How to Grow Banana Plants From Seed

Banana plants can be highly ornamental in the home landscape.

Bananas are quite fussy in their growing requirements and are almost impossible to grow outside of the tropics or in a greenhouse. Native to southeast Asia, the common banana that you buy at the supermarket is seedless, so the only banana that you can grow from seed is the ornamental type. Lovely trees, they add a touch of the tropics to the landscape.

Things You'll Need

• Small knife or baby nail clippers
• Bowl
• Sand
• Sphagnum peat moss
• Planting pot
• Plastic zip bag
• Heat mat

Instructions

1. Cut a tiny piece from the banana seed's coat. Do not cut into the embryo, just remove a small portion of the outer seed coat. A small knife or baby's nail clippers are ideal for this task.

2. Place the seed in a bowl of water for one week. Change the water daily.

3. Combine equal parts of sand and sphagnum peat moss and pour it into a plant pot. Water the soil, stirring to ensure that it is uniformly moist. Allow all of the water to drain completely and set the pot aside until the soil is moist and not soggy.

4. Push the seed 1/2 inch into the planting medium and cover lightly with sand.

5. Place the pot inside a plastic zip bag, seal it and place it on a heating mat set to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. In the evening, turn the mat off and then turn it back on in the morning.

6. Keep the soil moist at all times and your banana seed should sprout within three weeks. It may take substantially longer, though, so don't give up hope. When it sprouts, remove it from the mat and the bag and place it in full sun. Use a spray bottle to mist the banana seedling with water periodically throughout the day -- do not let the soil dry out.

References

• University of Florida Extension: Banana Growing In The Florida Home Landscape
• Banana.com: How To Grow
• U.S. Department of Energy: Banana Trees