Growing Banana's in your aquaponic system
Bananas thrive in our simple aquaponic system. I always get dwarf bananas because even when they’re only suppose to get six feet sometimes they will still surprise you. We started our bananas in 55 gallon plastic drums. The first year we had about 100lbs from just two plants. The second year we only had about 50lbs since the plants quickly outgrew the barrels. If you plan to grow bananas in an aquaponic system we recommend barrels. For some reason they just love them. We’ve tried them in IBC totes and our larger 4’ deep pontoon with poor results.
You will need to keep your plants down to one mother plant in each barrel which means you will have to take out all but one of the tall suckers that will form from each mother plant. And once the mother plant produces a stalk of bananas she will die. It will take anywhere from 6-9 months for your bananas to mature once they produce their purple flower. It’s a smart idea to take a sharpie marker and put the date directly on the mother once she produces her flower. This way you’ll know when harvest can begin. And if you’re like me you’ll begin using your green bananas way before the yellow ones even begin to show. The banana bark can be made into a twine which can then be woven into purses, clothes, table clothes, rugs or even made into furniture like table, chairs, totes and cupboards. The leaf can be used like aluminum foil wrapped around food and tied with twine. It can also be dried and used to make paper, artwork, and is even used as rolling papers and tampons. You can even roll yourself up in a fresh leaf which is sometimes used for its slimming effects. And the large leaves can also be used as an umbrella. You can make flour from the peels; beer, wine, liquor or vinegar from the fruit. The pseudo-stem, peelings and flesh produce a sticky sap that can be used as an adhesive. Banana peel has also been used for water purification. We use the large leaves as a nursery in our fish pond to give the tilapia fry a place to hide and also where the parents can easily defend them. Still it’s a smart idea to scoop up the fry and put them into their own containers, especially if you’re planning on reproducing your own stock for future use. We have stopped doing this because frankly, we have A LOT of fish already. So we put floating plants in so that we can have a limited amount of new batches of fish each year. |
The banana is a really amazing edible and medicinal plant with numerous uses. If we could only grow one plant I think it would have to be this one. It is almost a complete warehouse in and of itself! Some of the things you can produce from the banana tree is truly amazing. |
THe Edible and medicinal properties of bananas
Banana Peels--- The New Super Food!
Use Banana Peels Fresh or Dried. Simple chop & dry the banana peels. Pulverize in a blender then strain out any large chunks.
Green bananas are healthier for weight loss than ripe ones but do be sure to make use of both since they can make you be happier while losing weight!
One summer we harvested a 100lbs of bananas! I made French fries using the green bananas…YUMMY! Simply cut, slather in olive oil, salt, pepper and cook…even fussy eaters won’t be able to stop eating them!
I made banana nut bread using the whole banana minus the ends, blended up in a blender. For smoothies I freeze sliced chunks containing the peels. You’ll never know it’s in there either. My husband and I both lost 20lbs that summer and had incredible energy, even during the hottest months.
The added fiber from the peels helps slow down the release of sugar, which might be important in diabetes management. Dried banana’s peel on average contains 6-9% protein and 2—30 % fiber. The green peels contain 40% resistant starch which is not digested in the small intestine and is classified as dietary fiber which increases your feeling of fullness. The resistant starch also triggers fat burning in animal studies.
If that wasn’t enough the peels are also packed full of prebiotics which feed the good flora inside your stomach. And, while bananas are famous for their potassium content, 40% of that is found in the Peel!
Although Green Banana Peels have a lot to offer Ripe Banana Peels contain more Anti-Cancer benefits than Green. Overripe skins help with the production of white blood cells.
The incredible edible banana peel helps with more than just weight loss! Just look…
ACNE
Banana peel will soothe the inflammation and irritation of acne and reduce outbreaks. Rub the peel over the acne (face or body) every night. Improvements should be apparent within a few days.
ANTICANCER
Ripe Banana Peels contain powerful anti-carcinogenic compounds that help to prevent cancer. And they also contain cytoprotective agents and antimutagenic agents that reduce your chances of coming down with cancer.
