Regular Member QandD Posted January 12, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted January 12, 2016 I'm having some banana/lily issues. After I went away for a 9-day holiday, I came back to my previously growing-like-crazy lily having some leaf problems (a lot of damage to them from seeming nutrient deficiencies and hungry little girlfish). So I did some fairly aggressive trimming all the way down the bulb. There are now three healthy leaves at the top of the tank and one small leaf, but this cluster of plants now has seemed to have detached itself completely from the original bulb, which has no roots or signs of growth.... Is this normal? Is this how the plant propagates? Even weirder, I've been noticing that the "bananas" on my banana plant have been getting kind of moldy (white stuff and they turn soft), so I have been pinching them off. Today, while fiddling in the tank, I went to pinch off a bad banana and the whole CLUSTER came off. However, the plant is growing a new leaf and has been during all of this bad banana nonsense. I've always let the plant float above the substrate with its root tendrils anchored by rocks in the sand with root tabs. I also fertilize the water column with pre-mixed NilocG macros and micros, use gH booster, and Excel. Again, is this normal? Will the bananas grow back? I'm sort of confused. I've had the banana plant for about six months I think. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Daniel Posted January 13, 2016 Regular Member Share Posted January 13, 2016 Losing the tubers isn't that big a deal. The plant stores nutrients there, but in a nutrient rich environment where it has rooted into the substrate and acclimated, it doesn't necessarily need them. Due to this, some plants will discard the tubers. If you're saying the plant is healthy and is growing new leaves, I wouldn't worry about it. As for propagation, it does so via seed and/or cutting. If you wait until you get a mature leaf (lily pad), you can cut it off and let it float. Some will produce roots and/or tubers. If this happens, you can plant it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helper Arctic Mama Posted January 13, 2016 Helper Share Posted January 13, 2016 I've lost tubers the same way and my parent planes are still going strong with their roots anchored in substrate. I try to only anchor, not bury, as too deeply buried encourages rot in my tanks on banana plants. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member QandD Posted January 13, 2016 Author Regular Member Share Posted January 13, 2016 Great, I'm glad to hear that I haven't screwed anything up. Taryl, I also just try to pin the roots to the substrate very gently to keep it from floating all over due to the amount of current in the tank. I guess if it doesn't need its bananas, that's good, although the bananas made the plant look cooler... But truly I'm just glad I'm not killing it or the lily--at least I hope not re: the lily! Much appreciated 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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