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How to Use Eggshells and Coffee to Improve Your Plants

如何善用蛋殼和咖啡渣來讓您的植物長得更好

用剩的蛋殼和咖啡渣可千萬別扔！您可以自行DIY將其製作成完美的肥料。想知道如何在花園中善加利用它們，歡迎繼續觀看我們的文章。

蛋殼可以補充土壤中的鈣質

蛋殼是種簡單又有效的肥料，其中一個最主要的原因就是它富含鈣質。一個乾燥的蛋殼約有 95% 都是碳酸鈣。而碳酸鈣在園藝界也被稱作石灰 (lime)，除了能讓植物的根系變強壯，還能預防頂腐病的發生，像蕃茄和甜椒等植物的果實便常因頂腐病而腐爛。而「缺乏鈣質」則是植物發生頂腐病的重要因素之一。

蛋殼能降低土壤的酸性

蛋殼還有另一個神奇的妙用，它能降低土壤的酸性。雖說有許多植物都能在酸性土壤中茁壯生長，但仍有不少植物需要棲息在中性或鹼性的土壤中。若土壤太酸，有的植物就很難從中吸收必要的養份。而蛋殼中的碳酸鈣可有效提升土壤的 pH 值來中和酸性土壤，讓您的植物能順利攝取所需的養份。

蛋殼可用來防治害蟲

蛋殼還常被用來擺脫花園害蟲的侵擾。碎蛋殼的鋒利邊緣會對像是蛞蝓和某些昆蟲等軟體動物造成傷害，可有效阻止其入侵，甚至是直接殺死牠們。而您所要做的僅是在您栽種的植物周遭撒些碎蛋殼，很快地，這些害蟲就不再會是問題了。但這一招卻有個缺點，雖說越大的蛋殼碎片更能抵禦害蟲入侵，但卻要花更長的時間才能被分解，這也意味著蛋殼作為肥料的效用也大打折扣了。

如何將蛋殼當作肥料使用

若您想把蛋殼當作肥料使用，其實做起來相當簡單。只要先把蛋殼洗乾淨，然後去晾乾。接著，將乾蛋殼用磨缽及杵、咖啡磨豆機、桿麵棍或任何您認為有用的工具來將其碾碎即可。請記住，蛋殼越碎就越容易被土壤分解，且更能立即被植物給吸收利用。當然，若您的本意是要進行害蟲防治，而非為土壤提供肥料，最好將蛋殼留大塊一點比較好。

如何在土壤中施加蛋殼肥料

想要在土壤中添加碎蛋殼肥料也相當容易。一般來說，只要在晚秋時輕輕地將碎蛋殼翻至土壤中即可。在晚秋施用蛋殼肥料可留時間讓蛋殼更好地被土壤分解吸收，到了春天，就能為復甦生長的植物提供充足的養份。

接下來要告訴您在花園中該如何善用咖啡渣。

咖啡渣在花園中有哪些妙用？

每當提及咖啡，大部分人在意的都是咖啡豆的味道和咖啡因含量，但其實就連用剩的咖啡渣也有著這樣或那樣的好處。咖啡渣的含氮量約是 2%，可為貧瘠土壤添加重要的營養物質。

要注意，在施肥的同時，您需要添加濃度更高的氮肥。咖啡渣可促進土壤中微生物的生長，這些微生物會將土壤中的氮皆吞噬乾淨。若增添更多氮，才能確保您的植株能吸收足夠的氮。

除了提供一定的營養，咖啡渣還能改善土壤的耕性、結構和保水性。適合添加至任何壓實的土壤中，讓栽種作業變得更容易，此外，它還能為蚯蚓創造更棒的棲息空間。

更棒的是，很多園丁發現在他們栽種的植物周遭撒上咖啡渣，可有效將蛞蝓和蝸牛趕走。

該如何在花園中使用咖啡渣

在苗圃上使用咖啡渣的方式有很多。有些園丁會在栽種前將咖啡渣直接撒在土壤上，使其能融入土壤中。

而有些人會在生長季節後撒上咖啡渣，並用樹葉、新鮮堆肥或樹皮覆土將其覆蓋。待種植期到來，咖啡渣便已被土壤分解。當然，也可以直接將咖啡渣摻入您的堆肥中，於春天施用。

咖啡渣是種成本低且多功能的土壤添加物，輕輕鬆鬆就能讓您的花園成為眾人稱羨的焦點。但前提是要將咖啡渣用在對其有益的植物上，用在不對的植物上反而是害了它 — 目前已證實，用剩的咖啡渣使用效果最好。

