Kitchen Guides
9 Kitchen Scraps That Will Give New Life to Your Plants
We throw out these items every day in trash bins but they are fertiliser gold for the house garden
As the problem of waste accumulation and mismanagement increases, it is imperative that we start solving this problem at an individual household level. Waste segregation is the first step towards this solution. The good news is that organic waste can be recycled into precious organic fertiliser right in the house, so not only do you solve a waste problem but get access to genuine organic food for your plants, rather than buying it from the market. One stone, two birds !
1. Vegetable peels and scraps
Make it a rule. No part of a vegetable – peels or ends or any piece discarded because of slight rot or disfiguration – should ever be thrown away. Every single piece of discarded vegetable and fruit belongs in the compost bin. Just be careful of seeds, because they might start germinating in the compost bin itself.
Make it a rule. No part of a vegetable – peels or ends or any piece discarded because of slight rot or disfiguration – should ever be thrown away. Every single piece of discarded vegetable and fruit belongs in the compost bin. Just be careful of seeds, because they might start germinating in the compost bin itself.
2. Old vegetables
A lot of times vegetables lie unused in the back of the fridge or at the bottom of baskets and they either shrivel up or start rotting.
You might not want to use these vegetables for cooking but they are perfectly good to be tossed into the compost bin to be converted into nutrition for your garden plants.
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A lot of times vegetables lie unused in the back of the fridge or at the bottom of baskets and they either shrivel up or start rotting.
You might not want to use these vegetables for cooking but they are perfectly good to be tossed into the compost bin to be converted into nutrition for your garden plants.
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3. Coffee grounds
Coffee grounds contain a good amount of the essential element nitrogen, as well as some potassium, phosphorus and other micronutrients which promote healthy plant growth. The quantity and proportions of these nutrients vary, but it can be used as a slow-release fertiliser and even a mild pest-repellent for plants.
While it can be put directly in the soil in some cases, it is best to just toss it into your compost bin. Coffee grounds are so beneficial that some coffee shops actually give out their used coffee grounds to enthusiastic gardeners in the area. Ask your local coffee shop for theirs!
Coffee grounds contain a good amount of the essential element nitrogen, as well as some potassium, phosphorus and other micronutrients which promote healthy plant growth. The quantity and proportions of these nutrients vary, but it can be used as a slow-release fertiliser and even a mild pest-repellent for plants.
While it can be put directly in the soil in some cases, it is best to just toss it into your compost bin. Coffee grounds are so beneficial that some coffee shops actually give out their used coffee grounds to enthusiastic gardeners in the area. Ask your local coffee shop for theirs!
4. Used tea leaves and tea bags
The Indian style of making tea by boiling tea leaves with milk and sugar does not leave the used tea-leaves conducive for composting, unless washed under running water to get rid of the sugar and milk particles.
If you use tea bags, you can toss them into the compost bin after use if they are made of paper. Some tea bags are made of a synthetic fibre that does not biodegrade and is not appropriate for composting.
The Indian style of making tea by boiling tea leaves with milk and sugar does not leave the used tea-leaves conducive for composting, unless washed under running water to get rid of the sugar and milk particles.
If you use tea bags, you can toss them into the compost bin after use if they are made of paper. Some tea bags are made of a synthetic fibre that does not biodegrade and is not appropriate for composting.
5. Cardboard boxes
With the advent of e-commerce and its home deliveries, a lot of cardboard boxes get collected and then thrown away in household trash.
Use the non-printed cardboard boxes as a much-needed dry filler in your kitchen compost bins. Cut the box out into small pieces and just throw them in your compost bin.
Since most of the kitchen waste that goes into the compost is wet, it needs dry agents such as cardboard pieces, dry leaves and so on to absorb the excess moisture. Be careful about using printed boxes, though. The ink is toxic and when mixed with your compost could harm the plants. (You could rip off the top printed layer of the cardboard and then compost the box.) Newspaper pieces in compost are not recommended for the same reason.
With the advent of e-commerce and its home deliveries, a lot of cardboard boxes get collected and then thrown away in household trash.
Use the non-printed cardboard boxes as a much-needed dry filler in your kitchen compost bins. Cut the box out into small pieces and just throw them in your compost bin.
