Gardeners are currently enjoying the sight of roses in full bloom, but there are some simple tips to encourage even more blooms.
Jocelyn, founder of The Reading Residences and a gardening enthusiast, was delighted to discover that feeding leftover banana peels to roses significantly boosted their growth.
She explained: “We found that feeding them banana peels made the flowers grow bigger and more beautiful.”
“Apparently the potassium in the soil is really good for kids so I thought I might as well get some in there. Especially with the amount of bananas the kids eat – there's no shortage of banana peels around here!”
It may seem odd, but throwing banana peels into the soil around your roses during the summer can do wonders: as the peels decompose, they release potassium, which is essential for regulating water flow and nutrient distribution within the plant, resulting in more impressive blooms.
Potassium not only helps roses tolerate stress better, but it also strengthens their immune system, helping them fight fungal diseases prevalent in the summer and keeping plants healthy.
Not only do bananas provide potassium, they are also rich in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, all of which promote strong root development and flowering, resulting in increased flower numbers.
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The process is simple: set aside a banana peel until it starts to change color, then chop it up.
To prevent pests, simply bury a banana peel in the ground near your roses; over time the banana peel will decompose and gradually add nutrients to the soil, giving your roses the nourishment they need to thrive.
Jocelyn said: “I left it there for a few days until it started to rot, then I chopped some up and sprinkled it on the roses.”
“Then I dug out some soil from around the base of the roses, scattered the bark on and covered them up again. Easy!”
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