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When you’re attempting to create a bountiful garden, it’s best you go with some of the most natural methods available. You don’t need to worry about introducing any chemicals or excessive amounts of nutrients that will cause damage to the roots of the plants.
There is a plethora of options available if you’re looking to yield the most out of the plants in your yard.
Worm castings
Worm castings are essentially the fecal matter of worms that contain beneficial ingredients that will help promote plant growth. They’re good for aeration of the soil due to their structure, and they are more adept at retaining water for your plant to grow. The experts from Simple Grow said that earthworm castings are completely natural, they also give many examples of earthworm fertilizing properties, as well as the fact it’s a natural pesticide. Earthworms provide the most effective type of worm for their castings, and you can choose to either purchase castings or the worms themselves. Buying castings in bulk will let you avoid needing to replace the earthworms in the future. You also don’t have the benefit of being able to place the castings where you want.
Banana peels
Instead of throwing out your banana peels and other organic items you can choose to either compost them or place them directly in your garden. Banana peels that are chopped up can be used in the soil of plants like tomatoes to increase their nutrient level. Any plants that require phosphorus can benefit from the addition of banana peels. They’re also good for magnesium deficient plants and especially for potassium. I’d bury the bananas a few inches from the stem of the plant, this is to reduce attracting any pests toward your plants.
Collecting rainwater
You may choose to collect rainwater as opposed to always using tap water to feed your garden. Rainwater tends to be at a temperature that is more amicable to the plant as tap water or hose water can be cold and cause root shock. Rainwater is also completely depleted of any chlorine, which may cause damage to your plants as well. Rainwater won’t be high in any nutrients that will cause damage to your plants, as some local sources of water may be using hard water.
Keep your bees in your garden
Everyone knows how beneficial bees can be to the flowers in your garden, and that they are essential in plant reproduction. If you’re looking to increase the amount of flowers in your yard, try using plants that bees like. Insects are more attracted to flowers on the ultra-violet side of the spectrum, such as purple flowers. Red flowers typically attract animals such as the hummingbird, although some have ultraviolet markings that are invisible to the human eye. Doing your homework, on what kind of flowers to use for bees, is essential. Alternatively, you can leave a portion of your yard completely untouched and although local wild plants to grow. This will attract bees as these plants are what they would typically encounter in the wild.
Coffee grounds
If the level of alkalinity in your soil is too high for the crop you’re trying to go, coffee grounds are known to increase the acidity of the soil. Carrots, blueberries, and lilies will respond positively to the introduction of fresh coffee grounds. Use coffee grounds can be used as a snail repellent if you’ve had issues with these pests in the past. You can always just throw your coffee grounds into your compost if these options don’t sound appealing to you. It’s better than throwing this organic material into the trash, and if you’ve used them, they’ll be at a relatively neutral pH so you can place them directly into the garden. This will assist in the water retention properties of your soil and won’t cause any damage so why not?
Eggshells
If you’re in a location that is deficient in the level of calcium available in both the soil and water, you can look into using eggshells for your garden. Carrots, apple trees, and lettuce all love sources of calcium in order to grow properly. Make sure you rinse your eggs off to avoid attracting any predators, and then crush them. Place the eggs underneath the soil near the stem of the plant, and when they naturally degrade they’ll introduce bioavailable calcium to your plants.
Ensure that you research the nutritional requirements of the plants prior to introducing any material to them. An exception would be a natural option like worm castings which won’t do any harm to your garden. Collecting rainwater, and using bees to assist in the reproductive process of your plants are alternative ways to assist their growth naturally. By using these natural methods you’re sure to create a bountiful garden for yourself.