最適合用咖啡渣施肥的植物

並非所有的植物都能從咖啡渣肥料中獲得好處。由於咖啡渣屬於弱酸性物質，特別適合如繡球花、矮叢狀杜鵑、樹形杜鵑、胡蘿蔔、蘿蔔和其他根莖類蔬菜等喜愛酸性土壤的植物。愛吃水果的您更要知道，咖啡渣也是讓藍莓樹茁壯生長的完美解方。

但要注意！咖啡渣也會抑制像是天竺葵、蕃茄、芥菜和蘆筍等植物的生長，可千萬別亂用咖啡渣來施肥哦！

黃金葛

虎尾蘭

番茄

香龍血樹

匙鞘萬年青

龜背芋

檸檬

常春藤

How to Use Eggshells and Coffee to Improve Your Plants

如何使用蛋壳和咖啡来改善你的植物

不要扔掉你食用过后的咖啡渣和蛋壳! 它们可以成为完美的自制肥料。继续阅读，了解如何在你的花园里有效地使用它们。

蛋壳能为土壤增加钙质

蛋壳之所以可以成为有效肥料，主要原因之一是它们富含钙质。事实上，一个干蛋壳大约有95%的成分是碳酸钙。碳酸钙在园艺界也被称为石灰，可以帮助加强你的植物的根系，还可以帮助你的植物避免花期腐烂，而这种病症能毁掉番茄和辣椒等植物的果实。当你的植物没有获取足够的钙时，就会出现花期腐烂。

蛋壳能使土壤的酸度降低

蛋壳肥料的另一个奇妙好处是，它可以帮助你的土壤降低酸度。虽然许多植物会在酸性土壤中茁壮成长，但另一些植物则需要中性或碱性的土壤。当土壤过酸时，一些植物就很难从土壤中吸收重要的营养物质。蛋壳中的碳酸钙有助于提高土壤的pH值，使其更具碱性，使你的植物能够吸收它们需要的营养。

蛋壳可以阻止害虫的出现

蛋壳也可以成为摆脱花园中某些害虫的有效利器。碎蛋壳的锋利边缘可以伤害软体害虫，如蛞蝓和其他昆虫，这可以阻止它们甚至直接杀死它们。你需要做的就是在你的植物周围散布一些粗碎的蛋壳，很快这些害虫就不会成为问题了。这种方法的缺点是，虽然较大的蛋壳碎片最能阻止害虫，但它们需要更长的时间来分解，这意味着你的蛋壳作为土壤改良剂的效果会降低。

如何准备蛋壳作为肥料使用

如果你想将剩余的蛋壳用作肥料，好消息是这很容易做到。首先，洗干净你的蛋壳，并把它们放干燥。一旦蛋壳干了，你就可以用研钵、咖啡磨、擀面杖或其他你认为可行的工具将它们碾碎。记住，将蛋壳粉碎成细小的粉末可以使它们更容易被土壤吸收，这样你的植物就可以立即受益于它们。如果你是想要驱赶害虫，记得把蛋壳碎片留得大一点，会更好更有效，别让它们直接变成土壤的营养。

如何在土壤中施用蛋壳肥料

在土壤中加入碎蛋壳肥料也是非常容易搞定的。通常情况下，最好是在晚秋时节将蛋壳轻轻地翻入土壤中。在晚秋时节施用，可以使蛋壳有更好的机会被土壤吸收，并在春天新的生长开始时容易为植物所利用。

