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>> f a
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banana circ

>> Banana circles can be used in tropical and sub-tropical areas to utilise

waste water, run-off or overflow from rainwater tanks, and even urine
waste from dry composting toilets.
It is possible to use other plants in a similar system, but bananas are an excellent choice as they
are very heavy feeders and also need a lot of water to be productive. The fruit from banana palms
is highly nutritious and so in developing countries, banana circles are a great way to turn waste into
a valuable food source for the whole family.
At Kesho Leo, banana circles are used as a part of our compost toilet and grey water systems.

step 1

a circle and
your banan
r
fo
se
u can
u
to
rea
iameter. Yo
d
in
s
e
Select an a
tr
e
a
circle two m
this one, as
mark out a
cle around
ir
c
r
e
g
ig
b
er
en bed.
mark anoth
ounded gard
m
r
u
o
y
r
fo
guide

2m

step 2
0cm

1 of 3

1m

, dig out a
s
metre circle
o
tw
centimetre
r
u
o
y
Using
epth of 50
d
a
to
le
o
dh
om the hole
basin-shape
t the soil fr
u
P
garden
.
e
tr
e
m
a mounded
to one
te
a
re
c
to
e
edg
opening at
around the
an make an
c
u
o
y
t,
in
po
enter the
bed. At this
r run-off to
te
a
w
in
ra
r
l fo
ground leve
le.
c
ir
c
a
banan

more steps...

>>

step 3

a few layers
rdboard, or
a
c
r,
e
p
a
p
tion of
le with
n the infiltra nd
w
o
Line the ho
d
w
o
sl
a
aves to
that water
of banana le
l make sure
il
ken up
w
ta
is
h
e
T
b
r.
enough to
water late
g
n
lo
d
n
u
at surround
ang aro
er plants th
th
nutrients h
o
d
n
a
s
a
papay
by bananas,
the basin.

step 4

aking
materials, m
h
lc
u
m
ic
n
e
n with orga
ounded quit
Fill the basi
is can be m
h
T
ak
.
re
e
b
il
p
ls
a
st
po
materi
e
th
s
a
a large com
k
n
si
y, as it will
high initiall
post.
rn into com
down and tu

step 5

e basin
the rim of th
d
n
u
ro
a
s
suckers
a palm
four banana
se
Plant banan
u
e
W
.
d
e
can
ded b
circle. These range
a
in the moun
n
a
n
a
b
e
tr
da
o me
papayas an
around a tw
lanted with
rp
ntation
e
te
m
in
ri
e
e
b
exp
ts
initially
n
la
p
t
g
n
ri
d-bea
an excellen
of other foo
toes make
ta
o
p
e
t
e
th
e
es
n! Sw
hich stabilis
is always fu
nd cover, w
u
s and
ro
in
g
k
g
p
in
m
u
w
ulch. P
fast-gro
m
g
in
v
li
a
y are high
vides
long as the
soil and pro
s
a
,
o
to
ll
e
feet.
do w
to get wet
ly
gourds will
e
k
li
t
o
n
d
ximise food
nd an
idea, to ma
on the mou
e
th
is
ly
k
nutrients
t thic
re all excess
Planting ou
su
e
k
a
m
to
and
production
ken up.
ta
g
are bein

step 6

all soil
nted garden
la
p
ly
w
e
n
r
on and to
lch you
e evaporati
is
Heavily mu
im
in
m
to
minimum
overed
in well with
le
should be c
tt
se
ts
n
verything
new pla
you water e
make sure
re
su
e
k
a
M
ock.
soak.
cially a big
transplant sh
e
sp
e
s
a
n
a
anana circle
e ban
until your b
in, giving th
g
n
ri
te
a
w
urine waste
gular
r, run-off or
Continue re
te
a
w
e
st
a
ing w
starts receiv
ilet.
mposting to
o
c
r
u
from yo

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2 of 3

circles
a
n
a
n
a
b
w
ho

work

asin
in to the b
ra
d
r
o
e
ip
p
ia a
h either
ter is sent v
is lined wit
a
w
le
o
ss
h
e
e
c
x
th
e
into the
ause
r, urine or
is absorbed
lanted. Bec
d
p
n
a
re
a
rs
Waste wate
s
e
a
n
th
a
a
e waste
ter g
h the ban
ater or urin
ves, the wa
w
a
y
le
re
a
around whic
g
n
a
m
n
o
a
m of the
ts fr
board or b
round the ri
nts. Nutrien
a
la
d
p
te
g
paper/card
n
n
ti
la
a
p
g
t are
e in the
basin, irri
feeders tha
compost pil
y
e
v
a
th
e
sides of the
h
in
e
e
v
th
tergent
s acti
p both by
soap and de
ro-organism
h
ic
it
m
are taken u
w
y
l
b
a
e
o
d
ls
to
void harsh
le, and a
it is possible
wever, to a
o
,
h
le
se
c
t,
banana circ
ir
n
c
a
a
rt
n
o
imp
hoosing tho
ng a bana
y water. It is ousehold products c
re
g
middle. Usi
in
d
n
u
d oils fo
ices about h
residues, an
e smart cho
k
a
m
sphates.
to
d
n
lts and pho
sa
f
chemicals a
o
ls
e
v
ery low le
that have v

handy hints

up to five
ven suckers
e
t,
n
la
sp
n
TLC in
d tra
f water and
to dig up an
o
sy
ts
a
lo
e
n
ry
e
e
iv
v
t get a
if g
are
splant well
y if you don
> Bananas
n
rr
a
o
tr
w
l
il
t
n
w
o
h
D
ig
ng.
l quickly
or six feet h
er re-planti
ers, and wil
ft
g
a
g
u
b
so
r
le
o
tt
li
th
n
h
the first mo
ey are toug
either th
ll
a
b
t
o
ro
e
plant
hug
new site.
? Also, each
ir
ss
e
ra
g
th
a
to
y
t
ll
p
a
ada
f bananas
lms are actu
the bunch o
t banana pa
a
t
u
th
c
e
w
time,
v
o
a
n
h
k
vel. By this
after you
> Did you
le
so
d
,
n
e
u
c
ro
n
g
o
these
uit
t at
a couple of
whole plan
only gives fr
w
e
o
th
ll
a
e
v
ly
o
n
m
o

an re
ed and they
coming up
down you c
s overcrowd
ew suckers
a
n
n
a
e
n
b
a
b
ld
u
r
o
u
o
there sh
ill make y
too many w
h
to grow, as
sh area, wit
well.
shower/wa
r
o
o
d
n
td
a
u
wont fruit
o
le
n
c
a
le of the cir
be used as
in the midd
les can also
n
c
o
ir
c
d
orated into
n
a
a
n
a
st
n
a
to
> B
an be incorp
c
latform
p
ts
a
n
f
la
o
p
n
g
io
in
the addit
. Fast-grow
aven!
vacy screen
screen...he
ri
y
p
c
a
le
v
p
ri
p
m
g
si
a
a livin
to provide
the design

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