As new banana ( Musa ) leaves rise from the heart of the plant , the external leaf get dry and rick dark-brown , causing bananas to look ragged and unsightly . A few dead leaveswon’t affect banana plants , but they do detract from the lush , visual consequence and can harbor insects , especially when growing out of doors . Bananas take a twelvemonth or more to bloom in freeze - free , tropic climates , but as houseplants , and in Mediterranean and temperate zona climates , banana make ideal non - blooming foliage plants . trim non - blooming banana plants will keep your plants look good for you and lush .
Step 1
Select brown , all in leafage from outermost layers of the plant . Each banana tree leaf extends down the al-Qaida of the plant . The lower part of each tightly wrap folio forms the sturdy , fleshybanana stalk .
Step 2
Cut the the leafage stalk where it branches aside from the plant using a clean , acuate knife . Leave 1/2 to 1 inch of the stalk sticking out from the side of the trunk .
Step 3
Cut broken leaves at the break point using sharp shear . winding and fauna can easily stop the fleshy leaves . Once damaged , a banana tree folio wo n’t repair , but you could tidy up the flora to forestall further lacrimation .
Tip
Bananas develop in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 5 through 11 depending on the metal money . Many bananas are tropicals that can not survive any cold temperatures . Several metal money of unfearing banana can outlive hard icing at the root level , but the foliage will die back with the first killing frost . In saltation , raw maturation will emerge from the source . The Japanese banana ( Musa basjoo ) , hardy to USDA zones 5 , is an option for frost - prostrate areas . When grow a frost - brave banana in a cold part of the growing region , disregard back the whole flora 24 inches from the base . employ a tree visualise to swerve through the fleshy husk . propagate a 4- to 6 - inch - recondite layer around the base of the stalk . In spring , rip back the mulch to reveal the new shoots .
Always sanitize your pruning tools after trimming banana and other garden flora . Fill a bucketful with 3 parts water and 1 part bleach , then dip the cutting blade of each creature into the bucket for at least five mo . Rinse the tools and leave them to dry before putting them away . Keep pruning tools away from untried child and pet while they are dry to forbid injury .
If you are grow banana outdoors , pick a office out of the flatus . Strong winds will rip up the leave to ribbons and can cause the whole leaf stalk to break .

Warning
Wear old dress . Banana sap work all the way after the cut , but leaves a dark red grunge on vesture .
Do n’t pull the leaf . Banana leaves really get down far down the trunk , each wrap leafage grade a layer of the stubble . Pulling off the leaves can expose the stalk and damage the plant .