You can decongest by removing suckers, leaves and buds from the shamba.
It is recommended that you maintain only three suckers per plant if you are to realise good yields in terms of size and number of bunches.
To do this, look out for extra suckers that are coming up and dig them up. Likewise, you should not let old leaves dry and rot while still on the stem.
Old, rotting leaves can hasten the movement of pests from the soil into the plant.
You should, therefore, cut them off at least once every after three months.
To maintain good banana harvests, do not let the bunch drop directly to the ground because that affects its quality.
The bananas are scarred with marks if they hit the ground while others are shattered. This lowers their shelf life.
Dealing with soil erosion
If your banana plantation is on a steep slope, dig trenches of 60cm wide and 60cm deep across the slope, putting soil on the upper side of the trench.
These should be 10 to 20 paces apart. Trenches prevent the washing away of soil down the slope when it rains and also enhance water infiltration.
You should stabilise the trenches using grass bands, for example, kisubi (lemon grass) or vetiver. You plant them in a line on top of the trenches.
