Save your banana peels for your plants !

[claudine]

ChanellG, I don't think bugs will be a problem. I always keep my miniature roses indoors and I have a mosquito net in my window, so insects don't have any access to my room
I think I should start with little pieces of a banana peel and see if it works for me.

 

[Meowmie]

I have been using eggshells and coffee grounds for my plants, but banana peels I've thrown out for what some may find a silly reason, but it is important to me.

I grow everything organically, and what I can't grow, I try to buy organic. Which is more expensive.. go.. I buy regular bananas to save money and buy thin skinned things organic.

I think after reading this thread I will stat buying organic bananas since then I can use the peels, too.

 

[ChanellG]

@claudine, you are fortunate you don't have half the problems of people who garden outdoors. There are so many pests from aphids to caterpillars threatening my plants on a given day.

@Meowmie, I don't find it silly at all; I struggle with the same thing, especially when the other people around me aren't as conscientious. It's kind of pointless to be so careful if you're neighbors are spraying chemicals near your plants. Or if a family member doesn't get why you don't want something going into your compost because they don't know where it came from.

 

[ChanellG]

Although it is true that banana peels can attract unwanted visitors and bugs - it only happens when they are used in their raw state ...if you either dry them first or use them as a liquid fertilizer - both of which I have done for some time and have never had any problems with either unwanted visitors or bugs

I tried drying some in the toaster oven, but it didn't work out so well. I just keep mine in the freezer until I am ready for them. If I have too many I throw them in the compost, though sometimes I will lay peel directly on top the soil of a potted plant. I read that it repels mosquitoes; not sure if that's true, but as long is it helps the plant and doesn't attract other pests, I'm good.

 

[Gardener]

I have heard that bananas are also very nourishing for gardens and I also throw them in my garden every now and then. However, I always get a bad odour from my garden. We throw about 2 peels in the garden and it builds up over time. I am planning on getting a compost bin again as our old one was blown over by the wind and now we have no idea where it is! Also bananas aren't the only things that we throw in there, so overall it gets pretty smelly in there.

 

[claudine]

ChanellG, I garden outdoors a little too, but I don't have much space and I can't plant everything I want to, because it's my parents' garden. For example, they don't let me plant my beloved poplars
As for pests, I had a big problem with spider mites last year, I have no idea how they found my miniature roses. Fortunately, soap was enough to scare them off.

 

[ChanellG]

Also bananas aren't the only things that we throw in there, so overall it gets pretty smelly in there.

You can eliminate that odor by putting soil on top of your scraps. If you have a traditional compost bin you might want to keep a leaf pile so you can add in some brown layers as you add your green kitchen scraps. If you're composting in a homemade bin such as a lidded storage tub, you can just dig under the soil and bury new scraps.

 

[gata montes]

I tried drying some in the toaster oven, but it didn't work out so well. I just keep mine in the freezer until I am ready for them. If I have too many I throw them in the compost, though sometimes I will lay peel directly on top the soil of a potted plant. I read that it repels mosquitoes; not sure if that's true, but as long is it helps the plant and doesn't attract other pests, I'm good.

I heard others say the same thing - and although the reason for it not working out - is sometimes either because the drying time was not long enough - which can be anything from 2 to 6 hours or was because the toaster oven didn't work quite as well for this purpose as a conventional oven.

I too have an abundant supply of banana peels - which as there are always plenty left over even after putting some in the compost - is part of the reason why I dry them - as they are easier to store that way.

Although I've never heard of banana peels being used as an actual mosquito repellant - I'm told - but haven't yet tried it myself - that if you rub the inside of a banana peel on a mosquito bite it really does stop the itching

 

[ChanellG]

@gata montes, for me it was the time factor. I suppose one day in the future I will be able to get myself organized so that I do it overnight, but for now I just keep the excess in the freezer. I was thinking about the peel as mosquito repellent question over the weekend and I considered hanging some around just to see what happens, but I think it rains too much here for that experiment to work, at least until the weather heats up more.

 

[gata montes]

@gata montes, for me it was the time factor. I suppose one day in the future I will be able to get myself organized so that I do it overnight, but for now I just keep the excess in the freezer. I was thinking about the peel as mosquito repellent question over the weekend and I considered hanging some around just to see what happens, but I think it rains too much here for that experiment to work, at least until the weather heats up more.

To be honest - as banana peels make such a good organic fertilizer and are an excellent way of feeding roses and tomatoes - i really don't think it matters which way you choose to use them and is probably more of a matter of - which works best for you - which for me is to only use them as a dried mulch or liquid fertilizer - as otherwise the rotting peels would attract a whole load of unwanted insects and furry visitors to my garden

If you do decide to go ahead with the experiment of hanging banana peels around the garden - as a mosquito repellent - would love to know how it goes - especially as I'm a bit skeptical as to whether it work - mind you if it didn't - at least you would have plenty of banana peels at hand - to grab and rub on the bites to stop them itching

 

[ChanellG]

Ha, ha, @gata montes! I also thought of hanging them as a means of drying them, but I think it may be too humid here. I've heard it takes ages to get sundried tomatoes to actually be dry so I can imagine what it would be like with banana peels. I often lay strips of them down on top the soil of my potted plants.

I think I would have to.weave them together into a large cloth to see if they made any difference with the mosquitoes, lol. The best thing for keeping them off me seems to be rubbing oil on my skin, preferably with something like basil. (I actually had success the other day by spraying a light dusting of PAM!)

 

[ChanellG]

ChanellG, I garden outdoors a little too, but I don't have much space and I can't plant everything I want to, because it's my parents' garden. For example, they don't let me plant my beloved poplars
As for pests, I had a big problem with spider mites last year, I have no idea how they found my miniature roses. Fortunately, soap was enough to scare them off.

I feel your pain Claudine. My grandfather and aunt won't let me plant banana trees in the back yard. I found a ladybird beetle in the front yard yesterday and coaxed it onto a leaf so I could carry it around back to my milkweed plants. Hopefully I won't have to spray any more soap to get rid of the aphids.

 

[JGPangi]

This is perfect! Banana cravings are really hitting me hard during this last stage of pregnancy - I physically have to walk away from the fruit bowl to stop myself from going through the entire bunch - so there's no shortage of banana peels here! Also, if they do act like mosquito repellent, then it is definitely win-win.

However, I am concerned about flies. We don't have an oven, so drying them that way is out. Does anyone know of a foolproof way to dry them via microwave? Or I could just string them up and dry them the old-fashioned way.

 

[Rosyrain]

I like the idea of buring it in the soils as I probably would not like my guests to see a banana peel hanging out in the pot with my plants. They would probably think I lost my mind. I am going to give this a try though.

 

[Pat]

I love to eat bananas but hate the smell of the banana after I have eaten it. I have just opened the door and thrown the peel out the door and I have gone out to the rose bush and buried the peels in the ground. I have taken the peelings and eggs shells in the blender along with all the other kitchen veggies to make tea and pour it on the plants, all of the methods are good for composting and feeding your plants.