It is almost May 1st and time for that spring time tradition. Yes ladies and gentlemen it is time for the planting of the banana. Don’t be silly. Bananas don’t grow well in Connecticut but the peels of the banana break down in the soil and add nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous to the soil that roses and other plants just love. It all started for me when I had left a banana on the counter so long it had passed the banana bread stage. I had read an article how roses liked bananas so I oogled a hole near a rose bush , planted the banana and filled the hole back in. That year the bush produced beautiful roses.
I bragged how the roses were all due to my planting the banana and a tradition was born. At the Leffingwell House Museum beside the flag pole is a Norwich Rose and I hope someone is still feeding the rose bush its yearly treat of a banana. The all natural compost of the banana builds up and improves the quality of the soil.
The addition of potassium to the soil strengthens the stems, helps developing buds to grow and mature for longer periods of time and helps the leaves keep from turning yellow and brown during the summer while also helping to boost the overall immune system of the plant and those surrounding it.
Of course, fertilizing with a single banana is not enough but adds some lighthearted fun to cleaning up the yard and doing a bit of gardening.
Used coffee grounds are also great for helping plants to grow because it has a carbon to nitrogen ratio of about 20 to 1, the grounds lighten the weight of the soil and so it attracts earthworms that aerate and loosen the surrounding soil, and some of the other pests and bacteria’s don’t like it. In my head I have an image of a slug with a hangover from sipping on the dish of beer slowly moving over to the dew soaked coffee grounds. Slugs love beer but tend to drown. If you don’t brew your own coffee, ask at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts for their used coffee grounds. Roses also love Epsom salts, crushed egg shells and orange peels.
Happy spring and happy gardening to all!
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