ANTIOXIDANTS AND NUTRIENTS
Also Banana Peels are high in potassium, so if you need more potassium, and perhaps are taking potassium in some form... why not switch to Banana Peels. Banana Peels contain lots of Antioxidants and B vitamins for great health and vitality, Magnesium for detoxing and regulating blood sugar, and Potassium which is very important for cardiovascular health and water regulation, plus can help lower blood pressure.
BE HAPPY
Did you know that ripe Banana Peels are great for depression? Eating more green skins is like taking a daily dose of Prozac: Research shows that green skins are high in tryptophan, serotonin, and dopamine, so much so that eating two peels a day for three days could raise levels of these feel-good chemicals in your brain by 15 per cent, according to a study at the University of Taiwan.
BETTER SLEEP
Banana Peels are packed full of tryptophan that can help you get a good nights’ sleep.
BONE SPURS
Banana Peels have also been used for bone spurs. Put Banana Peel on just before going to bed and wrap it in place every night... a couple weeks later the pain disappears.
BRUISES
With restorative properties, banana peel can speed up the healing of bruises.
BUG BITES
Rub a banana peel on bug bites to soothe the skin and reduce itching.
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Banana Peels can help eliminate atherosclerosis from your body by preventing cholesterol from sticking to the walls of your arteries.
EYE HEALTH
Banana Peels contain lutein which is important for night vision, preventing macular degeneration and helps to prevent cataracts.
HANGOVER
For re-hydration and replenishment of nutrients, have a banana smoothie after a big night out…remember to use the peel!
HEADACHES
Next time you’re at a friend’s house, ask for a banana, peel it, discard the banana, and hold the banana peel across your forehead. Watch for their reaction; your friend may have lost faith in your sanity, but you also might not have a headache any more.
HEALTHY CHOLESTEROL
Banana Peels contain more soluble and insoluble fiber it can help balance cholesterol levels... thus helping to prevent cardiovascular disease, strokes, and cancer.
In fact some people, who have started the process of eating Banana Peels daily, have been able to lower their LDL or bad cholesterol, and balance total cholesterol all the way back to normal, detoxing their body at the same time.
PROBIOTICS
And because you have lots of fiber and prebiotics you create a wonderful place for probiotic bacteria to grow in your colon thus boosting your immune system. Plus it helps get rid of constipation which is a great help in detoxing your system.
PSORIASIS
Once or twice daily, rub a banana peel on a psoriasis-affected area. Bananas have all the properties to moisturize, reduce itchiness, and heal psoriasis providing noticeable differences in as little as a few days.
RASHES
Got poison ivy? Banana peel is good for relieving the itch. Rub the peel over the rash twice daily until it is gone.
RED BLOOD CELLS
Research also found that Banana Peels protects red blood cells from breaking down. And they also found that green Banana Peels were even more effective at protecting the body from free radicals.
SKIN HEALTH
Banana Peels are also a good anti-inflammatory agent that helps to sooth away all kinds of inflammatory processes. They also help with warts, psoriasis, itching, insect bites, rashes, poison oak and ivy, wrinkles, and help to create great looking skin.
SCRAPES
Rubbing banana peel on boo-boos can help promote healing.
SPLINTERS
Among the more bizarre applications for banana peels is the removal of splinters. The enzymes actually help dislodge the splinter and start the healing process when you tape a piece of the peel over a splinter.
TEETH WHITENING
It's said that if you rub banana peel on your teeth for a couple of minutes every day, your teeth could be noticeably whiter in a few weeks. (I'm not sure if you're supposed to brush your teeth before or after this treatment, since common sense would predicate brushing after eating...my guess is that you need to deal with banana-breath for a while for it to take effect.)
WARTS
Not only do banana peels help eliminate warts, but they prevent their return. Simply tape (or otherwise fasten) a piece of banana peel to the wart overnight for about a week. Alternately, you can just rub the banana peel on the affected area daily (but I suspect the taping method would be more effective). This even works for plantar warts (on the sole of the foot).
WRINKLES
Given the overall restorative and healing properties of banana peel, it is said that regularly applying banana peel to your forehead and cheeks can tighten the skin and reduce wrinkles. I wouldn’t hope for a miracle, but I’d expect that the skin will at least look healthier for it (and you won’t have a headache if you had one to begin with).
