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Home » Latest Blog Posts » Plant care 101 » Fertilizing

Which plants like banana peels?

Published: Jun 5, 2022 · Modified: Feb 27, 2023 by Morgan · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Want to feed your plants? Many love banana peels! Let's talk about which plants like banana peels and how to use them in your garden!

Plants need sun, water, and nutrients to flourish. One way that you can get nutrients to plants is with banana peels!

how to make banana peel fertilizer for tomato plants

Why are banana peels good for plants?

Bananas contain a ton of potassium, which is ⅓ of fertilizer (along with nitrogen and phosphorus). Potassium helps plants move nutrients and water between their cells. It is especially helpful for plants that fruit or flower.

They also contain small amounts of manganese, calcium, magnesium and sulfur, all of which plants enjoy. They are not however a full replacement for fertilizer as they do not contain nitrogen.

Finally, banana peels have been known to help to repel aphids. So, if you have having a problem with them, it's worth a try!

tomato plants in a garden

How can you give banana peels to plants?

You can give banana peels to your plants by placing them on the soil, burying them, or making a banana tea!

Placing them on the soil

You can simply throw banana peels under your plants and let them decompose there.

Rain, sun, and time will encourage the banana peels to break down and their nutrients and elements will gradually seep into the soil and be absorbed by the roots of your plants.

Making banana tea

If that is attracting bugs or critters, you might prefer to make DIY banana tea for your plants!

Making banana tea involves soaking banana peels in water to help encourage the nutrients to seep out into the water.

You can then spread the water - or the water and the remaining peel - under your plants on top of or in the soil.

Burying banana peels

Finally, you can bury banana peels in the soil near your plants to keep them off the surface! They tend to break down faster this way, too.

Burying your banana peels still allows them to break down, but cuts down on the critters or pests that you might attract.

Burying the peels is my pick - but it is the most work out of all of the options!

which plants love bananas

Which plants like banana peels?

Banana peels are especially good for plants that flower or fruit.

What plants benefit from banana peels:

  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Roses
  • Staghorn ferns
  • Air plants
  • Banana trees
banana tree growing outside

Should you use banana peels in potted plants?

You can use banana plants in potted plants, but I do not recommend using banana peels on indoor plants as it attracts gnats. Here's how I use sticky traps to get rid of gnats!

Free printable recipe card

Join the (free!) KeepYourPlantsAlive+ community to access this exclusive printable banana tea recipe card! Or keep scrolling for more!

banana tea for plants printable recipe card

Any more questions about banana peels for plants?!

Thanks for reading!

About Me Plant picture

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Morgan

Hey there, I'm Morgan, a houseplant enthusiast from sunny Charleston, South Carolina. Growing up surrounded by my mom's lush orchids and African violets, I discovered the magic of bringing nature indoors. Thanks to the pandemic, I delved deeper into houseplants, discovering their power to uplift moods and transform spaces. I'm here to spill all my secrets, helping you pick the perfect houseplant - and make it happy. Let's keep your plants alive, together! 😊

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Thank you for joining me on my plant-filled adventure here in Charleston, South Carolina! I'm obsessed with my houseplants and keeping my garden green. I want to teach you my secrets and empower you to keep your plants alive, happy, and healthy.

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