Get ‘bigger’ and ‘better’ rose blooms this summer by feeding them with kitchen scraps

Garden enthusiasts are currently reveling in the sight of their roses in bloom, but there is a simple trick to encourage an even more impressive display.

Jocelyn, a green-fingered guru and creator of The Reading Residence blog, was delighted to learn that feeding her roses with leftover banana peels could significantly improve their growth.

She explained: “I found that if I feed them banana peels, it encourages bigger, better blooms. Apparently the potassium in the soil is very good for them, so I thought I’d better get on it, especially with the amount of bananas the kids eat. I’m never without a banana peel here!”

Although it may sound strange, throwing banana peels into your rose garden during the summer months can be quite beneficial. Decomposing pods slowly release potassium, which is essential for water balance and nutrient movement within the plant, leading to lush blooms, the Express reports.

Potassium isn’t just good for flower production; it also strengthens the rose’s stress response and immune system, helping it fight off common fungal diseases throughout the summer, ensuring plants remain robust.

Bananas don’t just stop at potassium; they are also full of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus, all of which are essential for vigorous root development and flowering, resulting in increased flower numbers.

The method is simple: keep your banana peels until they start to brown, cut them up and bury them around your rose bushes to deter pests. As the husks break down, they enrich the soil with nutrients, giving your roses a natural boost.

Jocelyn shared her gardening secret, saying: “I kept them for a few days so they started to decompose, then I cut them back a bit so I could spread them amongst all my roses.

“Then I dug a little soil out of each of my rose roots, scattered some husks, and covered them back. Simple!”

To give your roses a boost, Jocelyn recommends feeding them with banana peels every two to four weeks and making sure they are well watered after each feeding to let the nutrients soak into the soil.