Praying hands bananas

[palmmermaid]

A friend gave me 2 corms of the praying hands banana.  They are huge!  I want to plant them today.  SHe suggested planting them pretty deep so they stand up.  What soil type do they prefer?  I've heard bananas don't like wet feet.  True?

[junglegalfla]

I've always mixed black kow in the hole then topped dressed with it and mulched heavy. Mine liked a lot of water but not standing water which isn't a problem with most of us in FL.

I would throw down lesco trop fert then supplement w/ miracle gro for roses (highest potassium)

These are very hardy growers and will get tall! I love how limey green they stay.

[metalfan]

I got one in summer as a trade and these are massive plants. ALmost as beefy as Raja Puri.

I talked to the guy from Going Bananas and he told me that, as Bren said, high K ferts are best for Bananas.

I have been mixing equal parts of granular palm fert, citrus fert and a couple tablespoons of Muriate of K+ together and top dressing with that once a month and my bananas have shown a noticeable difference.

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

Kitty, I was always told by banana growers not to plant the corm too deep.  The soil line should be just above where the stem meets the corm (there is usually a color change here and a natural line to use as a gage).  When I planted new bananas, I always watered the corms once and then not again until they started growing and unfurled a new leaf or two.  Since corms don't have any active roots, they can't take up water or nutrients until they re-grow some.  If they get too wet at this stage, they could rot.  

I also supplemented my bananas with 0-0-50 and they loved it!  

Praying Hands was always one of my favorites as far as the way the plants look.  They are beautiful banana plants with long upright growing leaves.  You will love them!

[palmmermaid]

Thanks for all the information!  Sounds like I have the right spot picked out.  I will use my horse manure and shavings to jump start them and mulch them.  I will also include some K and then add more as they grow.  I can't believe how big the corms are!  Jeez!  Based on the size of the corms, the plants will be big!  I am hoping they will provide quick shade.  And pups so I can put more of them around!

[fastfeat]

Where does the name "Praying Hands" come from? Arrangement of the fruit or the foliage?

[junglegalfla]

The fruit looks like praying hands

http://www.agristarts.com/musa_prayinghands.htm

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

Kitty,

Praying Hands is one of the best growing bananas we have in the Deerfield Beach Arboretum.  It is in plain sandy topsoil and is mulched deeply.  They do not need as much fert as other bananas to perform well.

Jerry

[metalfan]

I should have said, mine is also planted just in plain old sand! So far, its out performing my 1000 fingers about 3:1.

[junglegalfla]

Just to give you a visual, here is a pic of mine before I had it taken out. I hope you planted it where you wanted it because the corm only gets BIGGER    Very cool plant though!

and as a caveat, the only reason I took my bananas out is because I have a small yard and needed space to plant PALMS      

[palmmermaid]

Yes, I planted them where I want them to stay!  I can only imagine digging these things up!  And I just have plain old sandy soil.  I just add organic matter to everything.  I swear the sand justs inhales all organic matter you put in it!