Banana

Here’s what I think I know about bananas…

“The world of Bananas” by Kepler is the Bible. 
Apple banana keiki (po huli) transplant.
Need to keep replanting.
Light winds will knock it out.
4’ spacing for a hedge but 8’ apart is a good spread.
Try to mix them so you have 1 fruiting, 1 flowering, 1 dorment.
Cut it just below the black sigitoa if there is a fungus that can come from too much moisture.
Sword suckers are the ones you want. You can cut off the root sections and they are viable. Hot dip them. Peel the stem (the ha) and chip away at the corm on the sides. The corm should not smaller than your fist for the starter. Look for and make sure to remove any banana borer. Take off all the leaves. Then let it scab over a day or two in the shade. Make sure you sterilize with a chlorine (10%) solution. May need to pot them in pro mix potting soil up 2-3 months before they take root but if they are the size of your thigh to plant in the soil.
Use an o’o to pry back the keiki so maybe a little into parent.
King of Spades is an 18” version. Take the cuttings and complete DMV (bungee top) – May need to burn them to sterilize.
Plant during the kane (almost new) moon and hua (football shaped) moon for best results.
Chop it at low tide and it will shoot straight up after.
When planting it, treat it like it is heavy and strong when you put it in the ground, it makes a difference. 
Fertilize banana in August to get them ready for the winter. 

My Elevation: 1000 feet

My Water: 100 inches per year

My Soil (May, 2019): pH=6, N=deficient, P=depleted, K=adequate

My luck growing it (as of July 2019): poor. tried 1 plant and 4 corms from PlantItHawaii on 4/12/2019 and 4 corms all died, 1 plant is still growing but nearly all the leaves die. Probably needs more water and N/P. Looks like it’s on its way out.