6 Kitchen Scraps Your Garden Will Love
There isn’t much more satisfying than a garden. Whether you grow flowers, herbs, vegetables or a mix of all of the above, starting something from a seed (or a seedling!) and nurturing it until it grows. When you take good care of your plants, your plants will give back to you!
One of the best ways to take care of your plants is to keep them nourished and well fed. And you don’t have to look past your own kitchen for some of your plants favorite things! Here is a list of 6 things you can find in your kitchen hat your plants will love!
1. Egg Shells
Egg shells are a key ingredient to any compost pile. Egg shells are made of calcium and will help nourish your garden’s soil. Make sure that you rinse your egg shells clean. To help the decomposition along, it’s better if you crush the eggs shells up.
2. Citrus peels
Most citrus peels (with the exception of limes) can be great for your garden! Placing citrus peels around your plants can help repel pests such as mosquitos and aphids. But they not only repeal certain insects, but they also attract another. Butterflies!
3. Pulp
No, not wood pulp. But if you juice at home be sure to share with your plants! You only juice healthy and whole foods, why not give some of that back to your garden?
4. Coffee Grounds
I love coffee. You love coffee. PLANTS love coffee! Coffee grounds are filled with nitrogen, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and all kinds of good stuff! If you use paper filters, you can even add the whole paper filter to your compost pile. If you don’t have a compost pile, just add your coffee grounds right to the soil!
5. Loose Tea Bags
Plants love coffee, but they also are pretty fond of tea. Again, if you have a compost pile you can add the whole tea bag (just be sure to remove any staples!). If you do not have a compost pile just open the tea bags and spread on the soil.
6. Banana Peels
Don’t throw those banana peels out! Add them to your compost pile! Banana peels are full of nitrogen and can help your plants grow! Just chop the peel up to help it decompose faster.
And as a bonus, while you won’t find it in your kitchen, yard waste such as grass clippings or leaves are great for your garden and compost pile. No need to bag it up and set it out for the trash! Instead spread it around your garden and let your plants enjoy the benefits!
Looking for a few products to help you get started composting? Here are a few favorites!
This Epica 1 Gallon Stainless Steel Compost Pail is a favorite! But not just mine! It’s gotten over 1,100 reviews on Amazon and has 5 out of 5 stars!
The Oggi Eco-Liner Compost Pail liners are perfect. These will help reduce odor and help keep your counter tops clean.
Let It Rot is a great book to help you learn everything you need to know about composting!
Compost: A Family Guide To Making Soil from Scraps is a great way for kids to get involved and learn all about composting. It’s full of games, stickers, and more! Very fun for the kids!
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Aras Androck says
Who knew? Time to look for scraps in the kitchen.
That is great to know!! I don’t have a garden, but I bet this helps a lot of people 🙂
Guess I’ll be hunting for scraps now, thanks for the info.
I knew about banana peels, but not the others!
Ugh, I can’t believe I’ve been throwing all that stuff out before now. I’m glad you said something!
Wow i didn’t know this maybe i should add some coffee grounds to my pepper plant.
Oh thank you so much for this – I got a garden last year so it’s good to know what I can pop onto it 🙂 x
Who knew. The less waste the better. I also heard it helps keep the plants happier and healthier. It is a win win situation.
I wanted to start a compost pile for my garden last year and my husband would not let me. I will once we get into a new home – I love the idea of that pail to hold it all until it is needed.
seriously tea bags, wow, educational. will be on the lookout for my leftovers to help my garden now
compost happiness 🙂
Can’t wait to get a yard!! Thanks for sharing this, we drink so much coffee so there will be plenty of coffee grounds!
Brilliant post! We just moved into a new house and I was working on creating a new compost pile! I had no idea egg shells were good! One more amazing item to add to the list!
This is a great way to use scraps as compost to help grow your garden and to recycle.
Thank you for sharing this.We use coffee grounds round our fruit and veg its really good and the slugs seem to not like it.
Those are great tips about the citrus peels that I did not know! I’ll be using this tips too. 🙂
Great ideas!! I have been using my lemons in the garbage disposals but the rest are fantastic tips!!
I have a compost heap and throw LOTS of kitchen scraps in there daily. One thing I read recently is that the whole egg shell/calcium thing is a myth and it doesn’t do anything for your soil. Maybe check into that.
I actaully pour leftover coffee along with the grounds into the garden. It’s great for the soil!
I need that steel compost pail. I do a little composting, but not much. But that would really come in handy. Good to know about the citrus peels. That certainly makes sense.
I honestly had no idea about this stuff. Thanks for sharing. I always wonder what to do with my coffee grounds!
I have thought about composting before but my dad started doing it and it wasn’t a pretty site when our backyard became over run with field mice because we lived out in the country. I think ever since then I have just been really scared to to it at my own house.
I don’t garden but these are great suggestions!
This would be a great garden edition. to a garden. Great suggestions for it.
We started a little new pot garden and I hacertainly added some to it.
I would like to try my hand at a garden one day. What great tips.