http://homeguides.sfgate.com/banana-peels-orange-peels-garden-31257.html

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/banana-peels-orange-peels-garden-31257.html

Natural Pest Repellent

Avoid using potentially hazardous insecticides to repel aphids and ants from the garden by using orange and banana peels to keep the pests away. Cut up banana peels to bury 1 to 2 inches deep in the soil around plants that are prone to aphid infestations to repel and remove aphids from the area. Organic Authority recommends placing pieces of orange peel around affected plants or creating a tear in the orange peel and attaching it directly to the stem of the affected plant. Orange peels contain d-Limonene, a natural chemical that destroys the waxy coating on ants and aphids, causing them to suffocate and die. Orange peels are highly fragrant, giving off a repellent scent to keep ants and aphids away from the garden. You can also make orange oil by simmering orange peels and collecting the condensation to use as a natural repellent.

Banana peels are particularly effective for use as a natural fertilizer. They rot quickly if you bury them, offering rich stores for vital nutrients to the soil, including potassium, calcium, sulfur, phosphorus, magnesium and sodium. You can dry and grind peels to use as mulch, or apply them directly to planting areas.