How to use Green bananas & Peels
Green skins are starchier than yellow ones and are similar to sautéed green peppers in appearance and texture when cooked. They take on whatever flavors they’re prepared with and work well in savory dishes, although the green peels do have to be cooked.
Yellow skins, on the other hand, don’t have to be cooked, and give off a more traditional banana flavor, making them better suited to sweeter uses like blending into smoothies or making teas.
There are places in the world where they eat bananas skin on a regular basis... and in some cultures banana peels are fried as a delicacy. In Eastern India Banana Peels are used for making lots of dishes and even for making desserts.
You can also make Banana Peel tea - just boil Banana Peels in water, let the water cool and you have lots of healthy nutrients that will keep you strong and healthy. And the nutrient rich Banana Peel Tea can be used in gravy, soups, sauces, and in rice and other dishes.
You can make a wonderful smoothie with the whole banana including the peel... it taste great! Take one whole banana and add 1 1/2 cups of any kinds of milk you want, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and a 1/2 cup of ice cubes (or just use frozen bananas!), and blend in a blender... tastes great!
In some Asian countries the whole banana is cooked flesh and all. Some even cut Banana Peels in to 1 inch pieces and dry them in the sun, and then steam them for a great tasting treat.
Use Banana Peels Fresh or Dried. Simple chop & dry the banana peels. Pulverize in a blender then strain out any large chunks.
Green bananas are healthier for weight loss than ripe ones but do be sure to make use of both since they can make you be happier while losing weight!
One summer we harvested a 100lbs of bananas! I made French fries using the green bananas…YUMMY! Simply cut, slather in olive oil, salt, pepper and cook…even fussy eaters won’t be able to stop eating them!
I made banana nut bread using the whole banana minus the ends, blended up in a blender. For smoothies I freeze sliced chunks containing the peels. You’ll never know it’s in there either. My husband and I both lost 20lbs that summer and had incredible energy, even during the hottest months.
The added fiber from the peels helps slow down the release of sugar, which might be important in diabetes management. Dried banana’s peel on average contains 6-9% protein and 2—30 % fiber. The green peels contain 40% resistant starch which is not digested in the small intestine and is classified as dietary fiber which increases your feeling of fullness. The resistant starch also triggers fat burning in animal studies.
If that wasn’t enough the peels are also packed full of prebiotics which feed the good flora inside your stomach. And, while bananas are famous for their potassium content, 40% of that is found in the Peel!
Although Green Banana Peels have a lot to offer Ripe Banana Peels contain more Anti-Cancer benefits than Green. Overripe skins help with the production of white blood cells.
The incredible edible banana peel helps with more than just weight loss! Just look…
ACNE
Banana peel will soothe the inflammation and irritation of acne and reduce outbreaks. Rub the peel over the acne (face or body) every night. Improvements should be apparent within a few days.
ANTICANCER
Ripe Banana Peels contain powerful anti-carcinogenic compounds that help to prevent cancer. And they also contain cytoprotective agents and antimutagenic agents that reduce your chances of coming down with cancer.
ANTIOXIDANTS AND NUTRIENTS
Also Banana Peels are high in potassium, so if you need more potassium, and perhaps are taking potassium in some form... why not switch to Banana Peels. Banana Peels contain lots of Antioxidants and B vitamins for great health and vitality, Magnesium for detoxing and regulating blood sugar, and Potassium which is very important for cardiovascular health and water regulation, plus can help lower blood pressure.
BE HAPPY
Did you know that ripe Banana Peels are great for depression? Eating more green skins is like taking a daily dose of Prozac: Research shows that green skins are high in tryptophan, serotonin, and dopamine, so much so that eating two peels a day for three days could raise levels of these feel-good chemicals in your brain by 15 per cent, according to a study at the University of Taiwan.
BETTER SLEEP
Banana Peels are packed full of tryptophan that can help you get a good nights’ sleep.
BONE SPURS
Banana Peels have also been used for bone spurs. Put Banana Peel on just before going to bed and wrap it in place every night... a couple weeks later the pain disappears.
BRUISES
With restorative properties, banana peel can speed up the healing of bruises.
