People often enjoy growing fruits and vegetables on the balconies of their homes. If you are interested in gardening and have planted a strawberry bush, you may have noticed that the fruits on the plant are small or the plant's growth is insufficient. In such cases, there is no need to constantly buy expensive fertilizers or purchased stimulants. There are several things in your kitchen waste that are often thrown away but can provide the strawberry plant with the necessary nutrients.
For good growth, flowering, and fruiting, strawberry plants require elements such as potassium, calcium, and nitrogen. By using kitchen waste, you can prepare free fertilizer for a home strawberry bush. Let's look at which specific items are suitable for this.
How to grow strawberries in a pot:
1. Banana peel will provide a boost of potassium: Throwing away banana peels is a mistake because they contain nutrients such as potassium and phosphorus, which promote root development, flower formation, and fruit setting. To make the strawberry plant greener, cut the banana peel into small pieces and lightly sprinkle it around the roots in the soil. Over time, the peel will decompose, releasing nutrients. Additionally, you can soak the peel in water for several days and water the plant with this solution.
2. Eggshells will provide calcium: Eggshells are also very beneficial for plants because they contain calcium, which is useful for strawberries. The eggshells must be thoroughly washed and dried, then crushed and mixed with the plant's soil. This way, the calcium will be gradually absorbed by the soil.
3. Coffee grounds should not be thrown away: Coffee remnants after consumption can also be used for strawberries. They contain nitrogen, as well as some phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. However, they should be used in small quantities, mixed with the soil, rather than applied as a thick layer on the surface. They can also be combined with compost.
4. A nutrient solution can be made from vegetable scraps: Instead of throwing away potato, carrot, and onion peels, they can be used to make a nutrient solution for plants. Soak these peels in water for one or two days or lightly boil them, then strain the resulting liquid and use it to water the strawberries. This allows you to use kitchen waste while simultaneously enriching the soil with nutrients.
5. Liquid fertilizer can be made by mixing three components: If you want to introduce several nutrients at once, you can mix banana peel, crushed eggshells, and a little used coffee in water and leave it for some time. Then strain the mixture and apply it to the soil around the plant. It is best to dilute this mixture with an equal amount of regular water before use to avoid overloading the plant.