Hi dear Steemians, this is my entry for #fruitsandveggiesmonday competition by @lenasveganliving
I am from Venezuela, and, as some of you know, we are having economic issues and shortage of food, so the Venezuelan has to apply his ingenuity to be able to overcome these problems. That is why my family and I decide to sow various vegetables.
For this competition I wanna present you my plantation of Banana:
This is a "baby" banana plant:
This is a Banana's tree with some unripe bananas:
This is one of my Banana's trees with ripe bananas
Source: My garden and I - Photographs taking with the camera of my cellphone LG Phoenix 2
The banana is an edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called plantains, in contrast to dessert bananas. The fruit is variable in size, color, and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich in starch covered with a rind, which may be green, yellow, red, purple, or brown when ripe. The fruits grow in clusters hanging from the top of the plant.
Wikipedia
The Bananas growing in my garden are dessert bananas and they are green (so the last ones in the picture are actually ready to eat).
The benefits of the banana
The Banana is rich in: magnesium, potassium, folic acid and astringent action substances; without neglecting its high fiber content, of the fruit-oligosaccharide type. It is poor in fat and protein.
Also beta-carotene, vitamins of group B -especially, folic acid- and C, good fiber and some vitamin E. The presence of the three antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E) makes it appear as 'fruit-health', a little diuretic and remineralizing. For all these reasons, it is a source of natural and tasty energy, excellent for children and athletes.
How to grow bananas at home?
To start the cultivation of banana, it is necessary to have a bulb or rhizome stolen from a mother plant.
Take the rhizome and wash it in water preferably not chlorinated to eliminate the presence of any bacteria and fungi that can compromise the birth of a new plant.
Choose a fairly large container with a diameter of at least fifty centimeters and a perforated base to facilitate drainage. Place a layer of small stones on the bottom and then cover with a little compost. Finally add the fertile soil until filling the pot that is available.
Drill a hole in the ground deep enough to hold the root or banana rhizome and then take steps to put the plant.
Rinse thoroughly and place the pot in a sunny place, but not exposed to direct light.
Water the soil regularly or when it feels dry to the touch. After a few days the first knots will begin to appear and in the seventh month you will have a good seedling.
The fruits could make their appearance after twelve months and should be harvested when they are still green.
Remember to protect the banana plant from wind and sharp cold. During the hottest season of the year you can put the plant outdoors but during the winter it is convenient to put it in a closed place and sufficiently heated to prevent it from dying quickly.
The ideal temperature for banana trees is between 25 ° C and 28 ° C. Their leaves are very voluminous and require a large amount of water. For this reason, it is often necessary to water the plant and fertilize frequently with organic fertilizers or manure. Make sure you get plenty of light during the day and at least twelve consecutive hours of heat. Only in this way can you have beautiful plants and tasty fruits.
I recommend this delicious fruits to eat natural, for vegan desserts, banana compote and other natural recipes. in venezuela we also take advantage of the leaves of the banana's tree to wrap corn or Yucca buns, they are so tasty:
Source
Sources:
http://aliciacrocco.com.ar/2012/01/la-banana-y-sus-propiedades-2/
https://www.meteofan.net/cultivar-los-platanos-casa-se-pueden-cultivar-maceta/3/
Myself
I hope you liked it!