Tomato plants will grow bigger and juicer fruit with this ‘easy to make' fertiliser
Tomato plants will grow "as much fruit as possible" if fed this nutrient-rich fertiliser recipe which can easily be made with just three kitchen ingredients.
Tomatoes are a popular crop in gardens due to how easy they are to grow, but the secret to getting bigger and juicer yields is to feed them the right fertiliser.
Potassium is the key to boosting production in tomatoes as this nutrient improves fruit colour, and flavour and can even help extend the crop's shelf life once harvested.
Katie Femia, a gardening expert and founder of The Homespun Hydrangea has shared you can easily make your own homemade tomato plant feed using her DIY banana peel tea recipe.
She said: “Banana peels contain 42 percent potassium which is one of the major components of fertiliser.
“Why not feed this much-needed potassium to your plants via banana peels? It is so much simpler than buying bags of fertilizer from the store.”
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How to make a banana peel fertiliser tea
This natural and homemade fertiliser is “easy to make” according to Katie using “basic kitchen scraps and a little water.”
She said: “You will love how easy it is to turn your leftover banana peels into a nutrient-rich food for your plants. Tomatoes especially go wild over this DIY fertiliser recipe.”
All you will need is:
- A glass mansion jar with a lid
- Banana peels
- Water
To begin, rinse the banana peels with water and place them in a glass jar until the jar is around halfway full.
Add tap water to the jar until the mason jar is completely full, and then screw the lid on tightly.
Next, allow the mixture to steep for five to seven days so the nutrients are completely absorbed by the water.
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Your homemade fertiliser will then be ready to use. Simply pour the water onto the base of your tomato plant and throw the mushy peels into the soil where they will decompose.
Tomato plants should be fed around every 10 to 14 days, and this simple fertiliser can be made repeatedly to help get juicier crops but also keep the plant healthy.
Katie explained: “Because banana peels contain calcium, they can help prevent end rot to the plant. The nutrients in the peels will encourage the tomato plants to flower and grow as much fruit as possible.
“This is a wonderful banana peel water fertiliser recipe for anyone who wants to give their tomato plants a boost.”