Many gardeners believe that banana peels do not belong in the compost because the banana is not a native fruit. The shell should also only rot very slowly. However, that is not entirely true. You can compost banana peels if you keep a few things in mind.
Is banana peel suitable for compost?
Can a banana peel go in the compost? Yes, banana peels can be composted as they are rich in potassium and magnesium. Small-cut, untreated and organic quality peels are best. Over-fertilization should be avoided by properly mixing it with other green waste.
Can banana peel go in the compost?
Even if the banana is not a native fruit, you can still put the peels in the compost. There are even gardeners who swear by banana peels as fertilizer. The shell contains large amounts of potassium and magnesium.
The often feared slow rotting of the peel can be accelerated by first cutting the banana peel into small pieces.
However, not every banana peel belongs in the compost.
Compost banana peel
- Only compost untreated bananas
- cut into small pieces first
- mix with other green waste
You can also place the bowls directly on flower beds, especially under roses, and you don't necessarily have to put them in the compost.
You should not compost large quantities of banana peels or other citrus fruits at once. Then the compost later contains too high a concentration of individual nutrients.
You shouldn't compost every banana peel
Like many other tropical fruits, the banana is often contaminated with pollutants because it has been sprayed. It is therefore better not to compost cheap bananas from the supermarket so that you do not enrich the soil with pesticides later.
But you can compost bananas without worry if they are organic and have not been pretreated.
If you are not sure whether the bananas are contaminated or not, it is better to dispose of them with household waste. Under no circumstances should you use compost made from treated banana peels to fertilize vegetable beds.
Preparing banana peels for compost
To prevent the banana peel from rotting quickly, you should first cut it into small pieces.
Sprinkle a layer of other compost materials over the trays or dig them into the compost a bit.
Banana peel for roses and other flowering plants
Banana peel is particularly popular with rose gardeners. Roses need lots of potassium and magnesium, two nutrients found in the peel.
Experienced gardeners do not compost the banana peel, but cut it very small and add it to the ground under the roses. The pieces are easily raked into the substrate and rot there over time. The peels are often also mixed with coffee grounds, resulting in an even higher quality fertilizer.
As they rot, they slowly release the desired nutrients into the soil. Over-fertilization of the roses, which occurs more often when using mineral fertilizers, can be avoided.
Tip
Basically, green waste and kitchen scraps will rot faster if you chop them up first. Mixing different waste also accelerates rotting and also ensures a higher quality fertilizer.
