Banana Skins

Hi guys. Just got a tip today from a guy with a fantastic Rose garden.:wink:
He says to put banana skins round the rose bushes, let them rot down, then hoe them into the ground. Apparently to release the Pottasium.
Anyone tried this? Does this sound right? Or is he taking the pxss.:cnfs:

 

Bananas are supposed to be rich in potassium, so use the whole fruit if you can.:D

 

It's not all rubbish. Cajarry.
The bananas will provide good rose food. Probably the best to be had in the days of austerity when there was nothing else to be had.
Today - I would just buy some tomato feed (I use Tomorite) and give them a drink of that.
Probably cheaper and more effective than bananas - and a lot less air miles.

 

I throw the skins into the compost bin where they seem to break down well, but might try that tip under the climbing roses (although concerned it might attract even MORE slugs!).

 

Or out-of-work slapstick comedians. You don't want them under your roses.

 

Oh behave!! (sorry, was that a bit camp?)

 

Thanks for thr replies, guys.:gnthb:

 

I use ring culture for most of my Tomatoes and puting a banana skin at the base increases the speed of ripening.

 

I believe in banana skins/fruit for potassium infusion ... it is what runners and other sports people eat for the energy. As far as increasing the riipening potential of fruit/vegetables, I think SUNSHINE is needed for that .. a minimum of six hours a day for tomatoes ... NOT always possible in the UK sadly. :(

 

Well, bananas seem to help everything ripen so I think I'll give the tomato trick a go. Don't want any "slip-ups".:hehe:

 

Banana skins are also supposed work on verrucas!

 

ear, ear :hehe:

I understand that ripe bananas, like many other fruits, give off ethylene gas. This along with sunshine helps to trigger ripening of fruit - but ethylene doesn't further redden them. To get the best effect you need to put, say, unripe tomatoes in a bag with the banana skins to get the concentration of ethylene high enough to have an effect.

I found this on the internet :-

Ripening of bananas for export

In order for the fruit to survive the transit time from source to origin it must be picked at 3/4 maturity when the bananas appear green. After arrival in the destination country a very small controlled release of ethylene, approximately 10-50 parts per million (ppm), is used to trigger the natural ripening process. This treatment, combined with control of ventilation and temperature, ensures uniform development of maturity in both the pulp and the peel. The source of the ethylene used is ethanol i.e. alchohol most of which is produced by fermentation of fruit and vegetables.