With the garden centres currently being closed due to Covid-19, as well as us leaving the house less often, it can be hard to get your hands on the usual garden fertilisers we would use. There are however many types of fertiliser that most of us already have in the house and our tree surgeons in Stockport are on hand to tell us more.
Whilst our gardens may benefit from a fresh layer of compost, or even manure, there are many household items that we can use instead, often providing our soil with different nutrients that could be even better for it.
So what are these items we speak of?
Coffee Grounds
Fresh coffee grounds are one of the best natural fertilisers you can use on your soil, so much so that a while back Starbucks were giving away left over coffee grounds for your garden for free.
As coffee grounds contain nitrogen as well as some potassium and phosphorus, they are perfect for a slow release fertiliser, but make sure you weave it in to existing soil, or use a rake, as if you put a thick layer on the top of the soil it can become a barrier that will resist water penetration.
If you have a coffee every morning you’d be surprised how much you can save up in a short amount of time, so keep it in a pot and sprinkle it around your plants each week.
Tea
Just like coffee grounds, tea contains nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus – in fact it contains more nitrogen than a lot of shop bought garden fertilisers, so if you’re not much of a coffee drinker cut open your old tea-bags instead and sprinkle throughout the soil.
Tea-bags are also great for starting seedlings off, just cut off the top of the teabag and add your soil and seeds. Within a few weeks they will be ready to pot on and since tea-bags are biodegradable you can pop them straight in to the pot.
Eggshells
So far we’ve mentioned nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are vital for healthy growth in plants, however calcium is also essential for building the cell walls of a plant. Eggshells are high in calcium so using left over shells is a great way to naturally add calcium to your soil. Break up the shells and mix them in to the soil.
They’re also a great deterrent for slugs and snails, since their slimy bodies have trouble slithering over the jagged shells.
Banana Peels
Due to the high potassium content, banana peels are great for adding under the soil and allowing them decompose naturally. They are especially good for roses and can encourage much bigger blooms, so next time you have a left over skin add it to your soil.
Weeds
Who knew that whilst tidying up your garden you could also be nurturing it? Whilst it may seem counter-productive, adding weeds back in to your soil is really good for your plants. Just pick them out, allow them to dry out in the sun (otherwise you run the risk of them rooting again) and then cut them up and add them back to your soil.