以下是如何在花园里开始使用咖啡渣。

为什么要在花园里使用咖啡渣？

你可能会因为咖啡豆的味道和咖啡因含量而重视咖啡渣，但废咖啡渣也有许多其他的好处。按体积计算，它们含有大约2%的氮，这意味着它们可以为枯竭的土壤增加重要的营养物质。

不过要注意，你在施用它们的同时，要加入更多的浓缩氮肥。咖啡渣能促进土壤中有益微生物的生长，这些微生物会啃食所有存在的氮。加入更多氮肥，确保你的植物也有足够的氮可吸收。

除了它们的营养成分，咖啡渣还能改善土壤的土层、结构和保水性。它们是对任何压实土壤的极佳补充，让你更容易松土，为蚯蚓创造更好的栖息空间。

最后，许多园丁还发现，在植物周围撒上咖啡渣可以使蛞蝓和蜗牛远离。

如何在花园中施用咖啡渣

有许多将咖啡渣施用于花坛的策略。一些园丁会在种植前将其直接洒在土壤上，使其与花坛面相融合。

其他人则会在生长季节结束后施用咖啡渣，然后用树叶、新鲜堆肥或树皮覆盖。等到播种时，这些土壤会已被分解。最后，也可以将咖啡渣纳入你的堆肥中，在春季使用。

咖啡渣是一种低成本、多功能的土壤改良剂，使你的花园脱颖而出。只要你把它们的使用限制在对植物最有利——而不是有害——的范围内，废咖啡渣经证明，是一种能让植物保持最佳状态的方法。

用咖啡渣施肥的最佳植物

并非所有植物都能从用过的咖啡渣中受益。由于咖啡渣略带酸性，它们对绣球、映山红、杜鹃、胡萝卜、白萝卜和其他根茎类蔬菜等喜酸的植物最合适。水果爱好者会发现它们是使蓝莓灌木丛变得更有活力的完美配方。

注意，咖啡渣会抑制一些植物的生长，所以要让它们远离天竺葵、西红柿、中国芥菜和芦笋。

绿萝

虎尾兰

番茄

香龙血树

匙鞘万年青

龟背竹

柠檬

常春藤

How to Use Eggshells and Coffee to Improve Your Plants

Don’t throw away your used coffee grounds and eggsheels! They can act as the perfect DIY fertilizers. Read on to learn how to use them effectively in your garden.

Eggshells Add Calcium to the Soil

One of the main reasons that eggshells can be an effective fertilizer is that they are full of calcium. In fact, a dry eggshell is about 95% calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate, also known as lime in the gardening world, can help strengthen your plants’ root systems and can help your plants avoid blossom end rot, a condition that can ruin the fruits of plants like tomatoes and peppers. Blossom end rot arises when your plants don’t have access to enough calcium.

Eggshells Make Soil Less Acidic

Another fantastic benefit of eggshell fertilizer is that it can help make your soil less acidic. While many plants will thrive in acidic soils, others require soil that is more neutral or alkaline. When soil is too acidic, it can become difficult for some plants to absorb vital nutrients from the soil. The calcium carbonate in eggshells helps raise the soil’s pH, making it more alkaline and allowing your plants to absorb the nutrients they need.

Eggshells Can Discourage Pests

Eggshells can also be a useful way to get rid of certain pests in your garden. The sharp edges of crushed eggshells can harm soft-bodied pests, such as slugs and other insects, which can deter them or even kill them outright. All you need to do is scatter some roughly crushed eggshells around your plants, and soon these pests won’t be an issue. The downside to this method is that while larger eggshell pieces are best for deterring pests, they take much longer to break down, meaning that your eggshells will be less effective as a soil amendment.

How to Prepare Eggshells to Use as Fertilizer

If you want to use your leftover eggshells as fertilizer, you’ll be pleased to learn that it is very easy to do. Start by washing your eggshells and allowing them to dry. Once the eggshells are dry, you can crush them using a mortar and pestle, a coffee grinder, a rolling pin, or any other tool you think will work. Remember that crushing your eggshells into a fine powder makes it much easier for them to absorb into the soil so that your plants can use them immediately. Leaving your eggshell pieces a bit larger is better for those interested in pest control rather than soil enrichment.

