Are you throwing that banana skin after you’ve finished eating? If you grow plants, you most probably already know the uses for banana peels in the garden. But if not, then hold on to that banana peel and learn how your garden can benefit from it!
And it’s not just banana peels which can be used to nourish and protect the garden. There are a number of other food scraps many of us throw away without knowing they still have great purposes to serve in the garden!
Do you want to improve your garden? Check out these food ‘trash’ you must keep from now on for ‘free’ fertilizers and tips and tricks to keep critters away from your plants.
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Banana Peels
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Having problems with Aphids? Well, they do not like banana peels. So the next time someone in the household eats a banana, save that banana skin. Chop it into pieces and bury them around one or two inches deep. Don’t simply put one whole banana peel or else rodents or squirrels will be digging in your soil! Banana peels also provide the same nutrients we get to plants. For instance, Maria from Ferme Florentino shares how banana peels affect the growth of her blooms and you can read more about it here.
Egg Shells
Say goodbye to slugs and worms with egg shells! Crush pieces of egg shells and sprinkle them on top of the soil. Worms will be put off by the sharp edges of the egg shells, and eventually will leave your garden. They can also serve as calcium supplement for tomatoes and apples. (Find out more about the surprising uses for egg shells here!)
Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds contain phosphorus, magnesium and potassium which when mixed with soil will help improve the soil’s structure. Just make sure to the coffee grounds are cool before blending them into the soil. Also, do this only with plants that like high soil acidity level like hydrangeas and azaleas.
Nut Shells
Nut shells don’t disintegrate as quickly as other compost materials so it is a nice addition to your compost heap. Because of their size, it can aid in soil aeration. Use pistachio or peanut shells but NOT walnut. It contains a substance called juglone which is toxic plants. Also, don’t forget to remove salt by washing them. Salt can kill your plants.
Chocolate Husks
Cacao has many great benefits for the human and plants can profit, too, from their husks! They provide plants with phosphorus and nitrogen for structural stability and green growth respectively. They also help insulate the soil and protect the roots of the plants!
We hope this helps in nourishing and protecting your garden. If you know of other food ‘trash’ which can be used for the garden, please do share it with us through the comments box below! 🙂
