Banana peel

[ultimatesr]

Is it true that banana peel can be used as an orchid fertilizer.If yes then how

[Discus]

I wouldn't recommend it. That much organic material is unlikely to work out well in terms of encouraging fungal/bacterial growth.

You might be able to compost them and then make some kind of "tea" from it, but using actual orchid fertiliser is much more likely to provide all the necessary nutrients.

[ultimatesr]

Thanks Discus ,for your comments :-)

[Optimist]

Dosent the ethaline gas given off by ripening fruit cause bud blast? I try to keep fruit far away from the orchids if they are in bloom or bud. Its supersticious to me.

[gravotrope]

Banana peels break down to gibberellic acid, which would stoke growth but it can mutate the genetic information and change them for better or worse. (like peloric, meaning changing the petals to 2 extra lips, or in the case of cattleyas make them splash petal). Just fertilize weakly weekly and use a low concentration of superthrive if you want them to grow faster without mutating.

[orchidsamore]

Bananas are often recommended as the best fertilizer for staghorn ferns as they are almost pure potassium. This could be where the idea started.

You can buy Potassium fertilizer for under $20 for a 50 pound bag so no need for bananas. It makes a great winter fertilizer as it produces roots without leaf growth during dormate periods.

As for the gibberellic acid produced, I do not know but I use large amounts of Giberellic acid on my orchids as do several other large growers I know.

I use Essentials a growth product with high gibbellic acid concentrated from seaweed. It is 1000 times stronger than Superthrive (IAB and NDD) growth products and does not ever burn orchids. It produces fabulous results.

I have used it for over 5 years and never had the problems of which you warn. Another grower I know with over 1 million orchids in production uses it a lot and never has had any issues.

Anyone using seaweed as a fertilizer also is adding gibberillic acid to their plans.

[Lilac]

I also read that it's great for the Staghorns, and every month I drop a peel behind the base leaves of my mounted ferns. They seem to be nice and green so I guess it's doing good for them.

Was wondering if perhaps I can make a tea with the peels to fertilize my orchids with. As I do not have access to any seaweed extract and no online company will ship it here.

[Vanda lover]

I have been burying them around my roses because I read that roses love the potassium. Our compost is a good part banana peels because there is a rat problem [we are a port] and I have to be careful not to compost things that bears like. I figure banana peels couldn't be too tasty.

[ultimatesr]

Originally Posted by Vanda lover

I have been burying them around my roses because I read that roses love the potassium. Our compost is a good part banana peels because there is a rat problem [we are a port] and I have to be careful not to compost things that bears like. I figure banana peels couldn't be too tasty.

So Vanda lover did the banana peel fertilizer worked well with your roses

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by ultimatesr

So Vanda lover did the banana peel fertilizer worked well with your roses

I believe it does help. It is something that has been used for many years and is know to gardeners.