DIY Banana Peel Water Fertilizer
A DIY strategy that’s currently seeing some popularity is a method to make your own liquid plant fertilizer using banana peels and water. I’m testing it out on my tomato plant this summer too and so far I’ve learned that this “banana water” is very easy and frugal to make. There’s some debate on how effective this homemade plant food truly is, but I figure the only way I’ll find out is by giving it a try!
How To Make Banana Peel Water Fertilizer
The idea behind using water that’s been infused with a banana peel, is that some of the helpful nutrients in the banana peel will have transferred into the water and when used on your plants, will also provide some helpful nutrients. Tomato plants and pepper plants are often cited as plants that could benefit from this DIY fertilizer.
Here are the steps I’m using to create this banana water for plants:
1. Combine a Banana Peel and Water in a Jar
First Question: How much water to use with a banana peel to make fertilizer?
Answer: I’ve been using 1 banana peel with 1 quart of water. I use a wide mouth quart size mason jar, place a banana peel inside, then fill it with water and screw on a lid. (I like these screw-on lids for mason jars). Whatever kind of jar you use, make sure it has a lid so that you can keep the mixture covered as it sets. You may also wish to use a peel from organic bananas to avoid any pesticides.
2. Let the Banana Peel Soak in the Water
Second Question: How long do you soak the banana peel for fertilizer?
Answer: I soak my banana peel in the water for 2 or 3 days. You can keep your jar setting out at room temperature and after a couple days have gone by, just reach in and dispose of the banana peel, which should still be pretty intact and not too rotted or mushy.
3. Water Your Plants with your DIY Banana Fertilizer!
Third Question: How often can you water plants with banana fertilizer?
Answer: I’m using my DIY banana water once a week on my tomato plant. This seemed to fit with most of the information I found and seemed about right for a plant that’s outdoors and needs and occasional supplement to the normal daily watering.
This is still a new recipe for me so I’m still watching to see the final results. It’s certainly an easy and frugal thing to try and I like that this method just uses a banana peel that I would have otherwise just tossed out.
This is also one of my super simple DIY recipes that only uses two ingredients – just a banana peel and water!
Check out more 2-ingredient ideas here: Easy 2-Ingredient DIY Ideas
How To Make Banana Peel Plant Fertilizer
Equipment:
- 1 Quart Jar with a Lid
Materials:
- 1 Banana Peel
- 1 Quart Water (equal to 4 cups)
Instructions:
- Place the banana peel in the quart jar.
- Fill the jar with water. The banana peel will float up in the water a bit, but the water should still be covering most of the banana peel.
- Put a lid on the jar and let the banana peel set in the water for 2 to 3 days.
- After this time discard the banana peel. Use the banana peel infused water in the jar to water potted plants such as herbs, tomato plants, or pepper plants.
- You can give your plants this DIY fertilizer once a week.
I just discovered your website yesterday as I was searching out lotion bar recipes, and kept looking through the rest of your site and more of your recipes… I’m finding SO MANY I want to try!
I came across this one from last summer, and I was curious if you had an update? Our tomato plants have yielded very few edible tomatoes in our few years growing them, and my husband has almost decided to give up his veggie garden!
Last year my tomato plant didn’t last too long and I decided it was because I had it in an overly hot location on our deck. That being said, I think the banana fertilizer did help because I still had a pretty good little crop of cherry tomatoes before the plant went kaput. I will be trying it again this year, with a new tomato plant in a better location and we’ll see how it goes!
Yes Bev!
I have also seen this receipe but the peel was cut in 1 inch increments. The reason I believe was to leach out the inner potassum.
Thank you from Acapulco!
Yes, I also saw some instructions where the peels were cut into pieces, but then also saw several recipes where they did not cut them. But I think you are correct that the logic is to bring out even more surface area of the peel for maximum potassium.