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Sep 30, 2016 4:51 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kevin Langley
London UK (Zone 6b)
Hi all I just hope my worse night mares haven't come true, but I've recently been growing a blood banana plant its been doing well so far and has 3 large leafs however one leaf has started to wilt and is turning brown, the other 2 leafs look healthy so does the stork but I'm getting a bit worried now as I've had an on going problem in the past with root maggot or maggots that eat the roots of plants mainly vegetables. Well I've noticed lots of little flies on my blood banana plant and I fear that the fies are planing to lay there eggs on it and that I might lose it very soon, its at an early stage so there are no maggots in the compost within the plant pot. I really don't want to lose this plant as its taken me a lot of patience to grow. Should I be worried or is there anything I can do now while the stage is early?
Last edited by AmberLeaf Sep 30, 2016 4:54 PM Icon for preview
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Sep 30, 2016 9:58 PM CST
Name: Daisy I
Reno, Nv (Zone 6b)
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Can you post some photos of your Banana? What color are the 'flys'?
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Oct 1, 2016 12:05 AM CST
Name: Sally
central Maryland (Zone 7b)
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you've been growing a lot of things, you might have a population of fungus gnats. They like damp soil but won't hurt the plants directly.
Here's a good thread about fungus gnats
The thread "Annoying Fungus Gnats!" in Ask a Question forum
Plant it and they will come.
Last edited by sallyg Oct 1, 2016 12:12 AM Icon for preview
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Oct 1, 2016 9:46 AM CST
Name: Will Creed
NYC
Prof. plant consultant & educator
Sally is correct. However, the presence of fungus gnats is often an indication that the soil is not being allowed to dry out sufficiently between waterings. The net result may be root rot and plant death caused not by fungus gnats but by over watering.

Let the soil dry out as much as possible right close to the wilt point. That will deprive the gnat larvae of essential moisture and may also prevent root rot.
Will Creed
Horticultural Help, NYC
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Oct 7, 2016 10:45 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kevin Langley
London UK (Zone 6b)
Update on the blood banana plant. The flies have gone now well at least from the banana plants I think the flies must have been left over from another plant that I had. I let the blood banana plant dry out a little and re-watered it yesterday. Its now just got 2 leaves on it that look healthy I'll be re-potting it pretty soon into a large clay pot. The leaves are red on one side and green on the other side. I'll give another update on how the plant is doing in one month time, hopefully it should have grow at least another leaf or 2 by then.
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Oct 7, 2016 10:48 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kevin Langley
London UK (Zone 6b)
DaisyI said:Can you post some photos of your Banana? What color are the 'flys'?


The flies are tiny black flies that move quickly when they walk with a sorta sharp tip appearance
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Oct 7, 2016 11:04 AM CST
Name: tarev
San Joaquin County, CA (Zone 9b)
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Hi Kevin, if those flies look like the ones on my Pinguicula, then those are fungus gnats. Presence of those gnats as posted earlier indicates soil getting too damp in your growing area. I grow these Pings, gnats finds them hard to resist: food for my carnivore. If you can source some droseras or pinguiculas that will help too.

Thumb of 2016-10-07/tarev/c6f65a Thumb of 2016-10-07/tarev/48a340
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Oct 7, 2016 11:19 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kevin Langley
London UK (Zone 6b)
Thanks for the photo. I don't think there the ones I had, mine had shorter legs and they were more pointy looking
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