Banana plant

Banana plant: plant 250 cm (98 in) apart in the row and 300 cm (118 in) between rows, 1 plant per 69 squares. Good neighbours: Marigold, Basil, Lemongrass.

Key facts

Spacing in the row	250 cm (98 in)
Between rows	300 cm (118 in)
In a 30 cm (1 ft) square	1 plant per 69 squares
Sun	Full sun, 6–8 hours a day
Root depth	25 cm (10 in)
Height when grown	300 cm (118 in)
Crop rotation group	Herbs, flowers and perennials
Support	None needed

Planting

How it is started	By dividing a clump, from a bought plant
Cuttings per planting hole	1
When to plant	Outdoors after the last frost; soil at least 18 °C

Care

Takes transplanting	Only with care, keep the root ball
Hardening off	10–14 days
Life cycle	Tender perennial, grown as an annual where it freezes
Cold tolerance	Tender, hurt by frost
Soil	Rich, with compost, free draining, pH 5.5–6.5
In a pot	60 L, 50 cm (19.7 in)
Watering	Water when the soil is dry two fingers down; while growing, in dry spells
Feeding	Hungry; in spring, while growing, while picking
Support and training	A stake; tie in as it grows

Harvest and planning

Days to first harvest	1–1.5 years, from planting
Ready when	The fruit is the size you want, still young
Harvest window	All at once, 2–4 weeks
Typical yield	10–30 kg per plant
Botanical family	Musaceae
Watch out for	Spider mites, root rot in wet soil
First crop after	1–2 years
Pollination	Fruits on its own

Good neighbours

◐ good with a condition · Why, with the sources →

Plan Banana plant in your garden

Open the free planner, drop Banana plant onto a bed and see how many plants fit.

Start Planning Your Garden

Sowing and harvest

Plant out	May
Harvest	Aug–Oct

My dates for this crop

My country Last spring frost where I live

Give the date once and this page, the sowing calendar and the planner all follow it.

Months for a temperate climate: about a month later in the north and a month earlier in the south. Give your own last frost date for exact dates.

What to plant next to Banana plant →

Grown much the same way

Crops that need about the same room and care, from another family.

Sources

The values on this page marked as checked come from these sources: spacing, sowing depth, germination, soil, timing and safety notes, each against the source named here.

Minor Fruits and Nuts in Georgia (B 992) — University of Georgia Cooperative Extension for: soil; checked 2026-10-31

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