Will Worms Eat Banana Peels?


Are you wondering if worms will eat banana peels? If you are into composting, then you are aware that worms eat organic matters which provides a lot of benefits to the soil. However, you might be curious if they also eat banana peels. We will find out the answer to this question below.

Will worms eat banana peels? Worms will eat banana peels. They are considered a good food for composting worms. The worms will eat both the flesh and peel of the banana. Moreover, you can also feed them banana peels that have turned brown. Worms eat organic matter and will easily break down older banana peels.

Banana peels are one of the best organic foods that you can feed to worms because they are rich in nutrients. On the other hand, take note that bananas have high water amount so you need to make sure that you balance them with dry materials. To do this, you can add straw, shredded paper, or dry leaves into the compost bin. Banana peel attracts ants and flies so make sure to cover the bin.

Can You Feed Worms Old Banana Peels?

You can feed worms old banana peels. Do not worry that the peel has brown or black spots because worms will still eat them. It will be easier for worms to eat banana peels that are broken down. Chopping the old banana peels at about ½ inches in size. Doing this will increase the surface area of the banana skin.

The soil bacteria in the compost bin will also help break down the banana peel. Both the bacteria in the soil and the banana peel will be eaten by the worms which will then be turned into humus which is beneficial for the soil. Aside from that, bananas are rich in potassium that are great for garden plants.

Can You Feed Worms Fresh Banana Peels?

Like old banana peels, you can feed worms the fresh ones. If you have just used eaten a banana or used it for a smoothie, you can throw the peel into the composting bin for the worms to eat. On the other hand, take note that fresh banana peels take longer to break down because the skin is harder. The worms will also leave it for a while until they break down a bit so that they are easier to eat.

Does Banana Peel Attract Fruit Flies?

Banana peel can attract fruit flies. If you have bananas in your kitchen, you might notice fruit flies hovering over them. Moreover, fruit flies can bear eggs on the skin of the banana. To prevent infestation, you can wash the banana in hot soapy water. Before throwing the banana peel into the compost bin, you need to chop them so that worms can process them more quickly. You can also kill fruit fly eggs by freezing or microwaving the banana peel.

Can You Throw Banana Peels in the Compost Bin?

You can throw banana peels in the compost bin. They add nutrients to the soil and also reduce landfill waste. Banana peels can be thrown into the compost whole o you can also chop them into smaller pieces so that they break down easily. Bear in mind that banana peel, especially the fresh ones, takes longer to compost if they are whole. It is best that you cut the peel into smaller pieces so that they decompose faster.

Banana Peels Add Nutrients to the Soil

Composting banana peel has a lot of benefits to the soil. Banana peels are rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, carbon, and potassium. These nutrients will be broken down into the soil. You can use the compost as a top dressing or in your vegetable garden.

Composting Banana Peels Reduce Landfill

You can reduce landfill by composting banana fill at home. Rather than decomposing in a landfill, you can use the banana peel to add nutrients to the soil for your garden.

✅ Video – Worms VS Banana Timelapse

Invisible Life shared the video below on YouTube. It shows a decomposing banana. In the video, the process of worms eating a banana is recorded. Are you interested in how long it takes for the worms to eat the banana? Watch the video to find out.

Can a Banana Decompose?

A banana can decompose because it is organic and biodegradable. The flesh part of the banana can decompose quickly. On the other hand, for a banana peel to fully decompose, it can take up to two years. If you throw a banana in the compost bin, the peels take about three to four weeks to start decomposing.

How Long for a Banana Peel to Decompose?

If the condition is ideal, a banana peel will decompose for about three to four weeks. On the other hand, if your compost bin has worms, the bin will get hot and the bananas will break down faster. If you want the banana peel to decompose faster, you can cut it up into smaller pieces before throwing it in the compost bin. You can also read this article that discusses if compost bins need holes in the bottom. We have shared helpful information that you can refer to.

Can You Speed Up the Process of Decomposing Banana Peels?

You can speed up the process of decomposing the banana peel by cutting it into smaller pieces rather than throwing a large peel into the compost bin. It takes years for a banana peel to decompose if it is just thrown into the ground. On the other hand, it will decompose faster in a compost bin. You can also rotate the composter to speed up the process. Air out the compost bin so that it increases the oxygen and allows enables bacteria to break down the peel quickly.

Aside from Worm Food, What Else Can I Use Banana Peel For?

Insect trap, banana peel vinegar, dry peel fertilizer, fermented peel puree, and aphid control are some of the uses of banana peel aside from being worm food. Let us learn more about these uses below.

Banana Peel for Aphid Control

One of the uses of banana peel is aphid control. Aphids do not like banana peels. You can prevent aphids by using banana peels as a side dressing under the mulch. It will effectively stop repelling the aphids from damaging your plants.

Banana Peel for Insect Trap

Banana peels can also be used as an insect trap. You can get rid of houseflies using peels. To do this, cut the banana peel into smaller pieces, place them in a container, and add the apple cider vinegar. Shake the container to release the odor of the banana peel and place it in your kitchen or garden. This will repel houseflies.

Banana Peel Vinegar

You can use banana peel vinegar to adjust the acidity of the soil. To make banana peel vinegar, cut banana peel into small pieces and place them in a jar. Fill the jar with water, cover it, and let it soak for about a week before removing the peel. After a week, remove the peel and allow the juice to ferment, and turn into vinegar.

Dry Banana Peel Fertilizer

If you do not want to compost banana peel but still want to use it as a fertilizer, you can make a dry banana peel fertilizer. Start by cutting up the banana peels into long strips and place them in an oven at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the peels are dry, grind them. You can use the powder as an organic fertilizer for your plants.

Fermented Banana Peel Puree

If you have already made a banana peel vinegar, do not throw the banana peel because you can use it to create a fermented banana peel puree. Put the fermented peels in a blender and puree them. You can use the puree on flowering plants to get bigger blooms.

Are Banana Peels Great for Composting?

Banana peels are great for composting because they are rich in nutrients that are excellent for the soil. Take note that banana peel is made up of f 91 percent organic matter that is composed of nutritious substances that can benefit your garden.

Can Banana Peels be Added Directly into the Soil?

You can add banana peels directly into the soil. To do this, bury the banana peels near the plant. Do not place it on top of the soil because it can attract fruit flies. On the other hand, the banana peel will take longer to decompose. Another option is to grind the banana peels into powder and mix it with the garden soil. We have also shared this article titled, should I add water to my worm farm? You can check out the article for more tips and information.

Banana Peels Decompose Quickly in What Condition?

Banana peels will decompose quickly if it is cut into smaller pieces, rotating the composter, adding water, and aerating the composter. You can also mix the banana peel with other fruits or vegetables to speed up the decomposing process. You can also check out this article that discusses how often you should change worm bedding. We have shared an in-depth discussion about the topic.

Conclusion

You have reached the end of this article that discusses if worms will eat banana peels. We have found out that worms will eat banana peels because they are organic matter. Worms will eat both fresh and old banana peels. Moreover, we have found out that the best way to feed banana peels to worms is by cutting them up into smaller pieces. Thank you for reading!

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