Tomato plants should be looking robust by now, with plenty of green fruits on the vines awaiting ripening. However, without regular feeding, these tomatoes may not develop as expected. During their fruiting phase, tomato plants are particularly hungry, requiring ample potassium in the soil – a crucial nutrient for fruit production.
Potassium is vital for the transportation of sugar, nutrients, and water from roots to fruit, and its absence can result in undersized tomatoes or even failure to grow. This nutrient also enhances disease resistance, making it essential for preventing issues like blossom end rot or blight, especially during the summer months.
Gardening expert and Charleston Crafted co-founder Morgan McBride has revealed an easy tip for nourishing tomatoes in the summer using leftover banana peels.
Morgan explained, “Bananas are known to be very high in potassium. Potassium is a key ingredient in many fertilisers. Potassium helps living things move water and nutrients between cells.
“Potassium is an essential nutrient that is said to make plants stronger, flower or fruit more, and more drought-tolerant. Bananas are known to be very rich in potassium, which tomatoes need to grow, but is also known to improve the size, yield and even the flavour of tomatoes.”
Banana peels also contain phosphorus, which bolsters root growth, and calcium, further reducing the risk of plant diseases.
This is a natural method to enhance the soil and improve the environment for plant growth, increasing your chances of harvesting larger and juicier tomatoes come August.
How to feed tomatoes with banana peels
You can’t simply toss banana peels onto the soil, as the fruit’s natural sugars may attract pests that could swiftly devour your tomatoes and ruin your plant.
Instead, the optimal way to provide plants with banana peels is by creating a straightforward gardening tea, which can be used to water your tomatoes.
All you need to do is slice up a few banana peels (two peels per plant should suffice) and place them in a lidded glass mason jar.
Fill the jar with tap water, covering the peels, and then allow them to sit at room temperature to ferment. This process should take between two days to a week.
Afterwards, simply strain the peels from the water and pour the banana-infused tea into the soil surrounding your tomato plants.
Administer this banana tea to your tomatoes every fortnight during the summer months. This natural supplement will aid in cultivating healthier and more succulent tomatoes.