BUG BITES
Rub a banana peel on bug bites to soothe the skin and reduce itching.
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
Banana Peels can help eliminate atherosclerosis from your body by preventing cholesterol from sticking to the walls of your arteries.
EYE HEALTH
Banana Peels contain lutein which is important for night vision, preventing macular degeneration and helps to prevent cataracts.
HANGOVER
For re-hydration and replenishment of nutrients, have a banana smoothie after a big night out…remember to use the peel!
HEADACHES
Next time you’re at a friend’s house, ask for a banana, peel it, discard the banana, and hold the banana peel across your forehead. Watch for their reaction; your friend may have lost faith in your sanity, but you also might not have a headache any more.
HEALTHY CHOLESTEROL
Banana Peels contain more soluble and insoluble fiber it can help balance cholesterol levels... thus helping to prevent cardiovascular disease, strokes, and cancer.
In fact some people, who have started the process of eating Banana Peels daily, have been able to lower their LDL or bad cholesterol, and balance total cholesterol all the way back to normal, detoxing their body at the same time.
PROBIOTICS
And because you have lots of fiber and prebiotics you create a wonderful place for probiotic bacteria to grow in your colon thus boosting your immune system. Plus it helps get rid of constipation which is a great help in detoxing your system.
PSORIASIS
Once or twice daily, rub a banana peel on a psoriasis-affected area. Bananas have all the properties to moisturize, reduce itchiness, and heal psoriasis providing noticeable differences in as little as a few days.
RASHES
Got poison ivy? Banana peel is good for relieving the itch. Rub the peel over the rash twice daily until it is gone.
RED BLOOD CELLS
Research also found that Banana Peels protects red blood cells from breaking down. And they also found that green Banana Peels were even more effective at protecting the body from free radicals.
SKIN HEALTH
Banana Peels are also a good anti-inflammatory agent that helps to sooth away all kinds of inflammatory processes. They also help with warts, psoriasis, itching, insect bites, rashes, poison oak and ivy, wrinkles, and help to create great looking skin.
SCRAPES
Rubbing banana peel on boo-boos can help promote healing.
SPLINTERS
Among the more bizarre applications for banana peels is the removal of splinters. The enzymes actually help dislodge the splinter and start the healing process when you tape a piece of the peel over a splinter.
TEETH WHITENING
It's said that if you rub banana peel on your teeth for a couple of minutes every day, your teeth could be noticeably whiter in a few weeks. (I'm not sure if you're supposed to brush your teeth before or after this treatment, since common sense would predicate brushing after eating...my guess is that you need to deal with banana-breath for a while for it to take effect.)
WARTS
Not only do banana peels help eliminate warts, but they prevent their return. Simply tape (or otherwise fasten) a piece of banana peel to the wart overnight for about a week. Alternately, you can just rub the banana peel on the affected area daily (but I suspect the taping method would be more effective). This even works for plantar warts (on the sole of the foot).
WRINKLES
Given the overall restorative and healing properties of banana peel, it is said that regularly applying banana peel to your forehead and cheeks can tighten the skin and reduce wrinkles. I wouldn’t hope for a miracle, but I’d expect that the skin will at least look healthier for it (and you won’t have a headache if you had one to begin with).
How to use Green bananas & Peels
Green skins are starchier than yellow ones and are similar to sautéed green peppers in appearance and texture when cooked. They take on whatever flavors they’re prepared with and work well in savory dishes, although the green peels do have to be cooked.
Yellow skins, on the other hand, don’t have to be cooked, and give off a more traditional banana flavor, making them better suited to sweeter uses like blending into smoothies or making teas.
There are places in the world where they eat bananas skin on a regular basis... and in some cultures banana peels are fried as a delicacy. In Eastern India Banana Peels are used for making lots of dishes and even for making desserts.
You can also make Banana Peel tea - just boil Banana Peels in water, let the water cool and you have lots of healthy nutrients that will keep you strong and healthy. And the nutrient rich Banana Peel Tea can be used in gravy, soups, sauces, and in rice and other dishes.
You can make a wonderful smoothie with the whole banana including the peel... it taste great! Take one whole banana and add 1 1/2 cups of any kinds of milk you want, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and a 1/2 cup of ice cubes (or just use frozen bananas!), and blend in a blender... tastes great!
