How to grow a banana tree in South Australia?

[margaretmisty]

Having just been given a fruiting banana tree it’s in a small pot should I repot into bigger now I am in South Australia and it hot I have the tree under shore cloth 

[EricL]

Hello @margaretmisty 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us and thanks for sharing your question about your banana tree.

Since it's hot and your banana tree is already fruiting, it's best to be cautious with repotting. Ideally, bananas should be repotted or planted in the ground during their active growing seasons in spring or early summer to minimize transplant shock. However, if the pot is very small and restricting growth, you can move it to a larger pot but try to do so in the cooler part of the day, like early morning or late afternoon. 

Keep the roots as undisturbed as possible, water it well after repotting, and continue to provide shade cloth to reduce stress from the heat. Make sure the new pot has good drainage and use a rich, well-draining soil mix with organic matter to help retain moisture. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, as bananas are heavy feeders and need plenty of water, especially in hot weather.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Jason]

Hi @margaretmisty,

Let me also extend a warm welcome to Bunnings Workshop. We trust you'll get plenty of project inspiration and wonderful advice from our community members.

Just thought I'd add to Eric's advice that the Bunnings team has a comprehensive guide How to grow and care for banana plants that you should find helpful.

We look forward to seeing your plant thriving. 

Jason