How to Grow Plantain From Fruit

 

Actually in many tropical countries most especially Africa, the Caribbean, and parts of Asia, plantain is one of the most popular food crops. Plantain is closely related to bananas although is usually cooked before eating because it contains more starch and less sugar. A lot of people actually wonder if it is possible to grow plantain directly from the fruit. The fact is that plantains are generally grown from suckers or corms rather than from seeds found in the fruit. On the other hand, understanding the process can really help you successfully grow healthy plantain plants at home or on your farm.

Understanding The Plantain Propagation

Most cultivated plantains are seedless unlike some fruits that contain fertile seeds. The tiny black spots you actually see inside the fruit are undeveloped seeds that cannot normally germinate. Because of this a lot of farmers actually grow plantain using vegetative propagation. This simply means the new plants grow from parts of an existing plant rather than from the fruit itself.

The most common planting materials are as follow:

·  Water suckers

·  Corms

·  Tissue-cultured plantlets

·  Sword suckers

Even if you cannot generally grow plantain directly from the edible fruit, you can still easily use the mature plantain plant to produce new suckers for planting.

Choosing the Right Plantain Variety for Planting

Before planting make sure you choose a healthy and productive plantain variety that is suitable for your climate. Some common varieties you can choose from include:

·  French plantain

·  False horn plantain

·  Horn plantain

Healthy planting material actually produces stronger plants and they are better disease resistance, and higher yields.

The Climate Requirements for Plantain Plant

The plantain plant actually grows best in warm tropical climates.

·  A high humidity

·  Plantain plant plenty of rainfall

·  Plantain plant need full sunlight

·  A temperature between 24°C and 30°C

Plantain plants do not actually tolerate frost or extremely cold weather. In areas with less rainfall, regular watering of the plant is very important.

The Soil Requirements For Planting

Plantain plant actually thrives in a rich, well-drained soil with high organic matter. The ideal soil pH is between 5.5 and 7.0.

To prepare the soil for planting:

1.    You need to remove weeds and grasses.

2.    You need to loosen the soil deeply.

3.    You also need to Mix in compost or animal manure.

4.    Make sure there is proper drainage to prevent root rot.

Make sure you avoid waterlogged soil because excessive moisture can easily damage the roots.

How to Obtain Planting Material For Planting

Since the plantain fruit itself does not generally produce viable seeds, you actually need suckers from a mature plantain plant.

Different Types of Suckers

The Sword Suckers: The Sword Suckers are the best for planting because they are really strong and healthy. The Sword Suckers have narrow leaves and a well-developed root system.

The Water Suckers: The Water Suckers have broad leaves and weaker roots. The Water Suckers can still grow but may produce lower yields.

Make sure you choose disease-free suckers that are about three to four feet tall.

Preparing the Suckers For Planting

Before planting:

1.    You need to trim excess roots.

2.    You need to remove damaged parts.

3.    You need to cut off old leaves.

4.    You need to dip the sucker in wood ash or fungicide to reduce disease risk.

Make sure you allow the sucker to dry slightly before planting.

The Planting Process

Digging the Hole for Planting

Dig holes about:

·  Sixty centimeter wide

·  Sixty centimeter deep

You need to Mix the topsoil with compost or manure before refilling part of the hole.

Spacing the Plant

Proper spacing of the plant helps to improve airflow and sunlight exposure.

Recommended spacing:

·  It can be 3 meters × 3 meters

This gives each of the plantain plant enough room to grow.

Planting the Plantain Sucker

1.    Just place the plantain sucker upright in the hole.

2.    Then cover the sucker with soil firmly.

3.    Make sure you water immediately after planting.

Make sure the base is well covered but not buried too deeply.

The Watering Requirements

Plantain plants actually need regular moisture for healthy growth.

Watering Tips

·  Make sure you water deeply during dry periods.

·  Make sure you keep the soil moist but not waterlogged.

·  Mulching the plant actually helps retain moisture.

The young plantain plants actually require more consistent watering until established.

Mulching

Mulching the plant provides several benefits:

·  It helps conserves soil moisture

·  It helps reduces weeds

·  It helps to add nutrients

·  It helps to protects the roots from heat

The following are good mulch materials:

·  Banana leaves

·  Straw

·  Compost

·  Dry grass

You need to spread mulch around the plantain plant but keep it away from the stem.

Fertilizing Plantain Plant

Plantain plants are heavy feeder and they needs regular nutrients.

Organic Fertilizers

Examples are:

·  Cow dung

·  Compost

·  Poultry manure

Inorganic Fertilizers

Balanced fertilizers that is rich in:

·  Phosphorus

·  Potassium

·  Nitrogen

You can easily apply fertilizer every few months for better growth and fruit production.

Weed Control

Weeds actually compete for water and nutrients.

The methods of weed control are:

·  Mulching

·  Light hoeing

·  Hand weeding

Make sure you avoid damaging the shallow roots during weeding.

Supporting the Plantain Plant

As the plantain plant grows and the fruits develop, the stem may bend due to heavy bunches.

You can use wooden poles or bamboo stakes to support the plantain plant and prevent it from falling.

Pest and Disease Management on Plantain Plant

A plantain plant can actually suffer from several pests and diseases.

The Common Pests

·  Banana weevils

·  Aphids

·  Nematodes

The Common Diseases

·  Black Sigatoka

·  Bacterial wilt

·  Panama disease

Pest and Disease Prevention Tips

·  Make sure you use healthy suckers

·  Make sure your farm is clean

·  Make sure you remove infected plants

·  Also improve airflow between the plantain plants

Early detection can really help to reduce serious damage.

Flowering and Fruiting

Plantain plants generally begin flowering after eight to fifteen months, although depending on the variety and growing conditions of the plant.

A flower bud emerges from the center of the plantain plant and can easily develop into a bunch of plantains.

Each of the plantain plant usually produces fruit once. After harvest, the main stem of the plant dies, but new suckers actually continue the cycle.

The Harvesting of Plantain

Generally plantains are actually harvested while still green but fully mature.

The signs of maturity in plantain plant are:

·  Full-sized fingers

·  Slight color change

·  Rounded fruits

You can use a very sharp knife or sharp cutlass to harvest carefully without damaging nearby suckers.

Post-Harvest Care

After harvesting the plantain fruit:

1.    You need to cut down the old stem.

2.    You can leave the healthy suckers for the next crop.

3.    You can add compost around the base.

4.    Make sure you continue watering and mulching.

Doing this will actually encourage continuous production.