Tropical bananas thrive under direct sunlight. Full sun (6–8 hours each day) gives plants the energy they need to grow lots of fruits. A little afternoon shade helps avoid leaf burning in intense sunlight. More sunlight is usually preferable for these plants.
Maintenance requires occasional trimming to remove dead or browning foliage and fruit stalks. This improves the plant's look and promotes growth and fruiting. Selective sucker thinning may also help the main plant grow.
Bananas can be harvested 10–14 months after planting, depending on conditions. Bananas ripen after picking, unlike other fruits. Watch for flattened ridges and little yellowing at the tips. The little blossoms at the tops of the bananas should be dry and easily brushed off.
The easiest and most usual propagation method is carefully extracting a healthy sucker from the mother plant and transplanting it nearby or elsewhere in your yard. Planting a sucker with roots and three leaves is likely to succeed.