Banana peels may seem like an unusual addition to a compost pile, but they can provide some great benefits. While many people are used to simply tossing banana peels in the trash, composting them is a much better way to reuse these nutrient-rich food scraps.
When added to a compost pile, banana peels contribute key nutrients like potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, and phosphorus. Banana peels also contain lots of fiber, which helps provide carbon to balance the nitrogen in the compost pile. By composting banana peels, all of these valuable nutrients and minerals can be returned to the soil rather than sent to the landfill.
Top Benefits of Composting Banana Peels
Before diving into the different methods for composting banana peels, let’s take a look at some of the top reasons you should start adding this fruit waste to your compost:
1. Provide Key Nutrients for Plant Growth
As mentioned above, banana peels contain lots of beneficial nutrients and minerals that plants need to grow and thrive. By composting banana peels, you can recycle these nutrients back into the soil for your garden, houseplants, or container plants.
Some of the key nutrients in banana peels include:
- Potassium – Potassium helps plants build strong cell structure and improves flower and fruit production. It also helps plants fight off disease.
- Calcium – Calcium is essential for cell wall structure and growth. It’s also key for good root development.
- Phosphorus – Phosphorus aids in photosynthesis, root growth, fruit and seed production, and more.
- Magnesium – Magnesium is a building block of chlorophyll, so it’s vital for photosynthesis and healthy plant growth.
- Sulfur – Sulfur helps form amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes in plants. It’s important for chlorophyll production.
By composting banana peels, all of these nutrients can be slowly released back into the soil as the peels break down. This provides a natural fertilizer for your plants.
2. Improve Soil Health and Structure
In addition to providing nutrients, composting banana peels can also improve the overall health and quality of your soil.
The organic matter in banana peels helps feed beneficial soil organisms like earthworms, fungi, and bacteria. These organisms break down the peels and recycle the nutrients to be better absorbed by plant roots.
Adding organic material like banana peels to your compost pile also improves soil structure. The peels contain lots of fiber that helps bind soil particles together. This creates soil that retains moisture better while still allowing air pockets for good drainage.
Over time, composting food waste like banana peels creates richer, more fertile soil. Plants can establish stronger root systems in this nutrient-rich and well-structured soil.
3. Reduce Food Waste Sent to Landfills
Food waste makes up a surprisingly large portion of the waste sent to landfills. According to the EPA, food scraps and yard waste together make up over 30 percent of what goes into landfills in the U.S.1
Landfills are one of the biggest producers of methane, a harmful greenhouse gas.2 By composting banana peels and other food waste rather than sending them to the landfill, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Composting these food scraps keeps them in the nutrient cycle rather than letting them rot anaerobically in a landfill.
Composting banana peels and other food scraps is a simple way to be more environmentally friendly and reduce your carbon footprint. It’s one small change that can make a big difference when practiced widely.
4. Make a Natural, Organic Fertilizer
Finished compost that contains decomposed banana peels is a wonderful organic fertilizer for gardens and houseplants. You know exactly what has gone into the compost, avoiding any chemicals or mystery ingredients in store-bought fertilizers.
Using composted food scraps like banana peels to enrich your soil is a natural, organic way to fertilize plants. The nutrients are slowly released as the compost breaks down, providing a gentle feeding over time. This organic fertilizer benefits plants without risking the potential “burn” that can happen with high-concentration chemical fertilizers.
Now that we’ve covered some of the benefits, let’s look at practical ways to compost banana peels at home.
How to Compost Banana Peels
Composting banana peels is relatively straightforward. Here are some tips for successful banana peel composting:
Start by Cutting Peels Into Small Pieces
Breaking down the peels into smaller pieces gives more surface area for microorganisms and fungi to start the decomposition process. Aim to cut peels into roughly 1-inch pieces or smaller.
You can use a knife, scissors, or even a food processor if you’ll be composting large batches of peels regularly. The smaller the pieces, the faster the banana peel compost will be ready.
Balance Green and Brown Materials
For a healthy compost pile, you want a balance of “green” and “brown” materials. Green materials (like banana peels, grass clippings, and plant debris) provide nitrogen. Browns (like dry leaves, woodchips, and paper) provide carbon.
