The natural fertiliser can be used on other fruiting plants too.
Tomatoes will ‘flourish’ if you use this homemade fertiliser(Image: Helios4Eos via Getty Images)
With the weather warming up across the UK, it’s almost time to start planting tomato plants outdoors.
Tomato plants should ideally be planted outside once the risk of frost has passed and night-time temperatures are consistently above 10°C, which, for most people in the UK, will be in mid to late May or early June.
According to Jane Perrone, a houseplant expert and freelance journalist who presents and produces the indoor gardening podcast On The Ledge, one common error people make is planting their tomatoes out too early.
She said on her blog: “Tomatoes stop growing once the temperature drops below 10-12°C at night, and ideally they need 15°C in the day. And frost will kill them, so wait til the frost risk is completely over before sending them outside for good – which is the end of May in my neck of the woods, which is southern England).”
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) goes further, advising that young tomato plants should be planted in their final position in early summer once temperatures are “reliably above 16°C (60°F)”.
Tomato plants should ideally be planted outside once the risk of frost has passed(Image: PaulMaguire via Getty Images)
However, those with a greenhouse can plant their tomatoes now as they will be protected from fluctuating temperatures and any pesky overnight frosts.
Once your tomato plants become established, you’ll want to encourage them to grow faster and produce an abundance of tomatoes, and one of the best ways you can do this is by fertilising your plants.
While a tomato-specific fertiliser is often recommended by experts, you can actually make your own at home using a common kitchen scrap: banana peels.
Banana peels are rich in potassium, phosphorus and calcium, which help tomato plants flower and produce fruit.
On YouTube, @kuhinjatanja, also known as My Kitchen Tanja, has shared exactly how to make your own banana peel fertiliser. The video description reads: “Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and even flowers grow faster and give bigger harvests with this natural fertiliser. In this recipe, I show how to turn banana peels into a simple liquid fertiliser you can use right away, an old gardener’s trick that pushes strong growth, more flowers and more fruit.”
The YouTube sensation, who has more than 2.6 million subscribers, said this homemade fertiliser makes gardens “literally flourish”.
First, she cuts the banana peel into as small cubes as possible before placing them in a jar.
Banana peels are rich in potassium, phosphorus and calcium(Image: svehlik via Getty Images)
Next, she pours half a litre of water over the banana peel and lets it sit for a few hours, preferably overnight.
Once it’s been allowed to soak, strain the liquid to remove the banana peel.
She applies the banana peel fertiliser to her plants once a week.
“This natural banana peel fertiliser works best on fruiting plants, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, but also on flowers that bloom much more,” she added.
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