations whatsoever.)

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applestar
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Did you take a picture of the caterpillar? It would help to ID it.

Currently_Planted
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That would have been a good idea, but I didn't think of it at the time (I was busy trying to conquer my inner "yuck" - worms, caterpillars, slugs, I know that they're important in that whole circle-of-life kind of way and I don't wish them all dead, but I can't help it, I find them really disgusting).

It was a black/dark grey caterpillar, smooth body, maybe an inch long (it was curled up, hard to say), with yellow or white spots down its body. It was a "plump," rather than "skinny," caterpillar.

imafan26
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Your banana could use more light too. It has very dark green leaves. Keep potting the banana up as it grows. I have always had bananas in the ground. The dwarf bananas will still get 8-10 ft tall at maturity and some of them go up as high as 30 ft. Bananas need wind protection or they will fall in a strong wind. The leaves will get cut up by the wind, but it does not hurt them much if they do, they are designed to do that in the wind. Bananas like a lot of water. Think of it as a giant blade of grass or a giant herb. Bananas take about 9-18 months to mature and regular feedings. All kinds of critters from aphids, ants, pincher bugs, mites, and sometimes and small owls will nest in the bananas.

Currently_Planted
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Is the dark green of the leaves a bad thing? I'm in Tennessee, so my chances of getting actual bananas are pretty much zilch - I got it because I liked the look of the plant and I could keep it outside for ~8 months of the year. I do water it regularly, probably about twice a week (you're right, it DOES get thirsty). Thanks for the banana tips!



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