Thursday, 18 April 2024

Five natural ways to keep your plants healthy!

Gardening is the perfect to relax, engage with nature and to spend some time outside. Now seems to be the time where everyone is out in the garden planting so I thought it was an ideal time to share this. 

Planting seeds

There's a treasure trove of natural remedies that can work wonders for your plants without the need for harsh chemicals here are some that I have discovered.

Cinnamon!

Cinnamon isn't just a flavourful spice, it also possesses antifungal properties that can help protect your plants from diseases and promote healthy root development. 

Dust cinnamon powder onto freshly pruned or damaged plant stems to prevent fungal infections and encourage healing or dip cuttings or seeds in cinnamon powder before planting to reduce the risk of fungal diseases and promote successful propagation.

Epsom salts!

Epsom salt or magnesium sulphate is a natural mineral compound that can improve nutrient absorption, boost plant growth and deter pests. 

Mixing some Epsom salts into your garden soil will help your seeds sprout. Diluting the Epsom salts with water (2 Tablespoons Epsom salts in a gallon of water) and spraying the mix onto plant leaves should result in greener leaves, bushier plants and more flowers.

Coffee grounds!

Coffee is a part of many of our daily routines but it can also become an essential part of your plants lives. Coffee grounds are packed with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and other trace minerals that benefit plant growth and soil health. 

Mix coffee grounds into your compost pile to enrich the soil with organic matter and nutrients. The grounds also help accelerate the decomposition process.

Sprinkle coffee grounds around the base of acid-loving plants such as azaleas, rhododendrons, and blueberries to provide a natural fertilizer boost and help maintain acidic soil pH.

Use coffee grounds as a mulch to suppress weeds, retain moisture and gradually release nutrients into the soil as they decompose.

Eggshells!

Eggshells are not just waste, they're a valuable source of calcium which is essential for plant growth and cell structure. Crushed eggshells can be incorporated into your garden in several ways:

Add crushed eggshells directly to the soil around calcium loving plants like tomatoes, peppers to prevent blossom end rot, a common calcium deficiency disorder.

Brew eggshell tea by soaking crushed eggshells in water for several days. Use this nutrient rich solution to water your plants, providing them with a calcium boost.

Bananas!

Bananas are not only a delicious snack but also a valuable source of potassium, an essential nutrient for plant growth, flowering and fruiting.

Chop up banana peels and bury them in the soil around potassium hungry plants like tomatoes, peppers, and roses to provide a slow-release potassium boost.

Create a potassium rich liquid fertilizer by soaking banana peels in water for several days. Use this nutrient rich solution to water your plants, promoting healthy growth and strong root development.

How do you keep your plants healthy?

2 comments :

  1. This was interesting to read! I've never heard of cinnamon being good for plants. I'll have to implement some of these. Thank you for sharing!

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  2. I've heard of coffee grounds and eggshells but not the other three. I'm hopeless with anything green but I'll pass these tips along to Vic, he has visions of a garden.

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