How To Make Compost From Banana Peels And Its Benefits For Plants

Illustration of how to make compost from banana peels (Pexels/Shvets Production)

JAKARTA – Natural ingredients, such as banana peels, are useful for fertilizing plants. Instead of throwing it in the trash and being useless, it is better to process it by decomposing it so that it becomes more useful.

Bananas are said to contain potassium which helps stay healthy and is a nutrient that the body needs. The skin also contains the same substance and makes plants fertile.

Nutrients in banana peel

Banana peels contain essential nutrients for potted plants at home. Nutrients in banana peels include potassium, a little nitrogen, phosphorus, and magnesium. The content can be absorbed by plants when it is decomposed. However, not all plant needs are only met by the results of decomposing banana peels.

You still need to add fertilizer to meet all plant needs and become fertile or even flower quickly, especially on orchids.

According to the Pestiside Action Network reported by the Hearst Newspaper, Tuesday, November 23, it is necessary to choose the skins from bananas or other fruits if they are to be used as fertilizer for edible plants. Because it is feared to contain pesticides that contain carcinogens if not from organic fruit peels.

How to make compost from banana peels

There are 3 ways to make plant fertilizer from banana peels. First, you simply put the banana peel in the planting medium as deep as 5-7 centimeters from the surface. If you do repotting, you can do the second way, namely by placing a banana peel at the bottom of the pot.

Cut it into smaller pieces first if you are going to put the banana peel for fertilizer. This is done so that it is easier to mix with other fertilizers or planting media. The third way, soak the banana peel with water so that the potassium content spreads. This method is considered the most effective because the water can be directly poured on plants in pots.

Banana peel compost is good for any plants?

The content in banana peel compost is most effectively absorbed by some plants. Orchid flowers are one of them. Orchid plants with various varieties can flower quickly if stimulated with beneficial ingredients in banana peels. Quoting from the Cape Gazette page, banana peel compost is good for tomatoes, chilies, peppers, and flowering plants.

However, because the banana peel still tastes sweet, it may attract insects such as ants if you put it directly into the pot without the decomposing process. If you want to try it, be sure to check regularly so that the insects don't damage the roots of the plant.