How to Apply Eggshell Fertilizer to Your Soil

Adding your crushed eggshell fertilizer to the soil is also very easy to do. Typically, it is best to lightly till your eggshells into the soil in the late fall. Applying in late fall gives your eggshells a better chance to absorb into the soil and become readily available to your plants once new growth resumes in spring.

Here’s how to get started with coffee grounds in the garden.

Why Use Coffee Grounds in the Garden?

You might value coffee beans mostly for their flavor and caffeine content, but spent coffee grounds have many other advantages as well. They contain approximately 2% nitrogen by volume, meaning that they add vital nutrients to depleted soil.

Just note that you’ll want to add a more concentrated nitrogen fertilizer at the same time you apply them. Coffee grounds promote the growth of beneficial soil microorganisms, which will munch through all nitrogen present. Adding more ensures that there is enough nitrogen for your plants as well.

Beyond their nutritional content, coffee grounds also improve soil tilth, structure, and water retention. They are an excellent addition to any compacted soil that you need to make easier to work, which creates better habitat space for earthworms.

Finally, many gardeners find that sprinkling coffee grounds around their plants keeps slugs and snails away.

How to Apply Coffee Grounds in the Garden

There are many strategies for applying coffee grounds to plant beds. Some gardeners will sprinkle them directly on the soil before planting so they get blended into the bed.

Others apply the grounds after the growing season and then cover them with leaves, fresh compost, or bark mulch. The grounds will break down by planting time. Finally, it’s also possible to incorporate coffee grounds into your compost pile to apply in the spring.

Coffee grounds offer a low-cost, versatile soil amendment to make your garden stand out. So long as you limit their use to plants that they can most benefit — and not harm — spent coffee grounds are a proven way to keep things at their peak.

Best Plants to Fertilize with Coffee Grounds

Not all plants benefit from used coffee grounds. Since the grounds are slightly acidic, they best serve acid-loving plants like hydrangeas, azaleas, rhododendrons, carrots, radishes, and other root vegetables. Fruit lovers will find they are the perfect way to perk up blueberry bushes.

Note that coffee grounds will inhibit the growth of some plants, so keep them away from your geraniums, tomatoes, Chinese mustard, and asparagus.

Golden pothos

Snake plant

Tomato

Corn plant

Peace lily

Swiss cheese plant

Citrus limon-Lemon

English ivy

Can You Use Matchsticks to Fertilize Plants?

Whether you’re inspired to grow your own vegetables or you just want to make your yard look more attractive, learning how to care for plants can be a rewarding skill. Still, buying supplies to get your garden started can quickly turn into an expensive shopping trip.

The good news is that there are some genius shortcut methods you can use to save some money when starting a garden. One of these methods uses matches – such as wooden “strike anywhere” matches – as a fertilizer alternative. Matchstick heads are a cheap and popular option for fertilizing plants naturally, but does this method really work?

How Do Matches Help Plants Grow?

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) are the three main ingredients found in most fertilizers. These primary elements are the essential building blocks your plants need to grow and thrive. While store-bought fertilizers have these three main ingredients, there are other, cheaper options available.

Compared to fertilizers, matchsticks are the more affordable option and work well as an alternative. This is because matchstick heads are made up of potassium chlorate, phosphorus sesquisulfide, and sulfur, which are all beneficial to plant growth.

Why You Should Put Matchstick Heads in Your Plants

When starting a garden, most gardeners keep their young plants indoors until they’re strong and healthy enough to survive outside. Still, even if you provide plenty of sun and water during this stage, you may notice some of your plants aren’t growing as well as they should.

This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as pests, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients. To give your plants a boost, you might turn to traditional pest control or fertilizers. However, applying fertilizer or insecticide to young plants can be tricky. Applying too much can shock young plants and may even kill them.

This is why many gardeners prefer to use more natural methods, such as matchsticks. Inserting matchsticks into your soil provides your plants with a steady dose of nutrients and acts as an effective deterrent against gnats and other pests.

