I’ve always loved fun and funky indoor plants. The weirder the plant, the better! One day, I saw a dwarf banana tree in the window of a coffee shop and I knew that I had to have one in my own home. After scouring my local plant shops, I resorted to ordering the tree online. And much to my surprise, it arrived in near perfect condition! And guess what? In just a few years, if cared for correctly, your dwarf cavendish banana tree may just reward you with a crop of bananas. Here’s how to grow your own dwarf cavendish banana tree indoors.
Growing Banana Trees Indoors
To begin, make sure that you purchase the correct variety of banana trees (side note, they aren’t technically a tree, either!). The regular banana trees can grow up to twenty feet tall, whereas the dwarf will cap at around 6 feet. Currently, my tree is about three feet!
Look for the dwarf cavendish variety of banana plants. They can tolerate growing indoors all year long, and won’t take over your house as they mature. In my experience, it is difficult to grow the other varieties in a way that is successful.
Soil For Banana Trees
Plant your indoor banana tree in organic potting soil with a mixture of perlite and coconut coir. The perlite adds an element of aeration while the coconut coir provides the moist soil that the banana tree is in constant need of.
Water Needs
As I mentioned above, banana trees absolutely love moist soil. Let the first one inch of soil dry out completely before watering again. Depending on the heat of your home, this could be once every three days. Use this guide to learn how to water houseplants correctly.
Not only does it like water, but it loves humidity and warmth, too! Keep it next to a humidifier for a few hours every day or mist the leaves regularly.
Sun Needs
Because the banana tree comes from a tropical climate, they require at least 12 hours of bright light every day. Many homeowners find that this can be hard to naturally provide, and often supplement light later in the day with a 100W solar lamp. Make sure your banana tree has a spot right in front of the window that receives the best light in your home.
Common Problems For Dwarf Cavendish Banana Trees
Fungus gnats are common because banana trees like moist soil. If you are suffering from fungus gnats, cover the top of soil with a fine layer of diatomaceous earth.
Additionally, banana plant leaves are very sensitive and may yellow off and die. This is common if occurring to the lower, older leaves of the plant. If the entire plant is suffering from a yellowing problem, it might be an issue with overwatering.
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