Blueberries are a delectable and superbly nutritious fruit that also springs from gorgeous shrubs, showcasing splendid white flowers in springtime and stunning foliage colour come autumn. These plants are straightforward to cultivate and low-maintenance, with the critical factor being their preference for acidic soil. For those eager to enhance soil acidity, gardening duo James and Courtney from the Instagram account @collins.country have revealed their handmade “DIY organic blueberry fertiliser” concoction, reports the Express.
The preparation of this nutrient-rich mix takes a fortnight, and it revolves around an ingredient that these shrubs greatly “love” – banana skins. In their instructional clip, Courtney advocates for soaking banana skins in water, enriching blueberry bushes with “added nutrients”.
Her advice: “This banana peel fertiliser works great! If you only let it sit for three days, you can use it on any plant because it won’t be acidic.”
She added: “But if you’re using it for blueberries, then you want to let it sit for at least two weeks so that it’s acidic.”
Courtney enthused over the efficacy of their fertiliser: “We love this fertiliser! We put it on our blueberry plants all summer long, even after they are done producing fruit.”
Commenting on their local soil quality, she remarked: “Our soil here is horrible clay, so we have to add nutrients to help the plants grow and reach their max potential.”
According to Holly, an edible gardener and founder of the blog, Sustainable Holly, banana fertiliser contains potassium which can help promote more flowers and fruit on plants.
Start by adding banana peels to a jar, utilising any quantity available, followed by topping off with water.
To optimise results, aim to utilise rainwater when possible since tap water encompasses lime which could render the soil more alkaline rather than acidic over time.
Make sure not to seal the jar with a lid as the solution will begin to froth up during fermentation.
After two weeks, the fertiliser will be prepared. You then need to pour the banana peel water into a watering can, top it up with regular water and apply it to your blueberry bushes.