8 Tips for Growing Banana Kush Cannabis: Grower’s Guide

If you love the Banana Kush strain and fancy growing your own, this grow guide is for you. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about growing Banana Kush while revealing some helpful yield-boosting tips. First, here’s a brief strain overview for those unfamiliar with this hybrid.

Tip #1: Banana Kush Strain Review

Banana Kush is a Californian strain and is a cross between Skunk Haze and Ghost OG. It is an indica-dominant (60:40) hybrid that smells and tastes like fresh bananas. With a THC content ranging anywhere from 16% to 27%, this is a strain capable of being extremely potent.

As its effects hit hard and fast, novice smokers should be cautious and use only a small amount at first. If you feel stressed, Banana Kush is ideal because it helps you relax and unwind. However, once the full effects take hold, you will likely become couch-locked and heavily sedated.

It is a popular medicinal strain and is used to address appetite loss, stress, anxiety, chronic pain, and depression. As Banana Kush is so potent, it can cause dizziness and occasionally cause anxiety and paranoia.

Tip #2: Banana Kush Growth Difficulty

Experienced Banana Kush growers rate its growth difficulty as moderate, as it is prone to mold. The most common problem is powdery mildew, a disease found on the buds and leaves of many marijuana strains. It typically occurs on the lower branches due to poor airflow and less exposure to light.

It is easy enough to spot as it manifests as a white powder on the surface of the leaves. If you spot it, treat it ASAP because it spreads extremely quickly as it makes its way to bud sites. Prevention is better than cure, so prune your plants regularly, keep the humidity level in the grow room down, and spray your plants with organic products.

If you discover powdery mildew, mix a tiny amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide with water. The resulting solution sterilizes the plants and eliminates the mildew. It is a painstaking process, but it prevents your entire crop from being infected.

Tip #3: The Best Growing Techniques for Banana Kush

With Banana Kush, it is all about hydroponic growing. Here are a few tips if you decide to grow your weed using an inert growing medium:

• Ensure all equipment is sterile, including the tanks, reservoirs, filters, pipes, and any other physical part of the system. Without proper sanitization, pathogens such as root rot can take hold and spread rapidly. Disinfect your equipment with hydrogen peroxide and isopropyl alcohol regularly.
• The water running through your system should be 65 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure good nutrient absorption and to keep algae at bay.
• Begin with clean, pH-neutral (7.0) water. Use a reverse osmosis (RO) system if necessary. Keep the pH of the soil between 5.5 and 6.3.
• Invest in a proper lighting system. If you have a small grow room, CFLs are okay. If your grow room is on the larger side, get HID or LED lights.
• Good airflow keeps the temperature in check and reduces the risk of excess humidity impacting the plants!

Tip #4: Increase CO2 Levels to Boost Your Banana Kush Yield

One way to boost your yield is to increase the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in your grow room during the flowering stage. Banana Kush generally produces a moderate indoor yield of up to 18 ounces per square meter. However, if you add the right level of CO2, you could boost your yield by around 20%.

When you introduce CO2, it increases the amount of light that your plants can use. The longer and more intense the light exposure, the larger the buds. Usually, you can run into problems with light burn if you use high-powered lights such as a 1000W bulb or strong LEDs.

It is important to note that merely adding CO2 on its own is not enough. If your plants are exposed to moderate light intensity, adding carbon dioxide to the room will achieve nothing. You should only use this tactic if you believe your Banana Kush plants have already maxed out on light.

When you use CO2, make sure you seal off the grow area. Pump enough of the gas into the room to significantly alter the CO2 ppm (parts per million) in the air. Natural CO2 levels in the air have increased to almost 400 ppm. You will need to maintain CO2 levels of around 1500 ppm in a room with extremely bright and intense light. One final point: Exposure to high CO2 levels is harmful to humans, so do not stay in the grow room for long periods!

Tip #5: Feeding Banana Kush

If you want to get the best out of Banana Kush, you need to feed it heavily. While it is common for novice growers to overfeed their marijuana plants, it is less of an issue with this strain. Light is essential for growth because plants use it to convert light energy into chemical energy during photosynthesis. This energy fuels vegetative and flowering growth.

Be sure to provide your Banana Kush plants with sufficient nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Don’t forget about the other vital micronutrients such as zinc, manganese, iron, copper, boron, silicon, and cobalt.

Add a spoonful of molasses heavily diluted in water near the end of the flowering stage. Adding a teaspoon per gallon every time you water your plants should be enough. Molasses works just as well as the most expensive supplements and costs a fraction of the price.

Tip #6: Should You Grow Banana Kush Indoors or Outdoors?

You can grow Banana Kush outdoors. It is typically ready for harvesting in early October and produces up to 21 ounces per plant. However, it thrives in an indoor environment where you have complete control over the growing conditions. Remember, pruning and training Banana Kush is essential, as is ensuring the grow room has excellent airflow.

Tip #7: Banana Kush Flowering Time

Banana Kush’s indoor flowering time is between 7-8 weeks. There are several ways to tell if your marijuana strain is ready for harvest. The most common way is the trichome method. It involves waiting for a certain percentage of the trichomes to turn a milky white color before harvesting. Opinions differ about the optimal percentage but waiting until 50% become milky white is a good rule of thumb.

Tip #8: Best Climate for Growing the Banana Kush Strain

Banana Kush grows best in a stable environment where temperatures are between 68-80 degrees Fahrenheit. The most important thing to consider is relative humidity (RH). As it grows thick, Banana Kush is susceptible to mold and powdery mildew in excessively humid conditions.

During the vegetative stage, keep the RH in your grow room to around 55-60%. Lower it by a few percent each week. Make sure that the RH is around 40% during flowering to reduce the risk of mold growth.

Final Thoughts on Growing Banana Kush

Banana Kush grows best indoors, and the main problem you will face is the possibility of powdery mildew. Keep the grow room temperature between 68-80 degrees Fahrenheit and reduce humidity to 40% or less during the flowering stage.