How to Use Matchsticks as Fertilizer

To get started, you will need a box of “strike-anywhere” matchsticks. Depending on the size of your plants, you will need between five to twenty matchsticks per planter. Smaller planted pots need fewer matches than larger pots do.

When you’re ready to begin, simply insert the matchsticks into the soil with the match head side down. Then, gently push the stick down with your finger until the wooden end is almost covered.

Be careful not to place matchsticks too close to your plant. A good rule of thumb is to place your matches halfway between the edge of the pot and the plant itself. Over time, the matchstick heads will dissolve into the soil and feed your plants with a steady supply of nutrients.

Whether you’re trying to keep the cost of supplies down, repel bugs, or if you just want to use more earth-friendly gardening methods, matchstick fertilizer is a great option.

DIY Fertilizers Made from Things Around Your House

Whether it’s an outdoor garden or indoor greenery, we all want our plants to thrive. Rather than buy expensive and potentially harmful fertilizers, you may choose to make your own from some common household items.

Not only are homemade fertilizers less expensive, they may also be safer for the environment. As an added bonus, these methods are also organic.

Banana Peel Compost

Many plants crave the potassium that bananas just happen to be loaded with. Roses in particular will benefit from banana peel compost. It’s easy to do — just bury banana peels in the top layer of soil near the plant and let nature do the rest.

Weed Tea for Plants

If you have plants, you have weeds. While weeds are frustrating and useless to most gardeners, they can actually be very beneficial to your plants. This doesn’t mean you should allow weeds to grow in your garden, rather use them for fertilizer. Follow these four steps:

Remove weeds and place in a plastic bucket or bin. This is preferably done with weeds that haven’t yet gone to seed.
Cover the weeds with water and let soak for one to two weeks.
Remove the weeds and dispose, keeping the water.
4. Use the water as a rich source of potassium and nitrogen to water your plants.

Just like grass clippings, container gardens or balcony gardens might not have enough weeds to make a good tea. Talk to your local lawn care company to get your hands on their excess weeds.

Nitrogen-Rich Aquarium Water

If you have a fish bowl or aquarium, you know that a lot of water often goes to waste when you clean the tank. Rather than dumping that water down the drain, use it to water your plants. Fish waste is a great source of nitrogen that your plants will love and you’re recycling water to boot.

Phosphorus-Heavy Bone Meal

Many plants and trees require phosphorus to flower, and one thing that bone meal is high in is phosphorus. Make your own bone meal from last night’s steak leftovers for a natural approach. Note: This is going to be a more-involved process but worth the flowering colors you’ll get in the end.

Save bones from your meals or go to a butcher. Remove as much of the meat scraps as possible.
Boil the bones in a stockpot filled with water until they’re white.
Bake bones in an oven at 500 degrees until they are dry and brittle.
Crush or smash them with a hammer into a powder.
Spread around plants or use in the hole of new plants for a phosphorus boost.

This may attract pets; if you have animals around, cover the bone meal with dirt or fence the plants to keep critters away.

Triple-Threat Grass Clippings

Grass clippings provide a trifecta of benefits:

They are high in nitrogen. Placing grass clippings around flowers in your garden will release nitrogen throughout the year.
They provide a natural weed barrier. Placing grass clippings an inch thick in the garden will provide nutrients and ensure you don’t have to weed as much.
They help to retain moisture. Shaking grass clippings around your plants means you’ll need to use less water to feed them.

If you have a yard, you’re sure to have an abundance of grass clippings. If you don’t have any grass of your own, contact your local lawn care company or landfill to get your hands on some.

Eggshells Are an Excellent DIY Fertilizer

To some, eggshells are nothing more than kitchen waste, but to others, eggshells can act as the perfect DIY fertilizer. Read on to learn the benefits of eggshells as fertilizer and how you can use them in your garden.

