Soak banana peel potassioum - Ask Extension
Does soaking banana peels in water really leach potassium and produce “fertilize-strength” water that can be used on outdoor plants in general and...
Knowledgebase
Soak banana peel potassioum #874919
Asked June 27, 2024, 9:29 AM EDT
Does soaking banana peels in water really leach potassium and produce “fertilize-strength” water that can be used on outdoor plants in general and specifically, to help them survive the heat wave?
Thank you!
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi- we are not aware of any research that supports that idea.
Very small amounts of nutrients, including potassium, are available from food scraps. Composting your food scraps or chopping and burying them in your garden soil in empty spots or between widely spaced plants would yield more nutrients more efficiently than soaking them and applying the water as a fertilizer. Either way, the nutrients released by the food scraps alone are probably not sufficient to fertilize your plants.
We suggest that you have your soil tested to get baseline information on soil pH and nutrient and organic matter levels. You should base your fertilizing on soil test results.
The potassium in the banana water will not make your plants more drought-tolerant. The key is to water plants regularly and deeply during hot, dry weather.
Jon
Very small amounts of nutrients, including potassium, are available from food scraps. Composting your food scraps or chopping and burying them in your garden soil in empty spots or between widely spaced plants would yield more nutrients more efficiently than soaking them and applying the water as a fertilizer. Either way, the nutrients released by the food scraps alone are probably not sufficient to fertilize your plants.
We suggest that you have your soil tested to get baseline information on soil pH and nutrient and organic matter levels. You should base your fertilizing on soil test results.
The potassium in the banana water will not make your plants more drought-tolerant. The key is to water plants regularly and deeply during hot, dry weather.
Jon
