While trying to build soil, it is so important to me what kind of fertilizer I use in my garden. I don’t typically buy many fertilizers and when I do, I am particular. Banana Peel fertilizer is a great way to use what you have to make a potassium-rich fertilizer for your garden! My garden many times lacks this, so I wanted to share this hack with you of how to make banana peel fertilizer with your scraps.
I want to mention before you use this recipe, know about these three nutrients your plants need to grow. Your garden may NOT need potassium so you wouldn’t need this if that’s the case. Here are the essential nutrients.
Nitrogen supports the plant in healthy green foliage. Having too much Nitrogen will show signs of leaf discoloration and you can add Potassium (using this recipe) to even it out!
Phosphorus help supports strong roots and blooms on a plant. A plant will also show signs of leaf discoloration if there is too much phosphorus.
Potassium helps water and nutrients move through the plant. It also helps regulate photosynthesis as well as control the enzymes in the plant. You will know if a plant has too much potassium by it not having enough nitrogen along with stunted growth.
This article shares why NPK is so important. You can get a soil test kit to see what yours is lacking here!
Banana peels are perfect to increase a potassium deficiency in your plants. It’s a very cheap way to get natural nutrients versus buying fertilizer to support it.
I mentioned above some signs to look for a potassium deficiency in your garden. You want to look for stunted growth in your plants. Rooted vegetables are the ones that need lots of potassium. Here are a few common ones…
+ Carrots
+ Parsnip
+ Beans
+ Peas
If you have discoloration on your leaves, it’s likely there’s too much Phosphorus or Nitrogen. Potassium (this recipe) will help balance it out. Use soil test strips if needed to find out exactly what your soil needs!
Here are a few reasons I love banana peel fertilizer for my garden..
First, it’s free if you already have bananas! If you don’t eat them fast enough, they will go bad and you can use them for this instead of throwing them away.
And secondly, banana peels break down quickly so your plants can get a quick boost of nutrients without having to wait weeks or months for it to break down completely like other organic matter.
+ banana peels
+ water
That’s it! You can either let the banana peels sit in the water for a few days or weeks until it’s broken down completely. Or, if you’re like me and want to use it right away, you can chop up the banana peels into small pieces before adding them to the water.
+ Soil Test Kit to make sure this is the nutrient your soil needs!
+ Banana Peels (2-3 per quart size mason jar)
+ Water
+ Test your garden soil with this test kit to make sure you’re not adding potassium versus another nutrient to the soil, depleting it even more of nitrogen or phosphorus
+ add peels to a quart size mason jar
+ fill mason jar with water covering the banana peels
+ add the lid to the jar and let it sit for a week or two to ferment
+ After a week or two apply the banana peel fertilizer to your soil, the base of the plants. Watch them bloom! You can keep banana peel fertilizer in the fridge for up to a month. If you want it to last longer, you can add more water to the jar or container. Just make sure to cover the banana peels completely.
Once the banana peels have broken down completely or been chopped up into small pieces, you can add them to your plants. I like to add it directly to the roots, but you can also mix it in with your potting soil before planting.
If you have banana peels left over or want to make a bigger batch, you can store them in a mason jar or other airtight container. Just add more water if needed to cover the banana peels completely. I like to keep mine in the fridge, so it lasts longer.
Banana peels are a great way to keep aphids and other bugs away from your plants. Just place them around the base of the plant or in the potting soil.
Banana peels make great mulch because they break down quickly and add nutrients to the soil. You can either chop them up or just place them around the plant and cover it with a layer of soil.
Banana peels are high in potassium and other nutrients, so they make great compost for your plants. Just add them to your compost bin or pile.
Banana peels are full of nutrients that can help seeds germinate and grow. Just place the banana peel in the bottom of the hole before planting the seed.
If you have indoor plants, you can use banana peels to fertilize them. Just place the banana peel in a bowl of water and let it soak for a few days. Then, water your plants with the banana peel water.
Banana Peel Fertilizer can do so much for your garden! So, stop letting those peels go to waste. I hope you give it a try!
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