7 Food Scraps That Are Perfect for Your Garden

When you are done making a salad or hard boiling some eggs, your first instinct may be to toss those food scraps in the garbage. But wait, don’t do that just yet! If you have a garden, you will want to keep some of your food scraps as they make excellent nutrients for your soil and plants. Before you cook your next meal, take a look below at these 7 Food Scraps That Are Perfect for Your Garden. You should never throw these scraps away, as they are great for giving your garden a nutrient-filled boost.

7 Food Scraps That Are Perfect for Your Garden

1. Egg Shells
Egg shells are rich in nutrients like calcium, so they are perfect for adding a calcium boost to your soil. You can stir the ground up egg shells directly into the soil where they will break down further, or just toss them into your compost bin. Roses especially love egg shells, and slugs hate them! They truly are a wondrous item to use in the garden.

2. Citrus Peels
Citrus peels can be tossed around the garden for butterflies and bumblebees to feed on. They will love the sweet treat and it will help them get the energy they need to pollinate. They can also be tossed into compost bins where they will break down and add vitamins to the soil.

3. Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds (used) can literally change the quality of your soil. You can dump the grounds into your compost bin, stir it in around the base of the plants, or sprinkle it into your container gardens. You can also water down leftover coffee and pour it into the soil for the same effect. It will add acidic matter to the soil which can be quite beneficial.

4. Used Tea Bags
Don’t toss those used tea bags! The nutrients found in the remaining grounds can be beneficial to your garden as well. You can toss the entire tea bag into your compost bin, or tear it open and sprinkle the grounds directly into soil or around the plant.

5. Stale Bread and Cereal
You might think that no one wants your stale bread and cereal, but your garden does! These items can be buried into the soil where they will feed earthworms, or break them up and add them to your compost bin and they will work wonders. In the compost bin any crawlers you add are going to dine on them, and give them energy to do their job.

6. Banana Peels
Banana peels are so rich in potassium, which is just what your garden needs. You can bury banana peels directly into the soil or add them to your compost bin. Chop them up into smaller pieces so they break down quickly and get to work faster.

7. Old Herbs and Spices
If your fresh herbs go bad or your spices expire, don’t just toss them in the trash. These items can be added to your composting or directly to the soil where they will feed the matter with their nutrients. They can also help repel bugs that you don’t wish to be near your compost or plants.

While these kitchen scraps can work wonders in your garden, here are a few you should never use: Meat scraps or cheese scraps. You will not only get a horrible smell from your compost bin, but you will also attract flies and other critters which is no good. Instead, opt for the items mentioned above.

Are you ready to really get growing? Give these 7 Food Scraps That Are Perfect for Your Garden a consideration so your garden can really get the nutrients it needs.