Smoking banana peels in water is a great way to provide your plants with organic nutrients from kitchen scraps.
Soaking banana peels in water create a nutrient-rich, organic tea that can be used to fertilize plants. Banana peels are placed into a jar with clean water, sealed, and allowed to sit for 3 to 5 days, after which they can be used to feed plants with nutrient-rich water.
This article will explain how to soak banana peels in water and what to look for to ensure it becomes a good source of nutrients for your plants.
How to Soak Banana Peels in Water
Obtaining banana peel water from soaking requires the peels be left in water for a period of time for the minerals from the peels to be leached into the water.
Soaking banana peels in water is very simple. Peels should be allowed to sit exposed to air for about 12 hours, which brings the onset of the decomposition process.
After the time has passed, the peels should be placed into a jar (clear or opaque) and then sealed by covering them tightly.
Method:
- Place approx. 5 banana peels into a medium-sized jar
- Fill the jar with water
- Cover the lid and seal the jar
- Allow sitting for 3 to 5 days
The peels will turn black as time passes, and the water will also change color. After the time has passed, strain the water from the peels and apply it to your plants.
If the water cannot be used after the 5 days it can be left in the sealed jar in a cool shady place until it is ready for use.
Tip: Breaking the peels into smaller pieces will help speed up the soaking process.
How Long to Soak Banana Peels
Banana Peels should be soaked for a period greater than 3 days before use. This gives enough time for the peels to give up the nutrients to the surrounding water.
The peels can be left inside a sealed jar or container for a long after the soaking period. Keeping the container sealed is crucial in ensuring that the tea does not attract fungus and go bad.
Keeping the banana water in a sealed container can allow gardeners to use the tea when it is needed.
The water can also be stored over the winter period until early spring when plants come out of dormancy and can utilize the nutrients from the tea.
What Type of Water Is Best for Soaking Banana Peels
Any clean, clear water can be used to soak banana peels in water to make banana tea.
However, when comparing the different types of water, rainwater is considered the best type of water because apart from being chemically free, it is also slightly acidic which will also benefit the plant when watered with banana peel tea.
The second best water would be distilled water. However, this type of water may be a bit more challenging to obtain, and it does not contain any added chemicals and is also pH neutral.
In my option, tap water is the most convenient and works well in making banana peel tea cheaply and hassle-free as well.
What to Use To Soak Banana Peels
Glass jars are best for soaking banana peels.
These jars are cheap and readily available. However, other types of jars do also work well, such as recycled marinara containers, as long as they can form a tight seal when covered.
For larger applications, a 5-gallon paint bucket can be used to make a larger volume of banana peel fertilizer which is also cheap and can form a good seal.
If the seal is not tight, it can cause the peels to ferment in water, attract flies, and build up fungus, making the tea unusable.
Can You Store Soaked Peels and Water
The Soaked peels can be stored in the water for up to three months as long as the container is sealed.
Keeping the peel away from direct sunlight would ensure that it does not break down or disintegrate, although this may be a good thing.
After storing the peels for a very long period, the water should be filtered of you are going to apply it as a spray. If not, then no filtering is required.
Key Nutrients Derived from Bananas Peels
Banana peel water is a nutritional kitchen byproduct that can be used to fertilize plants because the minerals it contains are essential for plant growth and development.
When extracted from banana peels, minerals and nutrients can be used to fertilize plants. Banana peel water supplies plants with a substantial amount of potassium (K), a macronutrient that is used to develop immunity to environmental stress and pests while, at the same time, promoting healthy plant growth.
Potassium
Plants require potassium to grow and thrive. It helps regulate cell division in plants, which allows them to reproduce and grow.
Potassium also aids in the absorption of other nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, boron, chlorine, sulfur, sodium, and chloride.
Potassium is found in bananas, and bananas have been shown to contain more potassium than any other fruit or vegetable.
Calcium
Plants use calcium to help maintain their structure and strength.
Calcium is also necessary for photosynthesis, which is how plants convert light into energy. Without enough calcium, plants cannot produce carbohydrates, which leads to stunted growth.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is one of the major plant nutrients in the soil. It is a constituent of plant cells, essential for cell division and the development of the plant’s growing tip. For this reason, it is vital for seedlings and young plants.
Plants use phosphorus (P) for many essential functions, such as making cell walls strong enough to support their own weight and producing energy from sunlight.
Magnesium
Magnesium is the central core of the chlorophyll molecule in plant tissue. Thus, if Mg is deficient, the shortage of chlorophyll results in poor and stunted plant growth. Magnesium also helps to activate specific enzyme systems.
The Takeaway
To soak banana peels in water requires leaving the peels in water for a period greater than three days.
Any clean water can be used to soak banana peels, with rainwater being the best.
Mason and other types of recycled glass jars work really well when soaking banana peel as long as they can be sealed shut.
Once the peels have been soaked, keep them in a container and seal it tight.
