Dead Growth on Banana Plants

Pruning

• Pruning of banana plants is usually done to limit the number of suckers growing from the rhizome, but occasionally you may need to prune away diseased or dead leaves. The Purdue University Horticulture Department recommends removing older, withering or drooping leaves if they shade newly developing suckers, get in the way of your spraying regimen, cause blemished fruit, hold disease-causing organisms or pests or present a fire hazard.

Wind

• Banana leaves are made to shred to prevent the whole leaf from detaching from the plant due to wind. The veins in the leaves run perpendicular to the midrib, so even light winds can cause the banana leaves to shred. This damage doesn't kill the leaf, but does interfere somewhat with its function. Allow your plants to retain their shredded and tattered leaves. They will still produce food for the plants, and the plants need an abundance of food to flower and fruit well. The leaves also protect maturing fruits. Install windbreaks around your plants to protect against wind damage and reduce shredding.

Timing

• Wait to remove leaves until two-thirds of the surface browns and dies, recommends the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. Leaving mostly dead leaves on the plant won't hurt anything except the appearance of the plant; however, you should remove leaves that die from disease. If you don't plan to use your plants for fruiting, allowing them to retain unattractive leaves is less important.

Disease

• Diseases, pests and drought can cause yellowing, browning and death of leaves. Sigatoka disease -- also known as leaf spot or black leaf streak -- develops under wet conditions, leading to discolored spots on leaves. Flecks on the leaves develop yellow halos. Leaf tissue dies, and eventually entire leaves die. Panama disease, also known as banana wilt or Fusarium wilt, enters plants through the soil, through their roots or through injuries. The oldest leaves are the first affected. Yellowing on each leaf moves from the base through the margin to the center. Cordana leaf spot causes brown, oval-shaped lesions with yellow borders. This disease also affects older leaves first.

Leaf Uses

• Use dead leaves to provide mulch around your banana plants. Not only will this help reduce weeds around your plants, the mulch will return valuable nutrients to the soil that your plants can reuse.

Temperature

• Cool temperatures and dry conditions slow the growth of banana plants and the appearance of new leaves. While the leaves of most banana plants experience freeze damage even in mild frosts, hardy banana plants withstand colder temperatures.