Best banana growing practices in Kabale
In this article we are going to share about:
How to prune a banana plant.
How to mulch a banana plant.
And how to care for a banana stool.
After planting the young banana suckers in Kabale you what are them and leave them to grow.
Take care for more details in caring for the banana
How to de-sucker.
De-suckering is that removal of excess suckers from a banana stool.
It enables a banana stool to have enough nutrients due to that reduced competition from the young suckers.
If it is younger suckers are not removed it increases competition of water and other nutrients by both the mother plant and the other suckers.
A banana stool in Kabale should have only three banana plants which are the mother plant, one older daughter plant and the young daughter.
Many plants on one banana stool may need to poor yields due to the competition of water, minerals and other nutrients.
How to manure.
Most of the la d in kaba is already leached so it is advisable to apply manure to the plantation.
When applying manure banana plant you have to at least be 9 inch from the plant to avoid some pests which breed from the decomposed manure. It is advisable to use decomposed organic manure because it is the best and cheapest especially if you have planned this for business.
Artificial fertilizers can also be used but they tend to be expensive hence less profit after harvesting.
There are also other kinds of manure that you can use for example Kitchen wastes but you have to make sure that don't include any polythene papers, metal or any plastics.
Weeding.
When weeding a banana plantation a hand hoe or a garden fork may be used, but most preferable a garden fork may be used to prevent cutting of the banana roots. Banana plant roots join each other in the soil hence if a hand hoe is over uses it ends up cutting the roots.
Weeding should be done alternatively with mulching to reduce on the rate of cutting roots in a season.
Mulching.
Dry plant materials should be used in mulching. These mulches reduce on water loss and also add minerals to the soil after rotting they act as organic manure.
Mulches should be laid 9 ft away from the banana stool to leave space for more suckers to develop.
If a the mulches are so close to the banana stool, it stops suckers from growing hence you might end up missing a season due to no more growth of new banana plants
De-stumping
This is also a good practice in banana growing because it reduces the risk of pests an diseases.
Stumps in a banana plantation are usually bleeding places for pests hence should be removed.
Stumps should be removed to also reduce on competition of water on the banana stool because if not removed the continue absorbing the water hence poor yields.
Stumps should be removed by sterilized garden tools to prevent transfer of diseases.
Stalking
Due to the heavy winds of kigezi region, big banana branches should be stalked to stop them from falling.
Pre-mature banana plants usually fall down due to winds because of the more added weight to the banana plant by the banana banch.
De-flowering
This is the removal of the male in part of the banana after all the casters have completly developed on the banana banch.
It should be done using a hooked stalk or a sterilized sharp slasher or panger.
If a you don't de-flower a banana plant it stand a risk of diseases due to the bees that come to the flower to another hence disease spread.
Covering the banana banch with a clean cloth or polythene is advisable to prevent fungi attacks and birds destroying the plant by getting food and other pests.
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