I cannot locally get fertilizer high in K. Which is better - I can get - Potassium Nitrate or Potassium Sulphate. Both seem to have their pluses and minuses and I am finding conflicting (as usual) information on the broader Internet.

If this is for fertilizing your bananas, I'd go with the Potassium Nitrate, David. Recently bought some off Amazon for my orchids, as we have well water here that is high in Phosphorus so it's good not to add any more of that with the fertilizer. My orchid book even said "if you buy it at farm supply in a 50lb. bag, it's very economical and you can use it on your bananas too".

I only bought a pound, since I'm not growing bananas at the moment.

Haha -- yes for fertilizing my Musa Basjoo. And doan think I need 50 # either :-)
I did not know that Orchids like a lot of Potassium - will have to check that out.

I thought you wanted to use banana skins for the potassium. I chop up banana skins and "feed" them to my staghorns.

David, I second what Elaine said. My bananas loved potassium nitrate. I'll have to get some more next year, because I had very good results. I'm using Miracle Grow Tomato food until then.

Banana skins sure would be a good slow-release source of potassium for epiphytes like staghorns. But it would take an awful lot of banana skins to feed a whole banana plant. They are very heavy feeders, and big huge fast growing plants.

Come to think of it, I'm going to toss some up into the tree where my huge staghorn is lurking, right now!

I don't have any banana trees and the staghorns are all I use those skins on.

@DavidLMO Do you have a banana already, or are you just preparing for spring? I wouldn't think you'd want to fertilize a banana this late in the season unless you had a warm, sunny spot for it inside.

Banana peels are good for roses too. I hit my ice cream shop and they gave me their banana peels.

@Bubbles - I am just planning for next year. Too late to kick things up a notch now.

I have a Musa basjoo that I purchased about a year ago. I wintered it over in my basement under lights in my grow area. I planted it out after Mother's day. In my area, that is usually, but not always safe. (At MD 2 years ago we had a snow storm and temps in the 20s - a serious hard freeze that wiped out a lot of early gardeners (e.g. tomatoes)).

It is now well over 6 feet and has thrown a Pup. I will chop it down and mulch heavily.

Well, okay, but chop it gently.

The University of Georgia does research on cold hardy bananas at a facility nearby and a researcher told me to never discard any banana leaves you are removing but to mulch the plant with them. You can either just lay them on the ground whole or cut them up and work them into the soil but always use that free fertilizer, it is an excellent source of potassium. When I cut back my trunks, after the foliage has browned off in the winter I always slice up the trunk and lay the slices (this is a VERY MESSY job) on the ground around the base.

David, since you are digging your bananas, I would just incorporate any waste into the soil where you intend to replant the bananas next spring. The plant tissue should be well broken down by then.

Also, remember to take a soil sample and have it analyzed so you know how much additional potassium you need to add. While M. Basjoo's are unusually hardy, you are growing it outside it's normal range and soil conditions may be very different in your area.

Well - I am not digging the banana - it will remain in situ and I will cut the trunk about 8 +/- inches and then mulch the devil out of it. That is the general recommendation for my zone.

Hardy in Zones 5 - 10 according to several sites.

You can pureé banana peels and put it in the water given to plants.

Found it!!!

Hy Yield
Muriate of Potassium K (2) O

0 - 0 - 60

And available at Earl May locally for 15 $

Correction.

Product name is Muriate of Potash.

Same thing.

I bought a bag today. Any banana growers know how much to apply?

Thanks.

I don't think it matters much since you won't be able to actually harvest any fruit (which I'm too far north for too. As soon as there's a firm frost, everything above ground turns to mush, though the roots are always reach to grow new leaves again the next year.) I'd just keep it moist & apply plenty of compost around the base. Give some pureéd banana water &/or compost tea when possible. You should have plenty of tropical looking leaves.