Banana Skins

I'll bet that was an interesting visit Shiney.

 

This was similar to my first thought- apart from looking ugly as hell, wont they use up soil nutrients while being digested by soil organisms?
Like what occurs when applying fresh animal manure?

Explained here:

From here: http://www.biodynamics.in/Compost2EEP.htm

Also wouldnt it be better if the nutrients were in a soluble form?
Stick the skins in a blender with some water and pour it on. Or burn the dry skins and water on the ashes.

/chemistry student!

 

The breaking up of the skins first will increase its total surface area and the rate of decomposition, meaning any nutrients will be more quickly/ freely available for use by the plant.

But in any case, surely while the skins are decomposing, the process will actually deplete nitrogen in the soil. Any nutrients contained in the skin will only be available to the plant (in water soluble form of course) after decomposition.

Ive just eaten another banana, makes 3 for the day!

 

Melinda - thanks for that link. It took some reading, but there is a lot of good stuff in there. Fertilisation is a highly complex subject. I can sort of get my head round the NPK bit (but even that is difficult, because there are several salts involved for each of the elements). But I still have little feel for the retention of fertiliser.

At the Harrogate flower show, some time ago, I got chatting to some people who were selling - not a fertiliser, but a fertiliser retention material. They said that this material, which was quite expensive, would make fertiliser more available to the crop. They had obviously done a lot of research on the subject. If I were a big scale farmer, I would have taken it very seriously - but I would need some proof. But as an amateur gardener I didn't feel I could pay for something I didn't understand.

I think for most of us, even if we think we understand a bit of the theory, plant feeding is a very hit and miss process.

 

The chemical process involved in nutrient exchange are complicated (it's all about positive and negative charges on particles and how they interact - you don't want to know!)

For us gardeners, though, it's pretty simple to improve a soil so more nutrients are available to the crop via these processes- lots and lots of well-rotted organic matter!

 

Burning will result in the gas CO2 and water as major decomposition products the rest being largely metal and non-metal oxides. Essential nutrients should still be there though but likely to be in a different form.
John

 

That's really interesting because I get bitten very often! :D I have to cover up in the early evenings, even in the UK. I also eat quite bit of garlic- and that's supposed to ward off biting insects.

I dont think I like the idea of walking around alternately attracting and repulsing clouds of biting insects!

 

Im very like you in that I fear the hit and miss feeding, especially of long term border plants. By the end of the summer Ive sometimes had to water in sequestrated trace elements to correct imbalances Ive spotted in the leaves.

Im off for a google about this fertiliser retention material you were referring to. It might be worth it to coddle some of the more valuable plants.

 

Chuckle. Lots of well rotted organic matter / compost is the only "fertiliser retention material" you'll ever need, Melinda!

There is also Micorrhizal fungi, which is kind of a similar thing. It's a fungus that forms a sort of 'sheath' around plant roots, providing them with more access to soil nutrients. You can buy that in most garden centres these days.

 

Is that the stuff the younger guy one Gardener's World Team has started using when planting? He said something about it promoting root development.

Well if I can get some for under a tenner ... :D Im in London and the soil is very heavy clay. We've dug in lots of compost over the years, but it could never be enough. :(