Peace lilies are beautiful flowers that can produce magnificent blooms all year round, and a houseplant expert has shared how you can encourage flowering by adding a few simple kitchen scraps
Gardening experts, take note – peace lilies, renowned for their blooms, can flourish with a bit of TLC and some savvy recycling from your kitchen waste.
Ame Rodriguez, the plant expert from green hub Be.Green, spills the beans on how a simple household item can work wonders as a natural plant booster. She said: “Did you know that you can share your morning coffee with your plants?”
Dishing out pearls of wisdom on plant nutrition, Ame advises: “From time to time it is essential to add some fertilizer to the substrate of our plants, especially when it is in pots, to complement the amount of nutrients available. This improves the fertility and life of the plant.”
As spring is about to spring and summer isn’t far behind, peace lilies are all set to lap up some homemade fertiliser or feed during their active growing season, reports the Express.
According to Ame, timing is everything when it comes to plant care. She points out that fertilisers should be earmarked for certain times of the year, aligning with the growth stages of the plants, since winter sees most plants hitting the snooze button.
She clarified, adding: “However, homemade fertilizers tend to be very gentle on plants, so you can apply them a little more freely. I’m sure your plants will thank you and get even more beautiful.”
Unlock the secret to a stunning peace lily display
Banana peel
Join the league of gardening experts by using banana peels a top-shelf DIY fertiliser choice that packs a potassium punch, fuelling peace lily blooms throughout their growing spurt.
Ame highlighted the benefits of going bananas for plant care: “Bananas are rich in potassium and their peel is brimming with this nutrient that your plant needs to photosynthesize effectively and to build resistance to pests.”
For those how aren’t an expert, simply burying banana peels or creating a banana peel-infused water can work wonders for a peace lily’s health and growth. Ame advised: “Let it cool and water your plant with this infusion.”
Eggshells
Eggshells aren’t just for your compost; they’re a treasure trove of calcium, playing a pivotal role in bolstering a plant’s growth while fending off unwanted pale petals and stunted blooms caused by calcium deficits.
Ama explained: “Eggshells are rich in calcium carbonate and other minerals, and can also serve as an insect repellent against snails and caterpillars.” If you’re wondering how to use them, simply pulverise them into powder form and sprinkle it at the foot of your flora.
Coffee grounds
And when you think your coffee has given you its all, think again. Those leftover morning coffee grounds are chock-full of plant-friendly nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus according to Ama, who urged: “Do not throw away the coffee grounds that are left over each morning, as it can serve as fertilizer for your plants.”
So before tossing those grounds, consider giving your home garden a caffeine boost instead. “Coffee is great for acidophilic plants because it alters the pH of the soil slightly to favour its development, in addition to containing nitrogen and essential minerals.”
