Hi,
I have a Musa Belle (Pisang Raja) that I planted on April 27th.
I cant seem to find to much info about these trees.
It was/is about 3 feet high when I planted it in full sun in semi decent draining soil with a little bit of potting soil added to the dirt.
I live in Northern California near Eureka in Zone 9.

I have read that I should maybe mulch it and use some kind of tropical fertilizer and maybe some Epsom salt? but I don't know what I should use or how much or when.

Can somebody tell me some pointers on what I should do,how to feed it and water it and anything else that is important to know?

I don't have a green thumb(?) so any info would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry for what may seem like simple questions to you all but I really want this tree to do well.

Thank you,
Bananers

I have grown raja here in south florida....as with all bananas the old saying (and its true) is it is next to impossible to overfertilize a banana plant..they love to eat! so i miracle grow em (a gallon a week of mix) and once a month a good balanced palm fertilizer...about a pound per clump...try to limit the daughters growing out of the base to 3 at most...sever the others and replant..(when they are about 2 feet tall) a long blade spade vertically down the mothers trunk into the attached daughter..(pup as some call it) and then dig it up and replant..by limiting the group to 3 babies and the mother, u will enable the mother to still produce a nice bunch without much trouble and the ensuing 3 babies will be your future producers...remember only one bunch per plant and then u wait for the bunch to plump out fully before u sever the bunch and hang it inverted inside your shed or garage...they will ripen up much quicker then waiting for them to ripen on the plant( plus u wont run the risk of losing them to thieves, both 2 legged and 4!)..Nick

I hear you about the two-legged thieves. They have even stolen potted plants from my porch, lovely containers and all!!


I'm glad you posted about the mother and pups. I think I separated mine much too soon. I had one mother plant with three pups and I just separated them today...

when you do separate and replant the pups, bear in mind that the root system on them is limited and needs to take hold; so dont over water them, or you take the risk of root rot, a common affliction with newly planted banana plants. I've found that some pups are just more robust then others and those are the ones I move, to increase the chance of them prospering...good luck!

Nick,

Thanks for the information. I took them all out of the big pot and moved them to separate pots, gave them a dose of granular fertilizer and placed them in the shade for the next couple of days.

I was downtown today at city hall. The gardeners were watering the plants and I started talking with one. Over the past 5 years or so the city has shifted and are now planting tropicals in large beds and/or huge pots. I didn't even know we have a Tropical Garden building with ponds etc...its like "Paradise" as he put it. So I'm off tomorrow to go on the tour. I'll let you know all about it later.

Thanks again Nick!!

any time! you might consider obtaining a "super dwarf cavandish" if you are growing them in pots; it only gets to be about 4 feet high and thrives in a large pot (25 gallon is what I use). the fruit is about three quarters the size of a standard cavandish..(chiquita type you buy in store) but unlike the store bought you don't have the logistical problems of picking them somewhat premature and controlling their ripening process so as to get them from south america to your grocer without them rotting; thus you have a much sweeter tasting fruit!