How to Dry Banana Peels for Fertilizer

All plants require nutrients to thrive, which many gardener supply in the form of a fertilizer. While there are many commercial fertilizers, some organic items, such as banana peels, provide the same nutrients. According to the Orland Sentinel, banana peels provide 40 percent potassium and 3 percent phosphorus to plants when incorporated into the soil. Drying banana peels creates a dry fertilizer that stores much longer than fresh peels, which can mold.

Bricks or cinder blocks
Window screens
Banana peels
Food processor
Air-tight container

Instructions

- 1
  Monitor the weather report for a period of three to four days when outdoor temperatures are 86 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. Slightly windy days with humidity below 60 percent will speed the drying process.
- 2
  Locate an outdoor location that is in full sunlight for at least six hours of the day and place four bricks or cinder blocks in the area, arranging them in a square.
- 3
  Place a window screen on top of the blocks so it is elevated. Use a screen with fiberglass mesh instead of metal.
- 4
  Pull open the banana peels so you have single long strips. Lay the peels on top of the screen so none of them are touching.
- 5
  Lay another screen on top of the peels to prevent birds and other animals from dragging them off. Leave the peels in place until nightfall.
- 6
  Pick up the screens and move them to an indoor location at night, since the cooler temperatures may result in condensation that slows down the drying.
- 7
  Move the screens and banana peels back outside the next morning. Repeat the process until the peels are completely dry, which takes three to four days.
- 8
  Once the peels are dry, place the peels into a food processor and grind them up into small pieces. Store the ground peels in an air-tight container until ready to fertilize plants.

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