By Ellen Jenne
Copyright walesonline
As temperatures start to drop and autumn settles in, September presents the ideal opportunity to ensure your plants remain robust and resilient throughout winter. A TikTok creator known as Agriculture and Technology revealed how you can strengthen your plants during the chillier months using an organic fertiliser – and you only need to use kitchen scraps to achieve this, reports the Express . Rather than discarding any fruit peelings as food waste, these can be utilised instead of chemical fertilisers. They captioned their video: “Throwing fruit peels onto the soil is too slow. The right way is to compost them or, for faster results, grind them, mix with lemon juice, let rest, then balance with eggshells or lime. “This creates a nutrient-rich fertiliser plants can absorb quickly.” Fruit peelings serve as an excellent substitute for fertiliser, particularly if you’re seeking something organic rather than a chemical alternative. Fruit peelings contain numerous nutrients which can help plants to flourish. They can supply plants with potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Nevertheless, they can also enhance soil fertility, and serve a dual purpose as a pest deterrent. So how can you make use of your remaining kitchen scraps? The gardening specialist advised against placing leftover fruit peelings directly onto soil, as this approach will prove too sluggish. Whilst the peelings will eventually break down and release nutrients back into the earth, it will require considerable time to accomplish this. To accelerate the process, you can create a compost. Alternatively, if you require a faster-acting fertiliser, finely grind or chop the fruit peels and combine with a natural acid such as lemon juice. The expert said: “The lemon helps release and dissolve the nutrients trapped in the organic waste, making them soluble and easy for plants to absorb. This mixture should rest for at least 24 hours.” Permitting the plants to soak in the lemon juice will assist them in becoming soft. To help balance the acidity, add finely ground egg shells or agricultural lime. This neutralises the pH level and makes it a safe and effective fertiliser to use on plants. Once prepared, the fertiliser can be applied directly to the plants and soil by pouring over in a watering can. Potassium is required by plants in the production of flowers and fruits, and can also strengthen the plant’s immune system. It can help make the plant robust and strong, but also assist the plants in absorbing more nutrients. Lindsey Hyland, garden expert and the founder of Urban Organic Yield, told Homes & Gardens : “Using vegetable peel as fertiliser, or banana peels as fertilizer can help to improve the structure of your soil and increase its ability to retain moisture. And, if you want to regain control of your garden, using orange peels to deter pest will help tremendously.” If you want ideas and inspiration to plan your next UK adventure plus selected offers and competitions, sign up for our 2Chill weekly newsletter here
