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Kitchen Garden Tips: The remaining tea leaves in the kitchen may seem useless to you, but they act as a tonic for your flowering plants like rose, marigold, jasmine and hibiscus. When used properly, they make the soil fertile, increase the growth of plants and also double the number of flowers. However, during this time it is important to keep some important things in mind.
For gardening enthusiasts, used tea leaves are no less than a treasure. About 4.4% nitrogen is found in it, which plays an important role in the rapid growth of plants. The special thing is that the used tea leaves easily dissolve in the soil, and provide instant energy to the roots. Farmer Harish Mehra says that if it is used without sugar and milk, it is more beneficial for the plants. At the domestic level, it is considered to be the easiest, cheapest and effective organic fertilizer.
Tea leaves are now being adopted as organic fertilizer in hilly areas including Bageshwar. It makes the soil structure light and friable, thereby providing adequate air access to the roots. Drying used tea leaves in the sun and mixing them with soil also improves drainage. In heavy soil it shows effect like natural compost. This speeds up the growth of plants and makes their roots stronger. This is the reason why people are now using kitchen waste to enrich their gardens.
The tannins present in tea leaves not only make the soil nutritious for plants, but also prove helpful in preventing many common pests and fungal diseases. Plants fall sick less when tea leaves are used regularly. Its effect is quickly visible especially in roses, money plants and indoor plants. Due to its natural insect repellent properties, people have now started choosing this organic option instead of chemical pesticides.
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The mild acidic nature of tea leaves makes it very useful for certain plants. Plants like roses, azaleas, blueberries grow best in slightly acidic soil, and tea leaves provide exactly that environment. In hilly areas where the soil generally becomes alkaline, tea leaves are helping in maintaining the natural balance of acidity.
The easiest home remedy is to mix used tea leaves from the kitchen directly into the soil. It is important to first wash the tea leaves with water so that the milk or sugar is completely removed. After this, it can be dried in the sun and added to the soil of the pots in a layer of 1-2 inches. It slowly dissolves in the soil, and continues to provide nutrition to the plants.
Compost makers are using tea leaves as a ‘green’ nitrogen-rich material. Compost is prepared by mixing it with ‘brown’ elements like dry leaves, cardboard. Mixing 1 part tea leaves and 2-3 parts brown material makes much better compost. This not only reduces kitchen waste, but also produces completely organic and effective fertilizer.
With the increase in the use of tea bags, they are also being used as fertilizer in gardening. Most tea bags are plastic or nylon based, which do not dissolve in the soil. Therefore, before using a tea bag, it is important to ensure that it is biodegradable. If the bag is plastic then simply remove the tea leaves and discard the bag.
Even though tea leaves make an excellent compost, some precautions are necessary. If milk or sugar is mixed in tea, do not add it to the plants without washing, otherwise the risk of fungus or ants increases. Applying large amounts directly to the soil may cause the soil to become slightly more acidic, especially where the pH is already low. Therefore use it in balanced quantity.
