How to Plant Bananas From Seeds

Edible banana varieties that are used for culinary purposes are incapable of being grown from seed because of how they have been cultivated through the years. As a result, these banana trees are only capable of being cultivated by way of rootstocks or rhizomes. The reason for this is because edible bananas have been crossbred and cultivated to be seedless. Ornamental banana plants can be grown from seed, but the wild bananas that are produced are not typically suitable for eating.

Things You'll Need

• 20 percent perlite mixture soil
• Wild banana seeds
• Growing trays

Instructions

1. Plant wild banana seeds in seed-starting trays using a soft soil mixture containing at least 20 percent perlite. Hard soils, including standard potting soil, are not ideal for growing banana plants. Seed trays allow for individual banana plants to be grown in each cell or segment. Choose growing trays with holes to help with adequate drainage.

2. Provide banana plants with plenty of access to light from the day they are planted. Wild banana plants are tropical in nature and require consistent access to sunlight for ideal growth. In warm climates, banana plants can be grown outside from seeds. In cooler climates or where frost is a threat, seeds and small banana plants should be kept indoors, preferably in a sunny window.

3. Water consistently to ensure that the banana plant is kept hydrated. Large-leaf varieties are especially thirsty, soaking up water quickly. As the banana plants grow, it will become important to check the soil consistently to see whether the plants are getting enough water. If the soil is drying up quickly, water more frequently.

4. Transplant the growing plants into larger containers once they begin to grow root structures and climb higher. Container size dictates the growth size of the plant by limiting the growth of the root structure. Container size can be used to dictate the size of the banana plant depending on whether the plant is intended to be a houseplant or to be transplanted outdoors.

5. Move outdoor banana plants out once they are sturdy enough to be transplanted into ground. Banana plants are fast-growing plants that require space for growth, though most grow tall rather than wide. Once root structure of the plant is no longer inhibited by the size of the container, the banana plant is likely to grow much more quickly. Continue watering as before, and ensure that soil mixture is providing adequate nutrition for ideal growth.

References

• Banana.com: Farming Banana Plants
• Seedman: Banana Varieties
• Tropic Mango: How Not to Kill a Banana Plant