Eggshells Add Calcium to the Soil

Eggshells Make Soil Less Acidic

Eggshells Can Discourage Pests

How to Prepare Eggshells to Use as Fertilizer

How to Apply Eggshell Fertilizer to Your Soil

How to Fertilize Plants with Cinnamon Powder

You can fertilize your plants with cinnamon powder pretty easily. This powder is a natural fertilizer because it stimulates root growth, encouraging almost all plant varieties to expand their roots when cinnamon is applied to their soil. You can easily fertilize your plant with cinnamon by sprinkling some powder on your soil and watering your plant as normal. You might want to treat your plants with cinnamon fertilizer periodically as needed, but sparse applications can help your plant get strong.

How Does Cinnamon Powder Benefit Plants?

Cinnamon powder is very effective at fertilizing plants, and it works as inexpensive and easy-to-use rooting hormone that you can use to propagate plants. To propagate a plant with cinnamon, you must dip the prepared plant stem in cinnamon and push them into the soil.

This spice can also reduce the risk of diseases or fungi appearing in plants, which cause stunted growth in plants. Fungus is more likely to occur in specific conditions, and cinnamon powder protects your plant from those conditions.

It’s a natural treatment for rust fungus, which commonly affects garden plants. The damping-off disease is another issue that can affect small seedlings that are just starting to grow. Sprinkling some cinnamon powder on plants can reduce the risk of damping-off disease.

Cinnamon Powder as a Natural Remedy

If you have slime molds and mushrooms in your soil, that’s a really good sign your soil has rich nutrients. Still, you don’t want these things to take space away from your plants, and cinnamon can deter growth like slime molds and mushrooms.

Cinnamon powder is excellent at preventing algae and mold on plants as well. These things can accumulate from the minerals in the soil and the fertilizers applied to plants, and cinnamon is a great way to prevent them from appearing.

You can also use cinnamon on plant wounds to protect them as your plant continues to heal and grow.

Cinnamon Powder Can Deter Pests

Cinnamon powder can also deter ants and garden pests. The spice confuses the ant’s sense of smell and causes communication issues. It’s also great at getting rid of spider mites, whiteflies, midges, fungus gnats, and other bugs. This powder can kill these pests and stop their spread. It discourages mosquitoes from irritating plants as well because it confuses their pheromones.

Other pests that cinnamon keeps away are rabbits, mice, and some other rodents. The strong scent of cinnamon deters them and their instincts, and they usually avoid the scent altogether to stay safe.

How Can You Apply Cinnamon Powder?

You can find creative ways to incorporate cinnamon power into your plant care. Some people create cinnamon sprays for their plants. Some people like to boil cinnamon sticks in water; once the water has cooled, they use that to water their plants. Lastly, you can sprinkle the cinnamon on the soil of your plants and water them, but if you do this method, make sure to use a liberal amount of cinnamon powder.

A Guide to Making Garden Fertilizer from Coffee Grounds

There are many ways to transform used coffee grounds into gardening gold. Here are five suggestions to get you started.

Gardeners love the opportunity to save money, and few things can beat the convenience or cost-savings of using a waste product to promote plant health. That’s the beauty of coffee grounds. Savvy gardeners can save up a supply to improve soil health and grow healthier plants.

When applied correctly, coffee grounds will add critical nutrients to garden soil (nitrogen, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and more), reduce compaction, boost moisture retention, and attract earthworms and other beneficial soil-dwellers.

The secret here is knowing how to correctly apply coffee grounds. There are multiple strategies for using coffee grounds in the garden — here are five recipes to experiment with.

Note: If you don’t drink enough coffee to build up a grounds collection, consider checking in with local coffee shops. Many are thrilled with the opportunity to skip the trash and pass on bags of spent coffee grounds to gardeners that can use them.

How to Make Homemade Fertilizer with Coffee Grounds

Recipe 1: Coffee Grounds, Cinnamon, and Seltzer Water

This internet-famous composting recipe requires three basic ingredients: used coffee grounds, cinnamon, and seltzer water (although filtered tap water works just as well).

Recipe 2: Add Coffee Grounds Directly to the Soil

If you want to keep things simple, it’s possible to skip all intermediary steps and add used coffee grounds directly to your soil. Some people prefer to work them into the top few inches of soil, while others sprinkle them on top and allow the grounds to slowly work their way in.

Just make sure you scatter them in thin layers. Too large of clumps can create water-resistant crusts on top of the soil.

