Aspirin
Spray your tomato seedlings with dissolved aspirin and watch them thrive! Dissolve 1 aspirin in 2 litres of water and spray every three weeks. Spray early in the morning so plant leaves have a chance to dry off before evening.
Boiled egg water
Don’t tip it down the sink! The next time you boil eggs in their shells, pour the cooled, mineral-enriched water on your plants. They’ll love it! You’ll also be recycling water, which is great for the environment.
Eggshells
Add dry eggshells under your mulch. As they decompose, they will add calcium to the soil. Egg shells also act as a great natural slug repellent – the sharp edges of the shell will stop the slugs sliding over them. Just create a border of eggshell around your precious plants.
Boiled/steamed veggie water
Water from cooking or steaming vegetables contains minerals as well as vitamins. Once cooled use it to water your plants. You can also use the water from cooking potatoes if no salt was added.
Aquarium water
Next time you change water in your aquarium, pour the old water from the tank onto your plants. It’s rich in beneficial bacteria, as well as potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and trace nutrients that will promote lush, healthy plants. Don’t use on edible plants as the water may also contain chemicals.
Used tea leaves and tea bags
Squeeze another cup out of your used tea bags for your plants. Rebrew them in a bucket of water and use the weak tea to water your plants and help protect them from fungus. You can also put tea leaves into the soil with your plants.
Coffee
Once you've had your morning cup of coffee, keep the grounds in a container and let them dry. They are full of goodness including antioxidants, potassium, and nitrogen. Don’t use damp coffee grounds as they can encourage fungus to grow.
Paper
A thick layer of wet newspaper under your mulch is great for keeping the weeds down. You can also use shredded paper.
DIY caterpillar spray
Keep caterpillars off your veggies at home with a simple spray of two cups of water and two spoonsful of hot pepper powder (cayenne, chilli, or jalapeno pepper). Repeat every few weeks, or after rain.
Old tights
Use old tights as plant ties. The tights will stretch as the plant grows so there is much less chance of the tie digging into the plant stem and damaging it.
Aluminium foil
Birds tend to avoid shiny, noisy things, so tie a few strips of aluminium foil from the branches of your fruit trees to stop them from eating your harvest.
Banana skins
Banana peel is full of potassium and can help to keep your plants healthy and strong. Cut them into pieces and poke them into the soil around your plants or add them into any garden beds or pots you are preparing - they will thrive. They are also great to add to your compost pile, as they break down quickly.
You can also make banana tea: Simply drop some banana peels into a bucket filled with water and leave it for a few days. You will get a mineral-rich banana tea that your flower and vegetable beds will love.
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