Since most of the kitchen waste that goes into the compost is wet, it needs dry agents such as cardboard pieces, dry leaves and so on to absorb the excess moisture. Be careful about using printed boxes, though. The ink is toxic and when mixed with your compost could harm the plants. (You could rip off the top printed layer of the cardboard and then compost the box.) Newspaper pieces in compost are not recommended for the same reason.
6. Paper towels and napkins
All used paper napkins and paper towels can go into the composting bin.
Try to minimise putting in any napkins that have been used to soak up oil. Oils are not very good for compost piles as they can form a layer and suppress the composting process. That is the reason why cooked food leftovers are not best suited for compost. Cooked food waste should be included only in very small quantities because of its oil content and spices, salt, sugar and other additives.
A beginner’s guide to segregating household waste
All used paper napkins and paper towels can go into the composting bin.
Try to minimise putting in any napkins that have been used to soak up oil. Oils are not very good for compost piles as they can form a layer and suppress the composting process. That is the reason why cooked food leftovers are not best suited for compost. Cooked food waste should be included only in very small quantities because of its oil content and spices, salt, sugar and other additives.
A beginner’s guide to segregating household waste
7. Banana Peels
Banana peels are a boon for all growing plants due to their high content of potassium, phosphorus and other micronutrients.
This is one of the easiest, most commonly found item in every Indian household and is a super ingredient as a fertiliser. Make it a rule to never throw out any banana peels if you have a house garden that you nurture.
Banana peels are a boon for all growing plants due to their high content of potassium, phosphorus and other micronutrients.
This is one of the easiest, most commonly found item in every Indian household and is a super ingredient as a fertiliser. Make it a rule to never throw out any banana peels if you have a house garden that you nurture.
8. Egg shells
Egg shells are made of calcium and calcium is a necessary nutrient to grow healthy plants. They are a very useful element for your compost.
Rinse the egg shells – to get rid of any smell – and dry them for a day or two. Give them a little whiz in the blender or coarsely grind them to turn them into a powder and just add it to your composting mix. It’s like a magic ingredient.
Egg shells are made of calcium and calcium is a necessary nutrient to grow healthy plants. They are a very useful element for your compost.
Rinse the egg shells – to get rid of any smell – and dry them for a day or two. Give them a little whiz in the blender or coarsely grind them to turn them into a powder and just add it to your composting mix. It’s like a magic ingredient.
9. Shells and pits
When shelling any nuts, toss all waste shells into the compost. It is the same for the pits of fruits. Some pits will take a long time to decompose, but ultimately, they will. Even if you have slightly chunkier pieces in the compost, they will further degenerate when mixed with soil, bringing back the nutrients to the soil.
When shelling any nuts, toss all waste shells into the compost. It is the same for the pits of fruits. Some pits will take a long time to decompose, but ultimately, they will. Even if you have slightly chunkier pieces in the compost, they will further degenerate when mixed with soil, bringing back the nutrients to the soil.
Nature is great
If you look at the cycle of a tiny seed growing into a healthy, nutritious vegetable, the remnants of which can be returned to the soil to release nutrients, you can’t help but marvel at this wonder.
By now, you would have understood the drill. Any part of a natural food item can be successfully composted and will be a nutritional supplement for your plants, as that food item itself was born of soil.
Growing an edible garden, composting at home and practising an eco-friendly life are very fulfilling experiences and take you close to nature.
Read more:
Eco-Home: A Guide to Rainwater Harvesting
Tell us:
Have you tried composting organic waste at home? Share your experience in Comments below.
If you look at the cycle of a tiny seed growing into a healthy, nutritious vegetable, the remnants of which can be returned to the soil to release nutrients, you can’t help but marvel at this wonder.
By now, you would have understood the drill. Any part of a natural food item can be successfully composted and will be a nutritional supplement for your plants, as that food item itself was born of soil.
Growing an edible garden, composting at home and practising an eco-friendly life are very fulfilling experiences and take you close to nature.
Read more:
Eco-Home: A Guide to Rainwater Harvesting
Tell us:
Have you tried composting organic waste at home? Share your experience in Comments below.
If you cook and eat at home, you must set up a home-composting bin. Everyone should get into the habit of waste segregation and recycling, especially organic waste. The organic waste, which is mostly generated as kitchen scraps, is the easiest to recycle into compost and can be readily used for the house plants and for the kitchen garden.
If you do not have any plants to take care of, offer the compost to your gardener neighbour. They will be overjoyed and will perhaps repay you with their homegrown vegetables!
Learn how to compost