Peace lilies are popular houseplants in UK homes, loved for their white flowers known as spathes and glossy green leaves. While they are generally easy to care for, repeat blooming can be encouraged when fed with a homemade feed.
Peace lilies aren’t heavy feeders, however, so it is important to only feed them once a month during the growing season, which is spring and summer. Overfeeding can be harmful, so it’s important to avoid excess fertiliser.
A simple homemade fertiliser for peace lilies can be made from banana peels, according to an online houseplant enthusiast.
Taking to the Gardening Hints and Tips Facebook page, an anonymous user wrote: “In the summer, I feed my houseplants with a homemade banana soak. My peace lily loves it, just thought I’d share it in case anyone is struggling.
“I’ve always struggled to get my peace lilies looking good, but bananas make them bloom for years.
“Once I’ve eaten a banana or given it to my dog, I’ll chop the peel and soak it in some warm water. After a few days, pour sparingly on your plants, so tasty for them.”
The post attracted lots of comments from other houseplant enthusiasts, who also loved the banana peel trick.
Susan Dyre commented: “Heard lots about this, so I gave it a go. I only use it now and again, and then a proper feed in between, but it’s fantastic.”
Rose Danyel said, “All houseplants love this, not just peace lilies, but be careful not to overwater.”
Soaking banana peels in water releases nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus and magnesium, which are beneficial for peace lilies.
It is important to dilute the banana water with water to make it last longer and not overwhelm the plant.
Banana peels can also be used to fertilise outdoor plants, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, roses and hydrangeas.
If planting a new plant, scatter some banana peels beneath the compost, or place them around the top of the soil.
This can also help to deter pests such as slugs, which hate a rough surface.