A good rule of thumb is a ratio of 2 parts brown materials to 1 part green materials.3 So balance out fresh banana peels by mixing them with dried leaves, sawdust, shredded paper, straw, or wood chips.
Allow Access to Air
Oxygen is essential for aerobic bacteria and fungi to break down organic matter in compost. Turn or stir the compost pile weekly to introduce more air.
You can also place a few PVC pipes vertically in the pile to help air circulate from bottom to top. Breaking materials into smaller pieces also provides more air pockets.
Proper aeration speeds up composting so your banana peels will finish decomposing faster.
Add Moisture as Needed
A moist (but not soggy) compost pile will decompose fastest. The microorganisms need a certain amount of moisture to flourish. If your compost looks dry, water occasionally while turning.
To test the moisture level, squeeze a handful of compost. It should feel damp but not dripping wet. Aim for 40-60% moisture.4 Add dry browns like sawdust, straw, or shredded paper if the pile seems too wet.
Turn the Pile Frequently
Turning or stirring the compost pile once a week provides aeration and mixes materials so they break down evenly. You can use a pitchfork, compost turner tool, or even a shovel to give the pile a quick mix and flip.
Turning ensures all parts of the compost get a chance to decompose fully. It also prevents overly wet or dry pockets from forming.
Where to Add Banana Peels in Your Compost
Now let’s look at some of the best places to add banana peels in your compost pile or bin:
Compost Tumbler
A compost tumbler is a sealed bin mounted on a stand that you can easily turn or roll to mix and aerate the compost.
Tumblers make composting convenient, and their enclosed design keeps out pests. Just open the hatch and add your chopped banana peels, mixing them into the browns. Remember to turn the tumbler every few days.
Popular compost tumbler brands include:
- Envirocycle
- Miracle-Gro
- FCMP Outdoor
- Geobin
- Algreen
Backyard Compost Pile
For large volumes, you can build an open compost pile right in the garden. Choose a level, partly shaded spot near a water source.
Gather browns like dried leaves or straw to form the base. Toss in banana peels and other food scraps as they accumulate, layering greens and browns. Cover if it rains to keep the pile moist. Turn with a pitchfork or compost fork weekly.
Vermicomposting
Vermicomposting uses worms to break down food waste like banana peels into a rich fertilizer called worm castings. Red wiggler worms work best.
Add shredded banana peels to your worm bin, mixing them into the bedding. The worms will consume the peels and other scraps, excreting nutrients in a form easy for plants to absorb.
Vermicomposting bins make the process easy. Popular brands include Worm Factory, Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm, and Urban Worm Bag.
Compost Bin
For smaller composting, you can add banana peels to a backyard compost bin along with other food waste. Use an enclosed bin to keep pests out.
Regularly mix in dry browns and turn the compost using an internal paddle or rod to aerate the pile. Turning weekly will ensure even decomposition.
Some good enclosed compost bin options are:
- Envirocycle Mini Composter
- Gecko Okocat Small Compost Bin
- VegTrug Composter
- FCMP Outdoor Compost Bin
- Jora Compost Tumbler
Trench Composting
For a very simple approach, use trench composting right in your garden beds. Dig trenches about 8-12 inches deep in between rows or around the garden perimeter.
Toss your chopped banana peels into the trenches as you accumulate food waste. Mix peels with soil, dry leaves, straw, or sawdust. Every 2 weeks, fill in part of the trench, covering the food waste. The food will compost in place, enriching your garden soil.
Bokashi Composting
Bokashi is a Japanese fermenting method used to break down food waste. It relies on beneficial microorganisms to quickly ferment the food waste into compost.
To bokashi banana peels, simply chop the peels and layer them in a bokashi bin, sprinkling each layer with bokashi bran inoculant. Press out air pockets, then seal the bin to ferment for 2 weeks before burying the food waste.
A few good bokashi composting kit options include:
- Vitamix FoodCycler Bokashi Indoor Composter
- Prota House Bokashi Composting Starter Kit
- EcoPlus Bokashi Composting System
This fermenting process creates a nutrient-rich fertilizer liquid you can drain from the bin and add to plants. The fermented food waste can then be buried in soil or a regular compost pile to finish breaking down.
