If you’ve ever tried growing tomatoes, you’ll know that the tasty fruits are hard-earned. Between tomato-hungry pests, struggling stems, and poorly-developed fruit, it can be hard to know what to do with an underperforming plant.
Some hacks includeadding aspirin to the tommies’ water to boost their growth and “tapping” the stemto release pollen and “supercharge” the harvest.
But it seems there’s another homegrown tomato tip for gardeners – using a banana can seriously improve the vegetation’s yield and ripen slow-growing fruits sooner.
Here’s how you can use the peel of your fave produce to boost your tomatoes’ growth:
Some methods of banana fertilisation are better than others
There are lots of ways to add banana peel to your garden. For instance, TikToker @FlavCity shared a banana peel and water concoction: “All we have to do is peel three bananas – of course, save the bananas for banana bread – put the peels in a bowl, and then cover them with room-temperature water,” the creator shared.
The theory is that you leave them to soak, remove the skins, and voila– you’ve got some nutrient-rich banana water. However, the plant-friendly potassium (and other good compounds) aren’t released from the peels via water – instead, you need to break down the skins through fungi or microbes (i.e. via composting).
Homes & Gardens’ head of gardens, Beth Murton, shared that slicing the bananas up before composing is best – ”Although it won’t do any harm to simply throw whole banana skins in your compost pile or bin, they will decompose much faster if you chop them into smaller pieces first,” she says.
House Digest adds that“Alternatively, you can add banana peel directly to the earth around your tomato plants. Lay one peel near the base of each plant, ensuring they are not in direct contact with the stems.” If using this method, though, be aware of pests who might smell the fruit and become attracted to its scent.
Either way, the fruit is good for much more than your best banoffee recipes.
Why does it work?
Bananas are good for tomato plants in particular because they contain no nitrogen. “While plants need nitrogen... too much nitrogen will create lots of green leaves but few berries or fruits,” the Cape Gazette reports.
They add that the plants’ naturally-high levels of photosynthesis-friendly manganese and chlorophyll-inducing magnesium and sulphur make them even more impressive fertilisers.
Don’t mind me, just off to make some banana pancakes...
Banana peels are also brimming with potassium, which is excellent for plants like tomatoes, peppers or flowers. “Banana peels also contain calcium, which prevents blossom end rot in tomatoes,” the Cape Gazette adds.
Use diluted banana water once a week to help fertilize and hydrate your tomato plants. This water works well for tomato plants since they are susceptible to blossom-end rot caused by a calcium deficiency.
Banana peels contain lots of nutrients, including potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium—all of which are needed for good plant growth. Soaking the banana peels allows the nutrients to leech into the water, and once it hits the soil, the roots grab all those sweet, sweet minerals.
Cut up banana peels into 1 or 2-inch pieces.Immerse the peels in water.Steep the peels for two to three days.After soaking, strain the liquid into a large container or jar.
So fresh or dried, soaking the peels won't add significant nutrients to the water. Burying a banana peel in your potting soil also adds nutrients. However, the peels will break down so slowly that they likely won't provide adequate nutrients when your plants need them.
Banana peels can be placed directly onto pot plant soil, or around the base of your garden as mulch. As they decompose, they will release nutrients into the soil to feed plants. If using banana peels in your garden, place a single layer straight on top of the soil, being sure not to let them touch the plant stem.
Lay one peel near the base of each plant, ensuring they are not in direct contact with the stems.” If using this method, though, be aware of pests who might smell the fruit and become attracted to its scent. Either way, the fruit is good for much more than your best banoffee recipes.
In a compost pile, coffee grounds decompose and break down, mingling with other organic matter like vegetable scraps, leaves, and grass clippings. This process creates a nutrient-rich compost that is much safer and more beneficial for tomato plants.
Ultra Epsom Salt treatments at the beginning of their planting and throughout their seasonal life can help to prevent and remedy magnesium deficiency in your tomato plants. Simply add one or two tablespoons of Epsom salt for tomatoes to the area before planting seeds or transplants.
Coffee grounds inhibit the growth of some plants, including geranium, asparagus fern, Chinese mustard and Italian ryegrass. Conversely, grounds (used as mulch and compost) improve yields of soybeans and cabbage.
Bananas may have some skin benefits – Bananas do contain beneficial antioxidants like vitamin C, B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium. And the inside of the peel contains lutein, which may hydrate, brighten, and soothe skin. So rubbing it on your face probably provides some nourishment.
Extra potassium is particularly beneficial to fruiting and flowering plants, although all plants can benefit from a bit of added potassium. If you're unsure which plants to use banana water on, think “tomatoes, peppers, roses, orchids, succulents, staghorn ferns, air plants and banana trees,” says Stephenson.
Using banana peels as fertilizer. 'Banana peels contain lots of potassium, which is one of the three main macronutrients that plants need, and also phosphorus. However, they do not contain nitrogen,' says Homes & Gardens' gardening expert Drew Swainston. 'That makes them a good fertilizer for specific circ*mstances.
I just chop it up, peel and all, and sprinkle the pieces into the bottom of my plant hole before adding the plant. I never plant a rose without giving it a great head start with a whole banana. Caveat: I only use a whole banana as fertilizer for large plants requiring deep planting holes.
Banana peels have potassium which is an essential nutrient for promoting more flowers and fruit on plants. Prioritize your dried banana peel fertilizer on your flowering plants such as Pumpkin, squash, capsicum, and fruit trees.
Eggshells bring a great source of calcium to your tomato plants which is a great way to prevent blossom end rot. The browning of the bottoms of tomatoes. Banana peels are a great source of phosphorous and that is one of the three main nutrients needed for thriving vegetable plants.
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