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The common advice to “ boost ” your soil atomic number 19 levels with banana skin to improve plants is misleading and belie what we make love about filth , plants , and their nutritionary need .
This is part of a series where we look atpopular garden advice and confirm whether it is fact or myth .
Banana Peels in the Garden
If you do a quick Google hunting expect about bananas as fertilizer for the garden , a whole clump of banana tree redress and questions amount up :
The garden world is bananas for banana peels ! But , WAIT .
Is this stuff true ? Are banana peels really a works superfood ? Can they fertilise a garden ? Will they give my plants a particular encouragement ?
Time to check the fact .
If you just want the short answer , no , they are not anything special and take a long fourth dimension to break in down .
Contents
Are Banana Peels Good for the Garden?
Most claim about usingbanana peels in the gardenimply they provide some variety of unbelievable works fertiliser .
And I recollect I see where this idea came from .
There are a lot of banana eaters in Canada and the United States . And that ’s a lot of peels to dispose of .
The substance is hammered into us that banana tree are a good reservoir of K .
And , it ’s well - known to gardeners that atomic number 19 is one of the three macronutrients in fertilizers — the K of N - P - K ( N - phosphorus - potassium ) . you’re able to readthe basics on plant food here .
So , lay the peels in our garden seems like a great manner to decoct solid food waste and help the garden . Right ?
Yes , but . Not so tight .
Banana peels are a good source of nutrients — as most kitchen scraps are — and that ’s why all these things are a welcome addition to our compost piles .
Each decomposes in its own time , and together a diversity of scraps , provide an regalia of essential nutrients .
But , there are no superstars in the compost pile : it takes a variety of once - living things to make serious compost . And private plants and the filth conditions will fix what ’s needed .
And it ’s going to take a banana tree peel a very long metre to breakdown and give what it has to extend .
So the short solvent is : no , there is nothing special about banana tree peels , and , keep reading to come up out why they could make problems .
interrelate : Is Dish Soap a Natural Pesticide ?
The Problem With Banana Peels
Contrary to the ballyhoo , there ’s nothing unequalled or even rare about banana peels that take they be treated differently from other kitchen scraps .
Even as a source of potassium , there are actually band of fruit and vegetables that have as much or more potassium than bananas ( per gram ) . alligator pear are one model .
Bananas Are Not Magical Fertilizers
Soaking banana peels in water supply to create ‘ banana tea ’ ( likecompost tea ) is n’t cash in one’s chips to do anything especial for your garden .
And there ’s nothing to support the melodic theme that tossing banana tree peels in your planting holes gives industrial plant a encouragement .
In fact , it could be problematic .
First , the bulk of the peel is going to create an line pocket around the plant roots — something you do not desire .
Banana Peels Are Slow to Decompose
From there , banana peels are very slow to decompose , so even if there was some welfare from the nutrients , they are not going to be uncommitted any time shortly .
Worms may accelerate the decomposition process but you would n’t want them in red-hot compost bin .
And last , just because potassium is one of the macronutrients for plant , does not mean more is more !
Plants Cannot Overeat
plant ca n’t take up food just because they are uncommitted : they take up nutrient when there is aneedand they areableto .
This is whya territory testfrom an accredited research lab can be so helpful : it will tell you what your garden dirt in reality take .
And that ’s why it ’s smart to course a know penury , not just toss stuff and nonsense at the garden and desire it helps .
Bottom line , yes , alwaysput your fruit and vegetable flake in the compost bin : it is much better for the environs than post them to landfill .
But , despite the hype , banana Sir Robert Peel are nothing special , and will not give your tomatoes or anything else a special boost .
pertain : Soil examination : Home Test Kit versus science lab
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Garden Myths
We have more articles ongarden myth , misinformation , and folklore here . Topics includeEpsom salt , eggshells , and more .
Soil| The upper bed of solid ground in which plants grow , a black or blue brown material typically dwell of a intermixture of constitutional remains , clay , and stone particles . Mulch| place on soil , organic mulch can protect soil , retain wet , and step by step fertilize the garden . Leaves| Finely chopped fall leaves make first-class mulch . Leaf Mold| Decomposed autumn leaves beneficial to dirt structure . Compost| Decomposed organic matter provide nutrients for the garden . pot Mix| Contains no land : designed to optimize plant growing in stack . come pop out Mix| A lightweight potting mixture for sow seeds in containers . Soil pH| Knowing your grade ( which may vary ) is informational , not a call to action . Most soils fall in the range of 5 to 8 and accommodate a wide orbit of plants . Free Soil Calculator Tool| Estimate how much you need and what it will be
~Melissathe Empress of Dirt ♛
