Bananas and tomatoes

[womble]

I know the idea that you are supposed to put chopped up bananas under the tomato plants before you plant them, but I forgot to do that.
In previous years I have put the whole skins around the tomato plants on the soil, but I wonder just how much they give to the plants like this.

So I'm wondering the best way to use them.

A couple of ideas.
Chop them up small and put them round the plants, should work better than whole skins.
Puree them in the mixer and spread round the plants. I imagine this may go mouldy, although I'm not sure why.
Put them in the comfrey bin that is filled with water. Seems like this may be a good idea, what do you think?

[Florence Fennel]

Very interesting. I've only ever used bananas in a bag with green tomatoes to ripen them up.

[womble]

I should have said that it's just the skins I'm talking about. They are full of potassium and other nutrients if what I hear is correct.

[Florence Fennel]

I do remember one of the allotmenteers on the "Big Dig" planted banana skins with his outdoor tomatoes Womble, I'll watch this thread with interest.

[rustylady]

I never heard of that, I know ripe bananas give off ethylene (I think) which helps to ripen green tomatoes after they've been picked. The pureed banana skins sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

[snohare]

I have never done it with tomatoes because I have never had a greenhouse of my own, but I use chopped banana skins laid on the soil of my potted houseplants to make them flower on the windowsill, and it never fails. Great for cacti too, if mine are anything to go by.
The only problem is those damned tiny flies...!

[King Carrot]

Don't mainstream bannana skins carry a high level of pesticide residue, I always treat them like they carry the plague and compost them

[womble]

Don't mainstream bannana skins carry a high level of pesticide residue, I always treat them like they carry the plague and compost them

Yes this does appear to be the case after some searching.

Which raises the question of using them at all uncomposted, or composting them........... or composting anything that may have lots of pesticides on them.

Organic bananas seem to be clear, May be a change in buying then here.

[snohare]

Depends on the pesticides used. The ones used on bananas are carbamyls and organophosphates I believe - so fungicides and insecticides. The latter breaks down relatively quickly but might affect slugs et al I suppose; the former would probably make a longer-term difference to composting and soil structure over a period of years, due to the importance of fungi in the process.
Non-organic bananas are pretty close to the top of the list of things I avoid, due to sensitivity to pesticide residues. (Out of season salad veg and tomatoes, grown in Spanish polytunnels, would be up there too.)
I've never thought about it - I would normally never have non-organic skins to use - but I suppose that non-organic ones wouldn't have the same fungus gnat problem ! Given the horrendous mutagenic and teratogenic properties of the pesticides used, I think I prefer the gnats thank you, even without the stomach problems they are likely to cause me.
Quite apart from anything else, I feel sorry for the poor b***ers who have to work amidst the poisonous growing environment, and I refuse to support it.

[King Carrot]

Yes this does appear to be the case after some searching.

Which raises the question of using them at all uncomposted, or composting them........... or composting anything that may have lots of pesticides on them.

Organic bananas seem to be clear, May be a change in buying then here.

I guess the only way to be sure of what's in your compost is to buy organic although I've never added potato peelings and bits to compost that’s for growing veg.

The compost bins at home are alive with all sorts, its even Mega City One for very large slugs. We only use the household compost on non edibles anyway as the veg is growing a good half mile away and thesedays, I'm kinda totally off the idea of using absolutely anything but seaweed from the beach for the edibles – I just make sure there’s no triffid type plants coming along in it!

[Davyburns]

I agree with Flum, the gas (ethylene) is quite natural and does help to ripen all manner of fruit, and there the usage stops. The problem with fruit flies, and the possible contamination with unknown pestacides, ect, seems to be at best, counter productive to the whole idea of home gardening

[womble]

Right, so it's organic bananas from now on and then into the comfrey bin.

I have used banana skins around the tomatoes for 2 years now, with no problems from anything. But not a good idea from now on, now I know about the pesticides.

[Flummery]

I agree with Flum, the gas (ethylene) is quite natural and does help to ripen all manner of fruit,

It was Rusty Lady - another gardener of my generation and one I'm proud to be mistaken for!

[Davyburns]

It was Rusty Lady - another gardener of my generation and one I'm proud to be mistaken for!

Sorry, I will have to keep off the Vino before posting!

[snohare]

Sorry, I will have to keep off the Vino before posting!

You're partaking of too many Grapes methinks, Davy !