If you’re looking to expand your indoor jungle by propagating a banana plant, you’ve got two main ways to go about it. If you already have a healthy plant at home, the easiest method is using “pups.” Let’s dive into how you can turn one plant into a whole family!
Propagating via Pups (Offsets)
A banana plant blooms only once in its lifetime, and after that, the main stalk dies back. To keep the cycle going, the plant constantly sends out little shoots from its roots. These offsets are called “pups.” They usually pop up in groups, and the best time to separate them is when you’re already repotting your main plant. Here’s the step-by-step:
- Carefully remove the mother plant from its pot.
- Shake off as much old soil as possible from the rhizome (the thick root structure).
- Using a clean, sharp knife, slice the pups away from the mother plant.
- Any pup that already has its own leaves and roots is ready to move into its own home.
- Pro tip: Dab the cut surface with a little wood ash. It acts as a natural disinfectant to prevent rot.
- For the potting mix, you can use a seed-starting mix or make your own. I like to mix standard potting soil with coconut coir or perlite to make sure it drains well.
- Add some soil to the new pot, set your pup inside, and fill in the gaps.
- Give the pot a gentle tap on the table as you fill it; this helps the soil settle in around the roots.
- Place the pot on a saucer and give it a good drink of water.
- To create a mini-greenhouse effect, put a clear plastic bag over the pot to keep the humidity high.
- Place your new plant in a bright spot, but keep it out of direct, scorching sunlight for now.
Growing from Seed
If you want to start from scratch with seeds, you’re going to need a healthy dose of patience! It can take anywhere from three to four weeks (or longer) for a banana seed to germinate.
The Step-by-Step Guide
- Banana seeds are small but have a very tough outer shell. To help them along, lightly scarify them by nicking the shell with a small file or sandpaper.
- Fill a small 4-inch pot with a high-quality, low-nutrient seed-starting mix.
- Place one or two seeds in the pot and cover them with a very thin layer of soil.
- Gently mist the soil with lukewarm water. Using a spray bottle is best so you don’t accidentally wash the tiny seeds away.
- These seeds need a consistent soil temperature of about 77°F (25°C) and steady moisture. To keep things cozy, stretch some plastic wrap over the pot and keep it in a very warm spot.
- With a little luck and a lot of patience, you should see a tiny seedling poking through in about 3-4 weeks.
Quick Tip: Finding viable banana seeds can be tricky. The bananas you buy at the grocery store are sterile and don’t have seeds! Your best bet is to check specialty seed shops, botanical gardens, or online exotic plant nurseries.
