You like to eat bananas? Then don't throw away the leftovers from now on. Because the plants in your garden and on the balcony will be happy about a banana peel as fertilizer!
Nature has so much to offer. You don't have to buy expensive fertilizer if you make sure that banana peels don't end up in the trash from now on. They are much too good for the organic waste garbage can.
If you prepare them properly, then banana peels as fertilizer are optimal for many plants. They provide nutrients for roses and a whole range of houseplants.
Today I want to show you how to do it and what to look out for.
Table of contents
- Why is it worth making fertilizer yourself?
- Why are banana peels suitable as fertilizer?
- Why you should use organic bananas for fertilizing
- What plants can be fertilized with banana peel?
- How do I prepare the shell as fertilizer?
- How to make liquid fertilizer from banana peel?
- Tip: Use shells as leaf care
Why is it worth making fertilizer yourself?
I'm generally not a big fan of fertilizers. Purchased fertilizers are artificially produced, harmful to the climate and really expensive.
On the other hand, of course, I know that plants need enough nutrients to grow optimally. So that I know what my plants get and do not produce waste, I like to resort to home remedies. Coffee grounds or banana peel as fertilizer come in handy.
There is a lot to be said for this form of fertilizer, because banana peels usually just end up in organic waste. But you can use them to make a free plant fertilizer. And that's not even difficult.
Their high mineral content ensures that leaves turn a beautiful lush green, flowers bloom more profusely and plants look healthier overall.
This is how you apply a nettle liquid manure as fertilizer!
Why are banana peels suitable as fertilizer?
Did you know that every German eats an average of twelve kilograms of bananas per year? Or to put it another way, a household of four people produces up to 400 banana peels a year.
Most of the time they end up in the trash. Because only a few know that banana peels are suitable as fertilizer. The peels of the fruit are a very natural fertilizer for your plants. When dried, they contain around twelve percent minerals.
Put in the shell
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Calcium
But you can also find nitrogen and small amounts of sulfur in the banana peel. Potassium is the main component, accounting for around ten percent.
Thanks to the high potassium content, the shells are a boon especially for roses and flowering perennials.
What you need to know about banana peel as fertilizer
However, I have to put the brakes on your euphoria a little. Because even if the banana peel is very suitable as a biofertilizer, it is usually not enough.
There is simply too little nitrogen in the shell. Plants love nitrogen and need it for healthy growth. You should therefore regularly use an additional biological fertilizer if your plants are not really getting off the ground.
Why you should use organic bananas for fertilizing
Unfortunately, the peel contains not only good. A lot of chemicals are used in the transport and cultivation of bananas.
Bananas are treated with a lot of pesticides and fungicides. If you want to do something good for your plants, then you should therefore reach for organic fruit.
The fungicide against the fungal species "Sigatoka Negra" is particularly problematic. It is sprayed at least once a week until just before harvest. The agent preserves the shell, which means that it decomposes only very slowly.
And let's be honest: your plants deserve only the best. Who knows what sprays have been used. You can do little wrong if you use organic banana peels as fertilizer.
Organic bananas are hardly more expensive than conventional bananas. But many of them come with the Fair Trade label, which means you're also doing the banana farmer a favor.
These plants love coffee as fertilizer!
What plants can be fertilized with banana peel?
The peels contain many nutrients, but do not replace a complete fertilizer. However, there are many plants that enjoy fertilizing with banana peels. These are especially those that have a high potassium requirement, such as
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Roses
- Geraniums
- Fuchsias
This is because they are considered susceptible to potassium deficiency. If you regularly provide them with banana peel fertilizer, the formation of leaves and flowers will improve. In addition, the organic fertilizer is said to positively affect the taste of tomatoes and cucumbers.
The big advantage: it is almost impossible that you overfertilize plants with this natural home remedy.
How do I prepare the shell as fertilizer?
Eat banana, just put peel under the bush - yes, you can do that. But it is not very effective. The plant can only absorb the nutrients with difficulty.
Making banana peel fertilizer
- In order for the banana peels to decompose quickly, cut them into small pieces. You can do this with a sharp knife or with a food processor.
- Let the shells dry in the sun in an airy place.
- Avoid high humidity - this leads to mold.
- Important: Do not store the bowls in a closed container, otherwise they will start to mold!
You can collect the dried peels until you have enough to fertilize. The rule of thumb is a handful of peels per plant. Overfertilizing is almost impossible.
Use banana peel as fertilizer
To fertilize, work the dried shell pieces into the soil.
Roses and other flowering shrubs will thank you with many flowers. The plants will also be healthier and more resistant in winter.
Because there is not a lot of nitrogen in the shells, you can feed the plants with this organic fertilizer all year round.
Get rid of aphids with this home remedy!
How to make liquid fertilizer from banana peel?
For houseplants and flowers on the balcony, this form of fertilizing is less suitable. The shells when degraded become muddy and acquire their own unique smell.
If you want your houseplants to benefit from banana peel fertilizer as well, you'll need to make a liquid version.
This is how you proceed
- Chop the banana peels with a knife.
- Boil 100 grams of peels in a liter of water.
- Put the lid on the pot.
- Leave the brew to infuse overnight.
- Strain the shells with a fine sieve.
This liquid fertilizer you need to dilute 1:5 with water. Water the plants regularly with it and you will soon notice that they become stronger.
Tip: Use shells as leaf care
If you are an avid amateur gardener, you know that you can use a banana peel as a fertilizer and as a leaf care product. Houseplants with large leaves love to be wiped with banana peel.
Especially in winter, when a lot of dust settles on the leaves. So the dry heating air makes life doubly difficult for our plants.
Dust adheres particularly well to the moist and sticky inside of the peel. The pulp of the bananas makes the leaves shine again. So if you ever have a peel over, don't throw it in the trash until you've cleaned the leaves of your plants of dirt particles.
Our conclusion
Instead of throwing them in the trash, you should use the banana peel as fertilizer. All you have to do is dry it and work it into the soil. Potted plants will appreciate a liquid fertilizer that you dilute with water.
Have fun making it and all the best for your plants!
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