Discover how banana peel water affects your snake plant, and how you can use it safely for surprising results and greener leaves.
Did you throw away that banana peel in the bin? It’s time you put it to use. You can prepare that magical banana water as a tonic for your snake plants and figure out if this hack holds power for you or not. Want to see how?
Banana Peel Water
Banana peel water, banana tea, or banana water fertilizer is simply water in which banana peels have been soaked or boiled so that nutrients from the peels mix with the water. Then we use that nutrient-rich water to water or mist houseplants, like the Snake Plant.
Banana peels are rich in plant-friendly nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium, so the magical water we prepare can actually be a great source to boost healthy growth.
How to Make Banana Peel Water and Use it Safely
Snake plants don’t require heavy fertilization; a mild natural supplement like banana-peel water works wonders for them. If you’ve got leftover banana peels, why not use them rather than waste them? This helps with sustainable, zero-waste gardening, and recycling food scraps, which many plant lovers appreciate and practice.
Use 1–2 organic banana peels that are pesticide-free and cut them into small pieces. Then place them in a jar of water for 48–72 hours. Alternatively, you can boil the peel pieces in water for 30–45 minutes, then cool and strain. After that, strain the water again so you’re left with clear-looking banana liquid.
Next, dilute the banana water with fresh water, using one part banana water to five parts fresh water, to avoid over-concentrating nutrients. Use the diluted water for watering. Remember, snake plants hate soggy soil, so use it as part of your normal watering routine. For example, once every 3–4 weeks works well.
What Results To Expect?
Many have found that their Snake Plants showed richer green leaves or firmer new shoots after occasional banana-water treatments. Their color stayed richer, and new leaves were firmer.
But one thing to note is that banana-peel water is not a substitute for a balanced fertilizer, since we can’t guarantee that soaking banana peels in water effectively extracts nutrients for plant absorption. There is also a potential danger that many banana peels carry pesticide residues, which could be transferred to the soil.
Before you start using banana-peel water for your snake plants, it is important to consider that sugary or decaying banana residue can attract fruit flies, fungus, or other unwanted insects. Since snake plants prefer drier conditions, extra water in the soil may reduce their tolerance for moisture and make the soil soggy.
So, can you use banana-peel water? Yes, but sparingly, with care, and as a supplement, not a primary feeding method. Follow your general good plant care, and if you find pests appearing or the soil staying too wet, skip the banana-peel water hack. And don’t forget to tell us how your snake plants responded in the comments below.
