Given the rising inflation and economic instability in Pakistan, recycling and reusing has become increasingly important in all facets of life.

Gardeners have long incorporated these terms into their daily routine. Many of us grew up watching our parents or grandparents throw used tea leaves or eggshells around plants or trees. Similarly, placing fish scraps below the soil where a tomato plant is to be shifted, is a very common practice. One may have even seen many people wash their hands over a potted plant so that the plant is watered and hence no water is wasted.

In this article we are going to highlight some of the organic by-products leftover by the likes of gardening fruits, herbs, flowers and vegetables plants in the kitchen. These by-products have much to offer and need not be thrown callously into the trash. Here is a look at some of the best ways of using these items.

Vegetable Peels

After tea leaves and eggshells, one of the most common and readily available by-products in most kitchens are the peels of different vegetables/fruits and the leafless stems of different fresh herbs that are used in the kitchen for daily cooking. These items can be fed to the poultry or livestock. They can also be used to prepare compost, compost tea and, if separated from each other, many other nourishing fertiliser options for the garden.

Vegetable and fruit ‘waste’ can prove to be very useful in gardening, since it can be reused as compost, a natural fertiliser and mulch

Dried Leaves

Dried yellow, orange and brown leaves can help in the preparation of leaf compost. This is a highly nourishing and nutrient-filled option for the garden. The combination of dried leaves from different plants and trees adds to the variety of nutrients and minerals in the leaf compost being prepared. Dried leaves help in water retention while also acting as mulch.

Coconut Husk

Coconut husk is the brown, hairy, inedible outer covering of the coconut and is the main ingredient used to prepare coco peat. It is commonly used as a medium to germinate seeds and also as a potting mix. After removing the fibres, this husk can also be used to make ropes and rugs. When the coconut husk is spread around plants, it helps to retain moisture and slows the soil from becoming dry. This usage makes it a favourite among water-deprived metropolitan dwellers who continue to grow their own food.

Banana Stalk and Peel

It’s a common practice in my family that, if a fruit seller is not ready to bargain about the banana prices, we instead ask him to fill up a bag of banana stalks for us. Dried banana peels and banana stalks, when left in water to be dissolved, form an organic, soluble and readily usable potassium fertiliser. This solution is beneficial for the plants during the flowering and fruiting stage. Many people simply throw the banana peels around their trees after eating the fruit, but this is not as effective and is a slower process.

Wood Ash

Wood ash has been used over the centuries to provide soil with the required trace elements. It not only neutralises the soil acidity but also helps to fend off unwanted critters and pests. Wood ash is especially used during the fruiting and flowering stage, as it contains substantial amounts of potassium and other necessary trace elements.

Neem Kernels

Neem oil is extracted from the kernels of neem seeds. In gardening, the neem oil is used primarily as an organic alternative to any chemical pesticide. In fact, the entire neem tree has medicinal pro­per­­ties. Even the leaf compost prepared using the dried neem leaves has the ability to act as pest-repellent. Similarly, neem press cake is used as a fertiliser. It is made with kernel, leaves and a bark of wood from the neem tree. It provides the required nutrients for plant growth, along with the added advantage of repelling unwanted pests and pathogens.

Sugarcane Waste

One of the sugarcane by-products which can be used after the sugar extraction, other than molasses, is the sugarcane filter mud. It is used to prepare the filter cake, which is used as a fertiliser in sugarcane production. It is believed to be enriched with different trace elements and organic nutrients.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, April 16th, 2023