Question
QUESTION: Dear Kathy, I bought a healthy young (4 leaf) banana plant from a greenhouse about 10 years ago. It was doing very well growing from about 4 inches to about 3 feet. Approximately 5 years ago my elderly mother started over watering it and it lost several leaves but eventually survived and began growing again. Last August./07 when I moved from the city to a country home, I placed it outside on the balcony where it seemed to be doing well. It was ok all winter indoors ( I live in area 4 )and about 3 months ago I noticed it had sprouted a baby but it was starting to get black spots on the inner leaves & yellowing at the top of the leaves and black/browning at the tips. I sprayed the whole plant with an organic fungicide. It seemed to help and then it sprouted another baby. Although the main plant was still sprouting leaves, the lower ones were dying off quicker then usual and I kept trimming them off. This morning I noticed the main plant was bent over from the base and when I touched it, it pretty much came off in my hand. As I lifted the trunk, the bent part broke apart and as I did this , I noticed beige colored gummy-like strings of gooey stuff separating slowly as the two parted. I cut off the lower end & put the top half of the plant in some water but I don't know what to do with the babies which don't have a single mark on them, but they are attached to the other half of the decapitated plant. First what should I do about the babies, they are about 5 inches high with about with 4 - 7 very healthy leaves & two, what disease or reason did this happen do you think ?. Any light you could shed on this would me much appreciated ...... Thanks so much.
Liza

ANSWER: Hi Liza..sounds like the mama plant has corn borers in it.  Separate the babies and plant them in another container.  Water once and then do not water again approximately  two weeks as the roots need to regrow.  After two weeks water again and then wait till some new leaves appear then water regular like you were doing.  Throw away the mother plant.

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QUESTION: Hi Kathy  Thank you for getting back to me so quickly. Do you have any idea how my plant contracted these corn borers? and can my other plants catch these? I talk to my plants everyday and they respond by growing beautifuly, Ironicly I noticed when I was ill for several months my plants didn't look happy either. Several years ago I read the book " The Secret Life of Plants", so I know without a doubt they respond to emotions, happy or sad. I'm really broken hearted to throw the mama plant out. What are corn borers? why & how do you think my plant got infected? Thanks,
Liza


Answer
Hi Lize..glad you didn't take the path your mama banana plant did and you are back with us. :)
Corn borers work their way into the trunks of the banana plant and weaken it.  Not all banana plants get this disease.  It is tough when when they are in the ground and you are waiting for those bananas to get ready and half the top topples over.  The babies may get it as they are still the same strain as the mother.  Newer varieties are grown so this doesn't happen.