Tamil Name: Vazhaimaram; Scientific Name: Musa acuminata, M. balbisiana, M. × paradisiaca;
Nov – Jan (Garden); Feb – May (Wetland);
Mar – May ; Sep – Dec; (Dwarf: After 12-15 months; Tall var: After 15-18 months)
~450 Days
| Crop category | Fruit |
| Life span | Perennial |
| Type of crop | Herb |
| Part(s) of the crop to harvest | Fruit – ripe and unripe, Flower, stem, leaf |
| Avg. Height | 3–6 metres (10–20 feet) |
Banana varieties prefer tropical, humid lowlands.
When to plant / sow seeds (ideal season):
Garden land: Jan – Dec; Wetlands: Feb – May;
How to plant:
Transplant suckers (small shoot from the base of another banana plant);
Soil should be 0.5 to 1 m in depth. Tall varieties should be planted at 3×3 m; Dwarf varieties at 2×2 m;
NOTE: Please go through the Guides in the Knowledge Base for more details on topics ranging from Spacing & Lighting to Soil and Nutrients.
Irrigate immediately after planting; and then again after 4 days;
Subsequent irrigations to take place once a week for garden land bananas and once in 10 – 15 days for wetlands.
NOTE: Irrigation should depend on how moist / wet the soil is. Check your plants everyday to see if they require irrigation or not. Check the Watering & Irrigation guide for more info.
When to harvest
Harvesting of banana is done 12 to 15 months after planting in dwarf and 15 to 18 months after planting in tall varieties. Signs of maturity of banana fruits are: fruit becomes plump and angles are filled in completely; when tapped gives metallic sound; drying off of top leaves and change in colour of fruits from deep green to light green.
How to harvest
It is best to cut off the whole stalk of bananas. Hang your stalk of bananas in a shady spot to finish ripening; They usually ripen from the top to the bottom going from green to yellow.
NOTE: Harvest periods can vary depending on the environmental, climatic, soil conditions.
| Pests | Banana aphids, Corm weevil, stem weevil, Thrips, Lace wing bugs, Nematodes |
| Common Diseases/ Problems | Sigatoka leaf spot, Antracnose, Bunchy top virus, Panama wilt, Fusarium wilt, Freckle leaf spot |
| Pest and Disease prevention measure(s) | Insecticides, soapy water, and horticultural oil to treat for aphids, which spread bunchy top virus. Neem powder to treat for Banana weevils. |
NOTE: Read Pests & Diseases for more information.
You can grow a banana tree inside your home on a balcony! Simply choose a dwarf variety which can be planted as little as 2×2 m apart.
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