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Some fruits can become valuable fertilizers that help increase crop yields. They saturate the soil and crops with nutrients, strengthen the immune system, and normalize metabolic processes. Feeding tomatoes with banana peels has the above properties. It is used both for fertilizing seedlings and for tomatoes in open ground.
The benefits of banana peel fertilizer for tomato seedlings
Banana peel is considered a valuable resource that has gained popularity among land owners. The product is a natural source of potassium, necessary in the formation of tomato ovaries. The mineral element improves the taste of fruits, making them more juicy and sugary.
Feeding tomatoes with peel contains a phytohormone - it affects growth rates
Other benefits of feeding include:
- A large amount of manganese has a positive effect on photosynthesis processes. The substance provides a constant supply of microelements and accumulates vitamin C.
- The fertilizer contains magnesium, which is directly involved in the formation of fruits and ovaries.
- The owner does not need to worry about the consequences of fertilizing.Banana peel is a storehouse of nutrients and vitamins. Unlike chemical additives, this is an absolutely safe product.
- Tomatoes are saturated with calcium, which is responsible for the condition of the root system. The latter, in turn, affects growth rate and yield.
- The influx of necessary substances helps to adapt to different environmental conditions. This applies equally to tomatoes grown by seedlings and in open ground. Fertilizing is useful immediately before planting.
- Phosphorus also helps strengthen roots. It is abundant in banana peels. The mineral element improves the absorption of other nutrients, in particular nitrogen.
- Banana peel is an affordable product. You will not have to allocate additional funds for the purchase.
- Fertilizer can be used not only before planting, but also throughout the entire life cycle.
Methods of feeding tomato seedlings with banana peels
The fruit is used in different ways. There are five methods of application: fresh skins, powder, infusion, compost, mulch. Each recipe has unique properties specific to it. This must be taken into account when choosing.
Fresh skins
Banana peel fertilizer for tomatoes can be added fresh. Gardeners, however, recommend grinding the skins for quick decomposition. If the substance is applied before planting, first lay drainage material, a nutrient substrate and mix it with pieces of banana peel. Then the hole is buried.
This method is effective for growing garden tomatoes.
The additive is used a month before planting tomatoes, so that the crushed pieces decompose into mineral and organic substances. This helps improve the quality of the soil, even if it was initially poor.
Banana powder
To obtain a good harvest, banana peels are ground to powder. It acts faster than fresh material. The skin is washed with clean water, cleared of pulp and laid out on the windowsill (possibly next to the radiator). When the peel turns brown, the dried peel is reduced to a powder state.
Grind by hand or using a blender - there is no difference
1 tbsp is enough per bush. l. substances. If the tomatoes are mature, the dosage is increased to 2 tbsp. l. The fertilizer should not be left on the surface, as it may be blown away. Immediately after application, the soil is watered.
Infusion for watering
An interesting method of preparing banana peel fertilizer is a water infusion. Grind several skins, put them in a glass jar and pour boiling water over them. To allow the liquid to cool more slowly, cover with a lid.
The preparation is kept for a couple of days
When the infusion is ready, pour the water into a bottle, diluting it with clean water (1:1). The resulting liquid is poured over the tomatoes. The method is suitable for seedlings grown in a greenhouse or at home.
The infusion can be prepared differently. 15-20 skins are poured with boiling water, covered with a lid and left for five days. Next, the liquid is filtered and combined with clean water in a concentration of 1:2. The fertilizer is suitable for use during the first month.
The value of banana peels as fertilizer for tomato seedlings is difficult to measure. When applied to the soil, the infusion does not harm the root system. Nutrients are absorbed at an amazing speed, which has a beneficial effect on the development of fruits.
Compost
Banana peels are sometimes used as a key ingredient in making compost. To prepare, ten skins are cut and combined with a bucket of store-bought soil.
When the fruit is thoroughly mixed, fill the bucket with water
The compost is placed in a sunny place and left for a month. The mixture is stirred every day. After the period has passed, fill it with water again and leave it for 30 days. The resulting liquid is used as a fertilizer for tomatoes.
Mulching
This method is effective throughout the entire growth period. Banana peels are cut to improve composting and further decomposition in the soil. Small pieces disappear within a few weeks as they are eaten by worms. The vital activity of the latter is extremely important during the growing season - the passages left by the worms facilitate the penetration of moisture and air to the roots.
During the winter, when everyone is actively purchasing fruit, you can stock up for spring and summer. If there are a lot of bananas, the peels are put to practical use. It is sliced, dried or baked for long-term storage. Drying is carried out using heating means, you can use an oven (130-135 °C).
The resulting “chips” are perfectly preserved until spring, during which time they are used for mulching.
To feed tomatoes with banana peel mulch, you need a minimum of 3 cm layer. Consequently, the material is procured in large quantities.Coffee mass or chicken egg shells are used as an additive. Mulch slows down the growth of weeds, prevents moisture evaporation and saturates the soil with necessary substances.
Timing for applying fertilizer
Although fertilizing is safe in every sense, there are some nuances in application. Botanists recommend using it when tomatoes are in the phase of active growth and flower formation. This usually happens in March or the first half of April. Depending on the variety, application times may vary.
Tomato seedlings quickly absorb the nutritional elements of the fruit. With regular moistening with banana infusion, tomatoes are quickly restored. This is effective after wintering, illness, or pest damage. Using fresh skins, you can remove dust and process the leaves at the same time. The shoots receive the necessary substances, and their surface becomes glossy.
To fertilize indoor plantings, decoctions with the addition of other fruits are usually used. They can be all types of citrus fruits. Fruit tree branches, shoots and other organic elements are also mixed. Fertilizing is applied in early spring. Thanks to the nutritional power, the size of tomatoes increases and immunity is strengthened.
Crops growing in open ground bloom earlier. Already in March, lateral shoots are formed, which make the bush lush and attractive.In this case, watch for signs of flowering. As soon as hints of buds appear, fertilize with the addition of banana peels and grape vines.
Fertilizing is effective for treating roots and shoots
The fruit is an environmentally friendly supplement. It is used not only for growing tomatoes. Most flower and agricultural plants show a positive reaction, and fertilizing can be used every season.
General terms for applying fertilizers are also identified:
- The first additive is used when the tomato forms two (but not more) leaves.
- The second is applied 1-1.5 weeks after picking (in the case of growing seedlings).
- For the third time, fertilize a week before transplanting to a permanent place.
Conclusion
Fertilizing tomatoes with banana peels is one of the most popular fertilizers used in gardening. People are used to throwing away the skin without thinking about its value. Meanwhile, it contains a whole complex of macro- and microelements. With a similar effect to chemical additives, banana peels are definitely cheaper.
