Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Emagggie on October 23, 2006, 21:27:24
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I was told today that banana skins in compost are a big no-no! Does anyone else agree with this and if so,why? (The person who told me didn't know.)
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I do hope not cos I always put mine in.
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nonsense
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Allegedly they encourage ants... but I usually compost mine...how many I would have to eat before it became a problem?
???
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I've heard that one too maggie but ignored it as it's never been a problem. The site rep comes for his chat at banana time so he can hurl the skin onto my plot 'to add to the mulch' :D
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Thanks folks,then I shall do likewise (not hurl it onto your plot Sarah,can't throw that far ;D)
Thought it was a bit daft,but it came from a 'very experienced gardener' I suppose that doesn't make him an expert ;)
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Just Googled it and the only thing I could find (after a v.quick scan) was the fact that they might not break down as quickly as other things same as egg shells. But that's no big disaster?!
;D
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I put them on mine and had no ill effect that I have noticed. I do know that banana skins, face down are very good for roses. I thought it was an old wives tale but saw it on TV once. I usually put them on my roses, don't know if they are better or not but can't harm, can it? :)
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I always put banana skins on the compost. They seem to brake down along with the other material. My main bug is when the little label has been left on the skin and that has not broken down >:(
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Never heard that one...
I have, however, heard that citrus peel (except in small quantities) isn't a great addition. I was told that it's not great for the worms... anyone know more?
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Banana skins have traces of phosphorus which is a valuable trace mineral needed by plants so compost them
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I have always put my banana skins in the compost as they seem to rot down really well and have never heard anything against doing it. ??? busy_lizzie
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citrus peel (except in small quantities) isn't a great addition. I was told that it's not great for the worms... anyone know more?
don't think it's going to be a problem unless you guzzle industrial quantities of citrus ;)
allotmenteers have so much more compostable stuff than households that buy from supermarkets, so maintaining a balance is a doddle. IMO peeps who buy from supermarkets will tend to have a higher proportion of citrus waste cos they don't have normal peelings/leafage going in ::)
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If you compost vast quantities of the stuff it's going to be a seriously acid heap, could that be the problem? I can't see that a little would make any noticeable difference.
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An orange skin a day, a grapefruit skin a week and lots of lemon skins go on our compost heap. I have also been criticised for this, but they seem to disappear OK.
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unless you guzzle industrial quantities of citrus
fnaak! ;D
You haven't seen what the triffid brood get through during clementine season! Average is 4lb of sats/clems etc a day. That's a day.
Our greengrocer loves us (in a sort of horrified way!!) ;D
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We throw ours in too.
I usually give them a rince when I buy them because bananas have lots of pesticides, but you don't have to.
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We're mega citrus fruit eaters here to.At least 3 grapefruit a week and loads of oranges (and the occasional lemon bits left over from the G&T ;D).
I have always bunged them all on the heap along with the nana skins.
It never occurred to me not to. I shall definately ignore the advice as a result of the overwhelming opinion given here, thanks folks.
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If you've got any citrus plants, presumably they'd prefer the citrus compost?
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every banana that gets eaten in our house goes straight onto the garden, round the roses and anything that needs flower encouragement (I'm trying them on my wisteria at present) - the skins turn brown by next day so they become invisible
the art of composting is getting a balance so 'some' citrus is fine - I suppose the worms find the juice caustic but it'll rot down eventually
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Banana skins contain a high level of potassium. When I did my RHS course, our tutor recommended putting banana skins in pots with tomato plants and also in the base of hanging baskets. Iwould say thatthey would be fine in compost.
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fnaak! ;D
You haven't seen what the triffid brood get through during clementine season! Average is 4lb of sats/clems etc a day. That's a day.
lol@triffid brood
(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/smilies/orange_dance.gif)(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/smilies/orange_dance.gif)(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/smilies/orange_dance.gif)(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/smilies/orange_dance.gif)(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/smilies/orange_dance.gif)
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Like cookie said, mum use to put bannana skins in the pots before putting the plants in, she said it drew the roots down, also good to hang on the tomato vines to hasten ripening.
This one I heard the other day? if you have a over ripe bannana make a hole in the skin and put a cutting in it should root no problem. how about that one.
Mine go in the compost bins as well.
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Finally found some back-up research to explain why I was warned against putting citrus peel into my compost heap. So I thought I'd add it even though this thread is now dormant, in case anyone searches it in future :)
This is from Bristol City Council's website -- a really handy 'what can I compost' section:
http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/Rubbish-waste-and-recycling/composting---frequently-asked-questions.en;jsessionid=EF7559B952DCE3986E86052FE2572580
Citrus fruits can make your compost heap overly acidic so only add them in moderation or not at all. If you do add them, add plenty of other matter (such as grass clippings) at the same time to try to even up the balance a bit.
Also, many types of compost heap worms, such as tiger worms, don't like d-limonene, an antiseptic substance found in fresh citrus peel. The d-limonene disappears as the peel rots though so your worms will prefer it if you leave it out of the main compost heap until it's green and furry.
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Only just started with banana skins and citrus fruit skins this past few months. Dont think it will do any harm. Will see in the spring.
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;D Too much of any matter in a compost is not perfect a good mixture is needed, other things not to go in a compost ? rhubarb leaves, potato plants?,
brassica roots?
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i was told to put the banana skins under rose trees, no idea why, either, also, pieces of overripe banana , if you don't make them into cakes, at the bottom of the plants, birds eat them, apparently :D
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other things not to go in a compost ? rhubarb leaves, potato plants?,
brassica roots?
All things I've heard too, at one time or another.
The rhubarb-leaves one is an old wives' tale (they're toxic if eaten but absolutely harmless when composted,)
Potato plants are fine unless blighted - then you need a really hot heap to be sure of killing the blight spores so probably not a good risk to take.
Brassica roots are fine unless they've got clubroot. But because they can be so tough, it's a good idea to split them so they compost faster.
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Triffid that's a great link!! Thanks. Still chucking everything in regardless,but now in my bean trench. What with weeing on the compost heap and bananas and citrus in everything---how can I fail??????
Interesting experiment coming up re cuttings and banana skins re. Teresa's post. We eat so many here it's a shame not to use them.
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Citrus skins in your compost makes it smell really(ish) nice when you turn it. Beats half composted cabbage smells anyway.javascript:replaceText(' :D', document.forms.postmodify.message);
Cheesy
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I put them in now, just different things I'd heard, the brassica roots I put on the bonfire quickest way to break down and spread the ashes on the soil.
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If yuo are worried about bunging your grapefruit skin halves onto the compost, then place them around the plants that sluggies most like....they congregate beneath letting you gather them up and dispose of them however you see fit. Melon halves have a similar effect! ;D
For me, if it was once growing, onto the heap it goes. The only things that don't are 'perishables' like meat, dairy and (god forbid) processed foodstuffs. Fish bones do go on the heap, but well mixed in with other stuff so they are buried.
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;D I heard some where that they put slugs in the compost is this true, EJ dont the fish bones attract unwanted furry things with long tails?
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Kev, I had the furry things without the fish keeping warm in my garden compost heap. It is on the allotment heaps where I bung them, and there are plenty of furry things around, and ratus ratus has never been a problem...possibly because of the foxes and the neighbours greyhound that rome the site! ;D