HOMEMADE FERTILIZERS:
Many of us are unaware of the fact that we are throwing out a lot of kitchen waste and food waste without knowing its value. The tiniest and unimaginable scraps and crumbs that get accumulated every day in our kitchen hold a great value in our glazing home gardens. Nowadays, we can find a compost pit and home garden in most of the apartments. From pesticide-free veggies to contenting pastime in these times, every single homemaker or office worker have laid the stone for their home garden. In modern times, it has become a necessity, more than leisure.
Nowadays, who doesn’t wish to create and grow a healthy and fruitful garden in our homes? It is everyone’s dream. In the pursuit of making our dream home garden, we sometimes end up with wrong choices like erroneous fertilizers and other chemicals to rapidly make our gardens bear plenty of fruits. Chemical fertilizers are available in plenty and are not that overpriced nowadays, but if we need the perfect harvest where we can fill our plate heartily and spreading the green wings on our balcony, let’s try out something new or maybe try something in a different way.
From eggshells to coffee grounds, everything can be used in our beautiful little garden for fruits, veggies, foliar, and flowers. Most of us make compost using the daily kitchen and food waste, which is a thoughtful and worthwhile idea. Sometimes, composting may not be possible for everyone because of several obstacles. So, how about we directly add to the kitchen waste to make our garden soils rich in nutrients. Here are some awesome fertilizers made from the daily home kitchen waste.
BANANA PEELS
The best way to use banana peels is to extract puree out of it or soak the peel in water and seal the jar for a week, then drain it with a sieve and use that water as fertilizer. We can also grind the dried banana peels and use them. One of the drawbacks of using banana peels directly is that it attracts many insects.
Video link for preparing banana peel fertilizer- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3uPg7VXmRw
EGGSHELLS
Eggshells can be added to the mulch or can be crushed up and boiled. Boil 30g of crushed eggshells in 4L of water for a few minutes, then leave them in the standing water with the lid on for a few days, then strain. Use it on plants only after it cools down; otherwise, it can give the plants a heat shock.
Eggshells as fertilizers- https://www.melindamyers.com/audio-video/melindas-garden-moment-audio-tips/sustainable-gardening/eggshells-as-fertilizer
COOKING OR STEAMING WATER
There is no need to throw the water used for steaming as well as boiling. It can be drained into a separate container and used on plants after its cooled. The water will contain a variety of nutrients depending on which food we boiled. The water used for cooking veggies, rice, pasta, and eggs is commonly used. Using the boiled water without salt is a healthy way to use it on plants.
COFFEE GROUNDS
Coffee grounds can be directly added to the garden soil. It can be just sprinkled on the top of the ground and leave it alone. Used coffee grounds are nearly neutral in pH so that they won’t cause an imbalance in the soil pH. Be careful not to use too many coffee grounds as they can lock together, creating a water-resistant barrier in the garden. Coffee grounds decoction can be made by adding 2 cups of used coffee grounds to 20L of water. Leave it for a few hours or overnight and can be used as a liquid fertilizer for the garden and container plants.
How to use the coffee ground as fertilizers- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifEAqN1bMNU
VINEGAR FERTILIZER
Plain white vinegar is an inexpensive and effective fertilizer for acid-loving plants like roses and berries. Mix a tablespoon of vinegar in 4L of water. Use this solution instead of your regular watering about once every three months. Always test the pH of the soil before adding acidic fertilizers.
GRASS CLIPPING FERTILIZER
Grass clippings are rich in nitrogen and they make a great nitrogenous fertilizer by themselves. To prepare grass clippings tea for the garden, fill in a bucket about two-thirds with fresh clippings and soak it in water for about 72 hours, stirring at least once a day. Strain the grass clippings and use the tea with water in equal proportions.
We have given you some great ideas; how about you share with us some unique and unknown homemade fertilizers in the comment section. Adios.
