How to grow a banana at home

Paw-paw, which is also called a banana tree, is a bichromatic flowering plant that looks like a tree, from which it received such a name. A lot of people grow it on country sitesHowever, you can also please yourself by sheltering on your home window sill. Let's figure out how to plant this plant and how to care for a banana at home.

Biological features

This fruit crop is originally from America, it reaches a height of 12 meters, but often its growth is specifically limited. Growing azimina on the street, it is cut to 6 meters, at home - to 1-2 meters. The tree has beautiful bark and foliage that forms plants in a decorative pyramid. The size of the leaves can reach 30 cm, and the size of flowers resembling bells is 4 cm. Flowers near a tree can have a red or purple color. Azimine fruits have a rounded oblong shape and can reach in weight of 800 g. The color of fruits changes as they ripen - from light green at the beginning to lemon yellow and dark brown at the end.

Outwardly, they resemble bananas, because the tree has received such a name. The pulp of a ripe fruit has a whitish-yellow color and, in structure, resembles butter. Fruits can be consumed fresh, made from them syrup or marmalade, confectionery. When azimine leaves begin to fall off, they acquire a bright yellow color, which adds positive decorative qualities to the tree.

Events after the purchase of indoor copies

After the pawpaw seedling has been purchased, it must be planted. The pot is chosen for him narrow and deep. Drainage is poured into it, then a small layer of sand, and then light, fertile and slightly acidic soil. The seedling is dug into the ground by 9-12 cm and covered with soil. After that you need pour warm water over the plantand when the earth gets a little dry, put some more soil under it.

Creating a comfortable environment and care tips

Growing paws at home is the same as growing any other plant. Despite its exoticism, all that is required for the plant is timely watering and fertilizer, it is also necessary to choose a comfortable place for it and take care of the temperature at which the pawpaw can develop properly.

Place in the house and lighting

Up to two years, paw needs to be slightly shaded from direct sunlight. Because at such a young age, usually her put on the east or west windowand then moved to the south.

For the cultivation of a banana tree over two years, choose the brightest place in the house. Since the plant loves light, for greater comfort in the winter, it needs an artificial luminosity. For this purpose, fluorescent lamps with high brightness.

In summer, a banana will feel good on the balcony, and in winter it is better to move it into the room and put it on the floor next toby the window. This plant does not feel comfortable in the draft, so you need to choose a place where it can not be.

Temperature

The optimum temperature for a tree will be about + 22 ° С, and in winter it will be reduced to + 6 ° С for two weeks, and then kept for four months from + 12 ° С to + 15 ° С.

Watering

Due to the fact that all parts of the pawpot are very juicy and tender, watering should be carried out regularly. But it is very important not to overdo it, because in this case the root collar can rot, which leads to the death of the tree. You can periodically spray homemade banana tree with soft warm water.

Air humidity

Banana tree accustomed to moderately humid conditions. If the summer is very hot - above 30 ° C, you need to humidify the air with the help of special devices.

Top dressing

The plant is usually fertilized in May-June (during the period of active growth). Nitroammophos, various microelements and superphosphate are introduced into the soil. Also once in two weeks a banana tree can be fed with solutions of mineral fertilizers.Organic fertilizers are well suited to banana pond sludge and manure.

Pruning

So that the plant does not grow excessively, its top is cut and form a bush in the desired shape. But trimming pavement is needed only for the decorative formation of the trunk, but also for sanitary purposes. The flowers and fruits of this plant are formed on last year's shoots, because every year it is necessary to cut off adult plants. This is done most often before the beginning of the growth period before sap flow - in early spring.

Do I need special care in winter

Pawpaw - heat-loving, but frost-resistant plant. Maintains temperatures to -30 ° C. In the winter, he necessarily needs more light. In winter, in the dormant period, you need to water the plant much less frequently. Water for irrigation in winter should be at room temperature. Due to the heating in the winter in the apartments the air often becomes very dry, because you can periodically spray the plants. In winter, fertilizing is reduced to a minimum or not carried out at all.

Transplant rules

Because of the fragile measles system, you need to be very sensitive to transplanting paws.If there is such a need, it is necessary to do it by a transshipment method in a larger container Make the transplant process only in the spring. During this period, the banana tree is in a period of active growth and the plant after transplantation will get stronger much faster.

Flowering and fruiting

The plant will begin to bloom no earlier than 2-3 years of life, and give fruit no earlier than 5-6 years of life. This usually happens in April and lasts up to 3 weeks. The fruits of the banana tree will be ready to eat at the end of the summer.

Pawpow can not self-pollinated, insects and hummingbirds help her with this in nature. With a great desire to get the fruit, the owner of the plant can try artificial pollination, but the probability of obtaining fruit still remains small. Artificial pollination is carried out when the color of pollen becomes brownish, and it becomes loose. The tips of the pistils at this point should become sticky and have a glossy green color. Fruits at home can be obtained if you try to create the best conditions and properly conduct pollination.

Disease and pest prevention

Banana tree is weakly exposed to various diseases and pests, especially in home-grown conditions. The only thing to watch out for is the level of moisture in the soil and the room. If the ground is too dry or too wet, fresh air will not circulate in the room, there is a risk of stains on the foliage and root rot. In such cases, the plant chooses a more comfortable place, pruned damaged foliage. If root rot appears, you need to transplant the plant. To do this, the roots are gently washed with water, trying not to damage the healthy areas, while removing the sick. From preventive measures, you can use watering a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Azimina will be a good decoration of the window sill of any apartment or house. But it can only bloom, develop and bear fruit only if it is properly looked after — choose a suitable place, competently approach watering and feeding, and also monitor the humidity of the air in the room.