Recipe 3: Make Coffee Ground “Tea”

Compost tea is an ideal way to boost soil’s nutritional content. Turn spent grounds into a tea by adding two cups to a five-gallon bucket filled with filtered water. Let the blend steep overnight before applying directly to your plants. If you want a foliar treatment, filter out the grounds and pour the liquid into a sprayer to treat the leaves directly.

Recipe 4: Incorporate Coffee Grounds into a Worm Bin

If you have a worm bin already established, coffee grounds can make for the perfect addition. Add a cup or so at a time so you don’t overwhelm the worms with acidity, and they will work quickly to transform them into worm castings — a potent natural fertilizer.

Recipe 5: Turn Coffee Grounds into Compost

If you’re OK with delayed gratification, consider adding coffee grounds to your compost pile. Despite their coloring, the grounds qualify as a “green” material and will balance out materials like dry leaves and newspaper. Give them a few months, and the grounds will break down into a beneficial soil additive you can add to garden beds as needed.

What Plants Can Be Fertilized with Coffee Grounds?

Don’t throw away your used coffee grounds! They can be a valuable soil amendment that will improve soil structure and boost plant health. Read on to learn how to use it effectively.

Keeping your garden looking its best is a constant challenge. There are always new soil amendments available that promise to give you the healthiest plants possible.

But, before you drop a fortune at the garden store, consider the products already in your pantry. It turns out that used coffee grounds can be a stellar soil amendment — so long as you use them with the right plants. Gardening with coffee grounds lets you get a second use out of a product that would otherwise go to the landfill.

Here’s how to get started with coffee grounds in the garden.

Why Use Coffee Grounds in the Garden?

Finally, many gardeners find that sprinkling coffee grounds around their plants keeps slugs and snails away.

How to Apply Coffee Grounds in the Garden

There are many strategies for applying coffee grounds to plant beds. Some gardeners will sprinkle them directly on the soil before planting so they get blended into the bed.

Best Plants to Fertilize with Coffee Grounds

Note that coffee grounds will inhibit the growth of some plants, so keep them away from your geraniums, tomatoes, Chinese mustard, and asparagus.

Golden pothos

Snake plant

Tomato

Corn plant

Peace lily

Swiss cheese plant

Citrus limon-Lemon

English ivy

Best Household Items to Use as Plant Fertilizer

Best Household Items to Use as Plant Fertilizer

Adding fertilizers can provide plants with necessary nutrients to help them grow more quickly and stay healthy. While you can buy fertilizer in a store, why not use some household waste instead? It’s a sustainable and affordable option.

Eggshells

After making your morning breakfast, you can keep eggshells out of the garbage by using them in your soil. They can be crushed and spread in a thin layer on top of soil to introduce a slow and steady stream of calcium and potassium into the soil. Larger pieces also help aerate the soil, while smaller pieces will break down more quickly.

Cooking Water

When you boil food like vegetables or pasta, some of the nutrients from those ingredients are released into the water. Instead of letting them go to waste, use your (cooled) cooking water to give plants a boost.

Fish Tank Water

If you or a friend own a freshwater aquarium, keep the water after it gets cleaned. Aquarium water contains fish waste that is full of the same nutrients that are found in commercial fertilizers, like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It also contains lots of beneficial bacteria. To get the benefits, simply water your plants as usual using the used fish tank water.

Epsom Salt

Unlike regular table salt, which is definitely not good for plants, Epsom salt is actually made up of two important nutrients that plants need: magnesium and sulfate. Roses, cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes are all plants that benefit from plenty of magnesium in the soil. Dissolve one tablespoon of Epsom salt in a gallon of water, and use the mixture as a foliar spray or to water plants.

Banana Peels

Bananas are a great source of potassium for humans, and potassium is also one of the vital nutrients needed for plants. To make a fertilizer from banana peels, soak them in a bowl of water for two to three. Strain the water into a watering can or other container, and then use it to water your plants. You can also mix banana peels directly into garden soil, but the smell may attract animals to dig up the peels and eat them.