In some Asian countries the whole banana is cooked flesh and all. Some even cut Banana Peels in to 1 inch pieces and dry them in the sun, and then steam them for a great tasting treat.
Other Uses for Banana Peels
Household
The theme in household applications for banana peels is polishing. After removing the stringy bits from the peel, rub away and watch the shine.
Shoe Polish
Rub the banana peel on your (leather) shoes, then buff them up with a soft cloth.
Leather Polish
Leather jackets and furniture could benefit from those peels. (Please!) test a small area first before tackling your sofa with a banana peel and buffing it with a soft cloth.
Silver Polish
The application is the same as above: rub and buff.
Garden
Potassium seems to be the secret ingredient to banana peels making your garden bigger and better. If you’re trying to get a Banana tree to blossom, try planting a banana peel around it.
Fertilizer/Mulch
Dry out banana peels, grind them up (in a food processor, for example), and use as mulch for new plants and seedlings.
Plant Food
Cut up banana peels and chuck them in the soil as plant food. This is especially effective for roses, staghorn, and banana trees.
Houseplant Fertilizer
Put a banana peel into a large jar, cover it with water, and let it soak. Top up your watering can with the banana peel liquid (one part banana-peel water to five parts regular water). Keep topping up the water in your banana-peel jar (one banana peel goes a long way) to keep the fertilizer coming.
Shine Leaves
Using banana peel to clean your dusty houseplant leaves will remove the dirt and give them an extra shine.
Aphid Deterrent
Cut up some banana peels and bury them a few inches deep around the base of an aphid-affected plant and watch the critters head for greener pastures. Be sure to cut up the peel, however, since large pieces are too tempting for creatures who will dig them up.
Compost
Although it may seem obvious, don’t forget to simply compost your leftover banana peels! They’re great for adding nutrients, and they break down quickly. (Just remember to remove any stickers from the peels).
Household
The theme in household applications for banana peels is polishing. After removing the stringy bits from the peel, rub away and watch the shine.
Shoe Polish
Rub the banana peel on your (leather) shoes, then buff them up with a soft cloth.
Leather Polish
Leather jackets and furniture could benefit from those peels. (Please!) test a small area first before tackling your sofa with a banana peel and buffing it with a soft cloth.
Silver Polish
The application is the same as above: rub and buff.
Garden
Potassium seems to be the secret ingredient to banana peels making your garden bigger and better. If you’re trying to get a Banana tree to blossom, try planting a banana peel around it.
Fertilizer/Mulch
Dry out banana peels, grind them up (in a food processor, for example), and use as mulch for new plants and seedlings.
Plant Food
Cut up banana peels and chuck them in the soil as plant food. This is especially effective for roses, staghorn, and banana trees.
Houseplant Fertilizer
Put a banana peel into a large jar, cover it with water, and let it soak. Top up your watering can with the banana peel liquid (one part banana-peel water to five parts regular water). Keep topping up the water in your banana-peel jar (one banana peel goes a long way) to keep the fertilizer coming.
Shine Leaves
Using banana peel to clean your dusty houseplant leaves will remove the dirt and give them an extra shine.
Aphid Deterrent
Cut up some banana peels and bury them a few inches deep around the base of an aphid-affected plant and watch the critters head for greener pastures. Be sure to cut up the peel, however, since large pieces are too tempting for creatures who will dig them up.
Compost
Although it may seem obvious, don’t forget to simply compost your leftover banana peels! They’re great for adding nutrients, and they break down quickly. (Just remember to remove any stickers from the peels).
Disclaimer:
I'm just a "Witch Doctor", not a 'real' doctor. All information presented here and throughout our website is for educational purposes only.
All herbs and plants are created by God and therefore cannot be evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA can only evaluate the use of drugs for the healing of mankind.
Only God can decide who lives or dies.
I'm just a "Witch Doctor", not a 'real' doctor. All information presented here and throughout our website is for educational purposes only.
All herbs and plants are created by God and therefore cannot be evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA can only evaluate the use of drugs for the healing of mankind.
Only God can decide who lives or dies.