you might put these scraps right into your garden, no compost bin required.
I love to garden.
First, you oughta get seedlings or seeds, then supplies, dirt, compost and tools.
Photo: Getty Images / StefaNikolic
It can add up before you know it.
But there are several ways to cut down costs if you’re on a budget.
One way to save money is by using food scraps as fertilizers for your garden.
Here’s what to use and how to do it.
Eggshells
Making an omelet or baking a cake?
Don’t throw away those eggshellsthey can be used in a variety of ways in your garden.
This is especially helpful fortomatoandpepper plants, as it can help combat blossom-end rot.
The sharp edges of the shells can also deter some snails and slugs.
Coffee grounds can be added almost like a mulch around the plants in your garden.
Banana Peels
Bananas are the gift that keeps on giving if you have a garden.
They can also help repel pesky pests like aphids.
There are several ways to use banana peels in the garden.
Citrus peels also contain the compoundd-limonene, which has been found to deter pests like aphids.
Broken nut or seed shells can be placed around plants as a thick, nutrient-rich mulch.
They’ll provide a protective barrier to slow weeds from popping up and can help aerate the soil.
Cooking Water
Boil or steam some vegetables?
When you boil foods, some of their nutrients leach into the water.
Nutrient-rich foods like vegetables can leave nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium and more in your cooking water.
And it gives a use to water that would be otherwise wasted.
