Give your houseplants or outdoor garden a boost by repurposing food waste.
Key Points
- Coffee grounds can enrich soil with nitrogen for certain plants and deter pests.
- Clean, pulverized eggshells add calcium to soil, helping certain plants grow and repel pests.
- Banana and citrus peels can ward off bugs and curious pets and nourish composting soil.
One of the best ways to stock your fridge with fresh produce is to grow your own food. Starting a garden is affordable, sustainable and a super rewarding hobby. Even if you’re not quite into gardening, houseplants can help liven up your space and even purify your air. However, store-bought fertilizers can be expensive. Luckily, there are several types of food scraps that can be used to give your plants a boost. Cut down on food waste (and keep your plants healthy and nourished) by using these scraps. Before you decide to include a food scrap in your compost bin or around your plants, it’s a good idea to test the soil and know your plant’s needs, as some scraps are good for some plants and not others.
Coffee Grounds
Already had your cup of morning Joe? Don’t throw away those coffee grounds just yet. The grounds from coffee are rich in nitrogen, a nutrient that some houseplants and vegetables like onions, lettuce and corn love. Sprinkling grounds (only from brewed coffee) on top of the soil can help act as a barrier to pests like slugs, but be careful not to use it with plants that can’t handle coffee, sprinkle on too much or let the grounds come into contact with plant stems and seedlings, or they will suffer. If fragrant coffee grounds are too much for your indoor space, you can try mixing them with water, then watering your plants to help disperse them. The safest way to use coffee grounds is to toss them into compost, turn it over for a few months, and then use the soil.
Eggshells
Eggshells are packed with calcium. This nutrient is for more than keeping our bones strong; it can help keep your plants healthy, too. Vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and celery pull calcium from the soil, so adding very clean, pulverized eggshells to your garden or their pot can help them grow. It can also create a barrier to pests like bugs and slugs from getting into the soil, similar to coffee grounds.
Cinnamon
Though cinnamon is not technically a food scrap, this popular spice can work wonders for humid soils. A very light sprinkle of ground cinnamon on the surface of the soil can help reduce the risk of fungal growth. Cinnamon is a spice that’s naturally antimicrobial and antibacterial, so it can help protect your plants from disease. Try using cinnamon when starting seeds or on plants that prefer humidity, like monstera.
Fruit Peels
We might not be able to eat the peels of fruits like bananas and oranges, but our plants can! Burying banana peels in the soil can help repel bugs like aphids—just make sure to cut them into small pieces first so you don’t attract larger pests. Banana peels are also high in potassium, similar to the fruit, so they can also help plants absorb more nutrients.
Citrus peels not only smell amazing, but they can also help keep your pets from ruining your plants. If your cat uses your garden bed or pots as a litter box, it can kill your plants over time. Burying orange or lemon peels in the soil will keep them away, and they are biodegradable over time.
Pepper Residue
Hang on to spicy pepper seeds and tops after you make your homemade salsa. These food scraps can be used to make an all-natural pest repellent … that’s also totally free. Simply blend the pepper scraps with water, strain out any solid and reserve the liquid in a spray bottle. Spritz plants with the pepper water to deter bugs and pests. Just remember not to touch your face after making it!
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of ways to reduce your food waste, and several plants can even be repurposed to grow more food. Save money on expensive fertilizers and use these food scraps to give your plants a healthy, all-natural boost. Whether it’s in your garden or for your houseplants, foods like coffee grounds, eggshells and fruit peels are great to add to your plants’ soil.
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