Want to feed your plants? Many love banana peels! Let’s talk about which plants like banana peels and how to use them in your garden!
Plants need sun, water, and nutrients to flourish. One way that you can get nutrients to plants is with banana peels!
Why are banana peels good for plants?
Bananas contain a ton of potassium, which is 1/3 of fertilizer (along with nitrogen and phosphorus). Potassium helps plants move nutrients and water between their cells. It is especially helpful for plants that fruit or flower.
They also contain small amounts of manganese, calcium, magnesium and sulfur, all of which plants enjoy. They are not however a full replacement for fertilizer as they do not contain nitrogen.
Finally, banana peels have been known to help to repel aphids. So, if you have having a problem with them, it’s worth a try!
How can you give banana peels to plants?
You can give banana peels to your plants by placing them on the soil, burying them, or making a banana tea!
Placing them on the soil
You can simply throw banana peels under your plants and let them decompose there.
Rain, sun, and time will encourage the banana peels to break down and their nutrients and elements will gradually seep into the soil and be absorbed by the roots of your plants.
Making banana tea
If that is attracting bugs or critters, you might prefer to make DIY banana tea for your plants!
Making banana tea involves soaking banana peels in water to help encourage the nutrients to seep out into the water.
You can then spread the water – or the water and the remaining peel – under your plants on top of or in the soil.
Burying banana peels
Finally, you can bury banana peels in the soil near your plants to keep them off the surface! They tend to break down faster this way, too.
Burying your banana peels still allows them to break down, but cuts down on the critters or pests that you might attract.
Burying the peels is my pick – but it is the most work out of all of the options!
Which plants like banana peels?
Banana peels are especially good for plants that flower or fruit.
What plants benefit from banana peels:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Roses
- Staghorn ferns
- Air plants
- Banana trees
Should you use banana peels in potted plants?
You can use banana plants in potted plants, but I do not recommend using banana peels on indoor plants as it attracts gnats. Here’s how I use sticky traps to get rid of gnats!
Free printable recipe card
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Any more questions about banana peels for plants?!
Thanks for reading!