Community Compost Program
Many neighborhoods and communities offer a food waste collection service that you can add banana peels and other food scraps to. The food waste is then composted at a community facility.
Check for curbside food waste pickup or community compost drop-off options in your area. This makes composting banana peels and other food waste easy and convenient.
When Will Banana Peels Decompose in Compost?
Now that you know the best practices for adding banana peels to your compost, you’re probably wondering – how long will it take them to decompose?
The rate of decomposition depends on several factors:
- Size of the peel pieces – Smaller pieces decompose faster than large peels.
- Balance of materials – A proper ratio of carbon and nitrogen-rich materials speeds decomposition.
- Aeration – Turning the compost provides oxygen for faster breakdown of peels.
- Moisture level – Keeping the pile damp but not soaked accelerates the process.
- Temperature – Warmer temperatures increase microbial activity to break down peels quicker.
Taking the proper steps outlined above, you can expect banana peels to decompose in about 2-5 weeks in an actively managed compost pile or bin. Vermicomposting may take 4-6 weeks. Bokashi ferments food waste in just 2 weeks.
Unattended compost heaps with no turning or moisture control can take 4-6 months to fully decompose banana peels. But actively managing the compost makes the process much faster.
Using Finished Banana Peel Compost
Once your banana peels have fully broken down, that nutrient-rich compost is ready to use in your garden and containers. Here are some of the top ways to make use of finished banana peel compost:
Mix Into Garden Soil
Mix a few inches of finished compost into your garden beds each season. This adds nutrients and organic matter to enrich the soil and establish a healthy environment for plant roots.
Spread compost over the bed and mix it into the top 6-12 inches of soil with a spade fork. Compost improves drainage and moisture retention and feeds soil microbes to keep plants thriving.
Use in Containers and Planters
Container plants will benefit from adding compost when replanting. Mix a good amount of compost into the potting soil to provide food for your plants.
You can add up to 50% compost to container soil mixes.5 The compost releases nutrients over time for steady feeding of container plants.
Top-Dress Lawns and Beds
Spreading a thin layer of compost over lawns, flower beds, and vegetable gardens acts as a natural fertilizer. This top-dressing breaks down slowly, providing a steady release of nutrients to feed plants long-term.
Apply a 1/4 to 1/2 inch layer of compost around the root zone of plants.6 Water well initially to help wash the nutrients down into the soil where roots can access them.
Make Compost Tea Fertilizer
Compost tea is a liquid fertilizer made by steeping compost in water. It extracts the beneficial microbes and nutrients in the compost to create a nutrient-rich foliar spray.
Add a shovelful of finished compost containing banana peels to a burlap sack. Soak the sack in a bucket of non-chlorinated water for 3-7 days. Stir and squeeze the bag daily. Use the strained “tea” to water plants or apply as a foliar spray.7
Other Uses for Banana Peels in Gardening
Aside from composting banana peels, there are a few other ways you can use them in your garden:
Fertilizer Tea
As mentioned above, you can make a quick fertilizer tea from banana peels to use immediately on plants.
Chop and soak peels in water for 1-3 days. Dilute the strained liquid up to 10:1 to use as a mineral-rich feed for plants. The potassium helps fruiting plants and flowers.
Mulch Around Plants
Use fresh banana peels as mulch by laying them directly around the base of plants. As they decompose, the peels will slowly release nutrients into the soil. The peels also help retain moisture.
Chop peels and lay them in a circle around each plant, about 1 inch from stems. The peels will compost in place. Reapply new peels every 2-3 weeks.
Pest and Critter Repellent
Some gardeners report success using banana peels to deter pests like aphids, spider mites, rabbits, and deer.8 Lay fresh peels around affected plants. The strong banana scent, oils, and potassium may help chase away pests.
The benefits are temporary but it’s an easy, non-toxic pest deterrent to try. Replace peels every few days to keep the scent strong.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, banana peels are too valuable to waste. Composting them recycles the nutrients in these common fruit scraps into a fantastic fertilizer for your garden. We covered how composting banana peels works, tips to speed decomposition, and ways to use the finished compost in your garden and containers.
So next time you peel a banana, don’t throw the peel in the trash. Toss it into your compost instead and know you’re contributing to a more sustainable garden.