Orchids are exquisite houseplants that bring elegance and fragrance to any space, but they require meticulous care to bloom. One gardening enthusiast, Sarah Turner, experimented with a hack she discovered on the Orchids Tips and Tricks Facebook page: using banana peel water to fertilise her orchids.

Sarah shared her astonishing results, saying, “People here keep mentioning watering their orchids with banana peel water and how they flower after doing so. I confirmed I did so, and now I have many flower stems growing! Thanks, team—this group is awesome.” To create the banana peel water, Sarah simply soaked a banana peel in water for a few days, then used the liquid to water her orchids. She repeated the process a few times, alternating between banana water and regular watering.

The outcome was remarkable: her orchids began to bloom, with multiple flower stems emerging. Other group members echoed Sarah's success, sharing their own experiences with banana peel water.

Kathleen Vaida commented, “I use banana water on all my flowering plants and some I didn't even know flower.

“All my orchids have new spikes, and two other plants flowered that I didn’t know about.”

Ila Peters added, “I have used the banana peels and water method, and my orchids soon had flower spikes.”

Denise Sanders spoke about her green thumb success, stating: “I have gotten flower spikes and lots of new roots doing this process. Who knew?" 

Similarly, Amber Ivey shared her own positive experience: “I use banana water on all of my houseplants. They love it.”

However, while many swear by banana water for their plants, Judie Varty suggested a “better” household hack, claiming: “I have tried the banana water, but garlic water works better than banana peels. It really did the trick for me. I got so many roots after using it, and all my dormant plants bloomed like crazy this year.”

Garlic not only wards off pesky intruders with its aroma but also acts as a stellar fertiliser, boasting phosphorus and potassium that can spruce up plant growth and vitality.

Do-it-yourselfers wanting to whip up a batch of garlic water should peel a few cloves of garlic and either crush, blend, or chop them before tossing them into a container full of water.

It's key to give the pungent potion a chill period in a dark corner for at least 24 hours, though letting it linger for two or three days could yield even zestier results.

Yet, as miraculous as garlic goodness can be, plant lovers should avoid overindulgence; dousing your green companions more than once or twice a week could actually cramp their style.