Banana Plant Growing Kit "I'm All Smiles"

Grow your own banana tree from seed — the Banana Plant Growing Kit "I'm All Smiles" by Radis et Capucine is the perfect gift for plant lovers with a sense of humour. The fun gift box doubles as a greeting card, and inside you'll find everything needed to grow an ornamental banana (Ensete ventricosum) from scratch.

Unlike seed-only packets, this is a complete kit: terracotta pot, coconut substrate and seeds — ready to go. Hand-packed in Anjou, France, by Radis et Capucine, seed specialists since 1927.

Growing Guide: How to Sow

1. Prepare substrate: Soak the two coconut tablets in 5–6 times their volume of water. They expand instantly into loose growing medium.
2. Soak seeds: Place seeds in lukewarm water (approx. 30 °C) for 24–48 hours. Optional: lightly scarify the seed coat with sandpaper to speed up water absorption.
3. Sow: Plant seeds 1 cm deep in the moist substrate. Place the flat side of the seed facing sideways.
4. Warmth is key: Keep at a constant 25–30 °C. A windowsill above a radiator works well; a heat mat is even better.
5. Keep moist: Spray regularly — keep the substrate evenly moist but never waterlogged.
6. Be patient: Germination takes 2–8 weeks and varies greatly. Don't give up!
7. After sprouting: Once the seedling reaches 5 cm, move to a bright spot away from direct midday sun. Growth accelerates dramatically from here.

Care Tips

• Location: Bright and warm. Move outdoors in summer (balcony, terrace). Bring inside by September — not frost-hardy.
• Watering: Keep soil moist, not soggy. Reduce in winter.
• Feeding: Weekly liquid fertiliser from spring to autumn.
• Repotting: At least annually into a larger pot — this fast grower needs room.
• Overwintering: Indoors in a bright spot at minimum 15 °C. Less water, no fertiliser.
• Growth: After the slow germination phase, growth explodes — 1–2 metres in the first year, with leaves exceeding one metre in length.

Tips & Tricks

• Use a heat mat for far better germination rates — windowsills alone are often too cool at night.
• Mist the leaves regularly to simulate tropical humidity and prevent brown leaf edges.
• Repot into a 5-litre pot once the plant reaches 20 cm — it rewards you with explosive growth.

FAQ

What's the difference to the seed-only packet?
This kit includes pot, soil and seeds — everything you need. The seed packet contains only seeds. Plus the fun gift box makes it a ready-made present.

Will it produce bananas?
Ensete ventricosum is an ornamental banana. It won't fruit in our climate, but its spectacular metre-long tropical leaves more than make up for it.

How tall does it grow indoors?
In a pot, expect 1.5–2.5 metres depending on care. The leaves alone can exceed one metre.

Contents: 1 terracotta pot (6 cm) with inscription, 2 banana seeds (Ensete ventricosum), 2 coconut substrate tablets, growing instructions. Package: 12 × 18 × 7 cm, 135 g. Hand-packed in France by Radis et Capucine.