Banana plant is getting brown leaves: quick help

The banana plant impresses with large green leaves. All the more annoying when they turn brown. Since the cause is often unfavorable culture conditions, you should act quickly. How to prevent your banana plant from getting brown leaves.

causes and solutions

There are several causes of brown leaves on the banana plant. The most common reasons and the most suitable countermeasures are briefly presented here.

Wrong fertilizing

If you give the banana too much or too little fertilizer, it will respond with brown leaves. These often show up in winter, since many hobby gardeners are not aware that banana plants do not hibernate during the winter when they are not fertilized.

Help with nutrient deficiencies

If the banana plant suffers from a lack of nutrients, it must be nursed back slowly. Be careful not to give her an overdose of fertilizer, as this will immediately lead to overfeeding. Fertilize so that the banana is always well supplied with nutrients from now on and in the future

  • weekly in summer
  • monthly in winter

A special fertilizer is not necessary. A conventional liquid fertilizer is sufficient. You should also repot banana plants regularly. This allows them to absorb the nutrients from the fresh substrate. In terms of care, this means that you can stop fertilizing for up to eight weeks.

Help with over-fertilization

As the excess nutrients in the substrate are broken down in the form of salts, the roots begin to rot. Therefore, in the case of over-fertilization, you should repot the banana in lean soil. To allow the plant to recover, do not fertilize again until after 12 weeks or when it begins to sprout again.

casting error

Plants that are in full sun are very thirsty. In the case of banana plants, there is also the fact that a lot of moisture evaporates through the large leaves. However, the crux is that too much water also damages the bananas and they get brown leaves.

Help with drought

It is clear that water helps the dried up banana plant. However, you should not overwhelm them with too much water. Therefore, water it thoroughly once and only give it liquid again when the surface of the substrate is no longer damp. In this way you can get the plant used to a regular water supply step by step.

For smaller specimens, you can use the so-called immersion method:

  • place the plant with the pot in a larger vessel with water
  • when no more air bubbles rise, take out the banana
  • drain well
  • put in their usual place

Help with waterlogging

If the roots are constantly in completely soaked substrate, they will begin to rot. Since they can no longer take care of the plant, it looks thirsty and is watered. If this vicious circle lasts too long, the leaves of the banana plant turn brown. In this case, quick action is required:

  • Carefully lift the banana out of the pot
  • remove rotten roots
  • Rinse leftover roots with lukewarm water
  • let dry well
  • repot into fresh, dry substrate
  • don’t water

With a bit of luck, the plant will recover. If the banana starts to sprout new leaves after a few weeks, the rescue was successful. Now it can be cast again.

Tip: Put the banana plant in a new pot, as the old pot is contaminated with rotting organisms.

Unfavorable location

Banana plants need sun and warmth all year round. If they are cool or too dark, they get brown leaves. Therefore, the plants need a new location.

location in summer

  • place on the south-facing balcony/terrace on hot days
  • tolerates blazing midday sun well
  • inside: place at the south window

location in winter

  • South window seat
  • without curtains, blinds etc.
  • alternatively: plant lamp
  • ensure high humidity
  • Set up a humidifier
  • alternatively a bowl of water
  • Spray leaves with lime-free water
Tip: shower the banana plant more often in winter. So it tolerates the dry heating air better. However, make sure that the substrate is not completely soaked.

natural causes

If you can rule out the above causes, it may be that the brown discoloration is due to a natural process. If only one leaf turns brown, it is an old leaf that has fulfilled its function from the plant’s point of view and is now being replaced by new leaves.

If you notice small specimens next to your banana plant, they are the offspring of the banana. However, since caring for the offspring robs the mother plant of a lot of energy, it gets brown leaves. If the mother is already older, it can even happen that she exhausts herself completely and dies.

frequently asked Questions

Yes, but this only happens when the infestation pressure is very high. As a rule, the leaves yellow first. Since the plague has already spread well in this case, you should isolate the banana, cut off the affected leaves immediately and fight the pests immediately.

A sudden move into blazing sun can cause banana plants to get sunburned. Typical characteristics are brown spots or a complete brown colouration. Place the plant in partial shade immediately and give it two weeks to get used to direct sunlight.

Kira Bellingham

I'm a homes writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in publishing. I have worked across many titles, including Ideal Home and, of course, Homes & Gardens. My day job is as Chief Group Sub Editor across the homes and interiors titles in the group. This has given me broad experience in interiors advice on just about every subject. I'm obsessed with interiors and delighted to be part of the Homes & Gardens team.

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