Bananas are a staple for many when it comes to fruit varieties. It is also a fruit that is commercially available all year round. The shells are usually given in the residual waste. But it is precisely here that there are many nutrients that different plants need for healthy growth. Therefore, the banana peels should not be thrown away, but used as fertilizer. The following article explains which plants can be fertilized with the bowl and how to proceed.
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Origin of the banana
Bananas have not yet entered the local areas as crops. The fruits always come from overseas, but are also available here all year round and are not only found at the fruit counters depending on the season. Organic bananas are not much more expensive than conventionally grown ones. The fruits mainly, around 90%, come from the following countries:
- Costa Rica
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Panama
Cheap fertilizer made from banana peel
Banana peels, which often end up in the trash, are a good fertilizer for some plants. Potassium in particular is contained in the shells and this is what plants that consume a lot of food need in increased quantities. Nevertheless, the peels cannot be used as a complete fertilizer, but banana peels are a good choice for regular additional fertilization for heavy consumers who need a lot of potassium. The dried peel of a ripe fruit contains the following nutrients:
- 12% mineral content in total
- of which about 10% potassium, about 1% magnesium and about 1% calcium
- additionally about 2% nitrogen
- Small amount of sulphur
make fertilizer
Simply crushing the banana peels and mixing them under the ground is not possible. For the natural fertilizer, the shells must be prepared. Once dried, they can be mixed in, or a liquid fertilizer is produced, which can then be added to the irrigation water. The first method with dried skins is well suited for bedding plants, while fertilizing with the liquid fertilizer is more suitable for container cultivation. Proceed as follows when preparing the fertilizer:
- Cut the shells into small pieces
- Alternatively, chop with a food processor
- leave to dry in an airy place
- this should be dry and warm
- avoid high humidity
- for liquid fertilizer, boil crushed peel
- 100 grams per liter of water
- Let the brew steep for about 12 hours
- then strain
- Finally dilute with water 1:5 to fertilize
Banana peel compost
Getting a compost from just banana peels is not that easy. Because although the shells rot faster than originally thought, they need an accompaniment from other garden waste. Because only the shells without any other accompaniment of green waste tend to stick together and thus quickly form mold. Then banana peels are no longer suitable as fertilizer. However, it is possible to add banana peels to the compost and support it with the minerals it contains. If the shells should nevertheless decompose into compost on their own, you can proceed as follows:
- Garden soil in a sufficiently large container
- add chopped banana peel
- fold in
- Use soil later for replanting
Alternatively, the crushed shells can be worked directly into the soil around the plants. They decompose here over time and therefore gradually release the minerals and potassium to the roots of the plants.
vegetable plants
There are some vegetable plants that need a lot of potassium and can therefore be supplied with a fertilizer made from banana peels over the growing season. Since this contains only little nitrogen, it does not promote the growth of the plants, but it does promote flowering and fruit formation. In this way, the following plants can be well supplied with banana fertilizer in order to obtain a rich harvest and a better storage capacity of the fruit.
Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)
- sheltered, sunny location
- Soil loose and humus
- Change location every year, heavy feeder
- need a lot of fertilizer and water
- Enrich soil with compost before planting
- Put a layer of mulch on the soil
- Additional fertilization with potassium in July
- weekly from now on
- after flowering only every two weeks
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum)
- medium-heavy and deep soil
- no waterlogging
- needs a lot of nutrients
- water only when dry
- sunny, warm location
- only grow every four years in the same bed
- Enrich garden soil with compost before planting
- fertilize regularly during the growing season
- supply with potassium about every two weeks
Pumpkins (Cucurbita)
- more storable with banana fertilizer
- need a lot of nutrients
- prepare the bed with compost before planting
- regular fertilizer application during the growing season
- more compost every two weeks
- enrich them with dry banana fertilizer
- water sufficiently in the event of a long drought
- can be cultivated as an annual plant
- must be harvested before the first frost
Carrots (Daucus carota ssp. sativus)
- sunny location
- loamy-sandy, humic and loose soil
- water only in dry periods
- many fertilizers, heavy feeders
- Prepare soil before sowing
- already fold in powder from bowls
- along with compost
- fertilize regularly during the growing season
- mostly potassium
- every two to three weeks
Pastinaken (Pastinaca sativa subsp. sativa)
- sunny to partially shaded location
- loose, deep sandy soil
- high humus content and slightly moist
- needs a lot of nutrients
- Prepare bed with compost before sowing
- fertilize regularly from June to October
- potassium fertilizer from banana peels every two weeks
- water in dry periods
Sellerie (Knolle) (Apium graveolens var. rapaceum)
- moist, well-loosened soil
- humus, sandy and loamy
- sunny to partially shaded location
- heavy feeder
- needs a lot of water
- prepare soil with compost before planting
- regular fertilizer application with potassium
- every two weeks from May to September
- good storage ability
- this is increased by banana fertilizer
Tomaten (Solanum lycopersicum)
- sunny, wind-protected warm location
- Fruits should be protected from too much rain
- humic and nutrient-rich soil
- no waterlogging
- water and fertilize sufficiently
- Prepare soil before planting
- Mix in compost and shredded husks
- mix together in the ground
- then supply potassium every two weeks
Zucchini (Cucurbita pine var. Giromontiina)
- sunny to partially shaded location
- humic and loose soil
- water during dry periods
- needs a lot of fertilizer as a heavy feeder
- Fertilize with compost when sowing
- grown in pots is sufficient potting soil
- Prepare later bed with compost
- Fertilize with potassium from flowering onwards
- every two weeks until harvest
flowering plants
Not only among the vegetable plants, but also among the decorative flowering plants, there are some that are considered heavy consumers and therefore need a lot of potassium. The following garden and balcony plants are also very suitable for fertilizing with banana peels:
Fuchsia (Fuchsia)
- need a lot of potassium for rich flowering
- sunny or semi-shady to shady location
- well-drained, nutrient-rich soil
- fertilize regularly
- from May to October
- ideally with the prepared liquid fertilizer
- every two weeks
- do not fertilize in winter
- in March mixture of nitrogen and potassium
Geranien (Pelargonium)
- sunny location
- nutrient-rich soil
- fertilize regularly for lush flowering
- from May to October
- use self-made liquid fertilizer
- every two weeks with the irrigation water
- Stop fertilizing over the winter
- in March mixture of potassium and nitrogen
Roses (Pink)
- airy and sunny location
- fertilize twice a year
- once in March/April
- a second time during flowering in summer
- need a lot of potassium, little nitrogen
- Banana peels are ideal as fertilizer
- Fertilize roses in the bed with powder
- Supply plants in the bucket with liquid fertilizer
- also strengthens against diseases and fungi
