How to Treat a Diseased Banana Plant

In this video, I cover recognition of a disease with my musa basjoo banana plants. There were some early signs that were missed but that's because early detection isn't always easy as some of the first discoloration looks like normal banana wear and tear.
It was obvious yesterday that my main patch of musa basjoos were dealing with some disease, and it only took a few days from them to go from looking fine to 1/2 the bunch deteriorating.
Once I recognized they had an infection, I immediately removed any plants that showed any sign of disease and treated with copper fungicide. I also removed some additional ground cover and older leaves to improve airflow around the remaining plants.
#musabasjoo #coldhardy #plants

[@zwicknagel]

I don't know, but doesn't the fungus also go into the rhizome? Not only on the leaves!

[@vibonitatropics]

You are correct. The soil also. I don't pretend to understand all the science, but I have had good results treating fungal infections in bananas and palms with copper fungicide. I spray both sides of the leaves and the stem/ trunk.

[@tamararuecker8283]

Also here on the southern WA coast the weather doesn't generally drop below freezing. Seems to be warmer here than inland. Is there something I need to do to winterize the plant? I worry more about the coastal wind storms causing damage to the banana plant. Will my hardy banana plant ever produce fruit?

[@vibonitatropics]

@@tamararuecker8283 There's nothing you NEED to do other than make sure the roots are covered in a few inches of mulch. The leaves will die if you see freezing temperatures, so you could cut them off when they freeze and drop them around the banana stems for some added protection (I do this). You can wrap them if you want and this will give you taller bananas at the beginning of the year, but by the end of July, you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference in which you wrapped and which you didn't. Here's a video on wrapping/winterizing - kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4ScdGOOgtWUkLM

[@vibonitatropics]

@@tamararuecker8283 there's nothing you NEED to do in southern WA other than make sure you have a few inches of mulch down at the base of the plants. I wrap a few of mine each year so they start off taller in the spring. Here's a video on what that looks like - kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4ScdGOOgtWUkLM Wrapping is totally optional and not required to keep them alive. The only way they will die is if the roots completely freeze. I have had them fruit although the bananas do not taste good. You can cook with the flower pod which is good, but also alot of work. Here's a video I made on cooking with the flower pod - kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXbdXoymideZf9k

[@thisperson113]

Looks like the stem wasn’t red inside, so at least it’s not fusarium (Panama disease)

[@vibonitatropics]

No red in any of the stems I cut.