Potato water, banana skins and beer: The household waste you can use to make your garden grow

Experts are sharing little-known hacks for using household waste in your garden this spring and summer

With the glorious sunny weather returning across the UK this weekend, it might finally tempt many people to get outside and tackle some gardening.

Now is the perfect time to head outdoors and prepare your garden in time for summer.

Experts are now sharing some useful, little-known hacks for using common household item in your outdoor space.

From placing beer around your garden to solve any issues of slugs eating your plants, to adding coffee grounds to your compost and pouring potato water on your plants, there are various ways that you can reuse things around your home that would often go to waste.

The team at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk say: “Everybody loves a hack, especially one that saves money. Putting these common household items to use in your garden could help to solve any issues you’re having whilst saving you money as well.

“Other household items you can use outside are products like coffee grounds, which are full of nutrients and an excellent addition to a compost heap.

“Whilst banana skins make for the perfect natural fertiliser thanks to the numerous nutrients they contain.”

Here are some common household items that the experts recommended to put to unusual uses in your garden:

Potato water

Next time you’re making a Sunday roast and go to drain the water you’ve boiled your potatoes in down the sink, allow the water to cool first then use it in the garden on your plants instead.

As long as salt wasn’t added, the nutrients released from potatoes are beneficial for plant growth when used to water them.

The starchy water from boiling potatoes contains minerals and vitamins that plants can absorb.

Beer

Attracted by the yeasty smell, placing dishes of beer around your garden can help to solve any issues of slugs eating your plants.

The garden pests will be drawn in by the aroma and then drown in the liquid.

Banana skins

Banana skins can be used as a natural fertiliser as they contain numerous beneficial nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus which all help to promote healthy plant growth.

Eggshells

Eggshells are a great source of calcium which is an essential nutrient for plants.

By crushing eggshells into powder and placing them into soil around your plants, you’ve created an excellent homemade fertiliser.

Coffee grounds

Coffee grounds make an excellent addition to a compost heap and can be used directly in soil around most plants too thanks to containing nutrients that plants use for growth.

They’re also acidic which might be useful for growing plants like blueberries, azaleas, and camellias that prefer acidic soil conditions.

Don’t put coffee grounds around garlic or onion plants as they prefer alkaline soil conditions.

Bubble wrap

Protect plant roots from frost during the winter months by wrapping bubble wrap around plant pots tied with twine.

You can also stick it to windows of unheated greenhouses to keep them insulated.

Colanders

A quirky alternative to hanging flower pots thanks to their drainage holes. If you’re looking to repurpose an old colander from your kitchen, consider lining one with soil and small plants and use string or twine through the handles for it to hang.