You may want to place banana skins in the garden (stock image) (Image: Getty)
In January, there are all sorts of jobs you need to do but, little you may know, one of them involves putting a common fruit in your garden. It may seem pretty unusual, but the fruit actually has a pretty important use, and you may want to make the most of the skins during winter.
According to Ish, a gardening expert known as gardening.with.ish on TikTok, you need to stop throwing banana skins away and put them in your garden instead. He admitted they are a lot more useful than people realise, so it’s a good idea to keep them instead of tossing them in the trash.
It’s not the only time people have been urged to do this either. A few months back, their “secret” use was also exposed.
Alongside the video, Ish wrote: “Don’t throw away those banana skins. They’re much more useful than you realise!
“In winter, you can feed your potted annuals like pansies and primrose and in summer it’s an all around potassium boost for flowers, climbers, veg plants and fruit trees. Completely waste free as the used skins can be composted and the best bit can be eaten!”
Read more: UK households urged to put cardboard loo rolls in gardens in January
In the clip, he continued: “Bananas make a really tasty snack, but they also make a really good food to boost the flowers on your winter annuals. All you need to do is take a jar of water, cut up some of this banana skin and let it sit in there for about one to two days.
“It doesn’t need to be any longer than that. Take the water out, and use that as a feed directly to your plants.
“As a result, it should give them a nice, longer flowering season. The skin itself can go in the compost bin and, as for the banana, that’s a free snack.”
The simple tip took some by surprise, but many were thrilled he shared it. One person replied: “Thanks for the reminder.”
Some also shared other plant issues they’ve been experiencing. However, it’s clear many thought it was a good trick.
Why should you place banana skins in the garden?
If you didn’t know, banana skins can be added to gardens as a natural, free fertiliser to boost soil nutritents. They are particularly useful for potassium, phosphorus and calcium.
They also work to promote stronger root growth, and enhance flowering and fruiting in plants like tomatoes and roses. Not to mention, they can be used in compost, as a soil amendment or as a “tea” for watering too (like Ish).
There are a few different ways you can use them. Due to the fact that they are rich in potassium, they can improve overall plant vigour and disease resistance.
Meanwhile, phosphorus boosts root growth and blooming and calcium prevents blossom end rot in tomatoes. Chopping peels and adding them to a compost pile can also aid decomposition, as it helps to form a nutrient-rich organic matter for the soil.
You can even bury small pieces of peel a few inches deep near plant roots. Over time, they will break down and act as a slow-release fertiliser.
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