Should I use potato peelings as plant fertilizer?

Advantages and Disadvantages of Organic Fertilizers

Fertilizers with an organic structure can improve the quality of the soil by accumulating structureless granules in small lumps, creating free space between them. With such a structure, the soil has a greater ability to pass air and water, retain heat and nutrients for a longer time. The work of organics is slow and safe, which allows you not to worry about overfeeding or burning the plant. If we talk about the attitude towards the environment, then organic matter pollutes underground sources less than mineral agrochemicals. Why is it so convenient to use organic fertilizers:

• the introduction of this type of fertilizer contributes to an increase in humus in the composition of the soil;
• looseness of the soil provides better "breathing" and nutrition;
• organic matter promotes the activation of beneficial microorganisms;
• even the "richest" mineral substance cannot compete with organic fertilizers in terms of macro- and microelements.

Disadvantages of organic fertilizers:

1. The danger of using an incompletely finished substance. In this case, we are talking about non-rotted manure, which remains "rich" in weed seeds.
2. The need for large volumes. Organic fertilizers should always be applied much more than mineral fertilizers. In addition, after the introduction, a mandatory digging is required so that the nitrogen does not have time to evaporate.
3. The inability to assess nutrients in precise quantities, which is not always convenient in terms of adjusting the germination time and crop volumes.
4. After applying organic fertilizers, not all plants are to be planted at the place of application. For some crops, it will take a year or two for the site to become suitable for growing the crop.

From waste to nutrients

To create organic fertilizer, gardeners use various improvised means:

• manure;
• chicken droppings;
• ash;
• sawdust;
• potato peelings.

I would like to dwell on the last point in more detail, since such "good" is often enough in every home, so it is important to know how you can convert waste into nutrients. It is not difficult to prepare a useful drug, since during the cold season you can collect enough cleanings to make organic fertilizer out of them yourself in the spring.

Video "All about the benefits of potato peelings"

How to use potato peelings and how they are useful.

What is the use

Potato peelings are a direct source of organic acids, starch, fat, potassium, vitamin C, salt and glucose. As soon as this entire set falls into the soil, the reaction of its enrichment begins. All useful substances from the decomposition of peelings are absorbed by the root system of the culture. An important plus of the work of such a tandem is the heat that is released in the process of decomposition of the purification. It is released in insignificant quantities, but it is quite enough for the full development of the plant.

Peeling potatoes can be used not only as fertilizer, but also as bait for garden pests - Colorado beetles and slugs. In order for the bait to work, waste is laid out on the soil surface in the spring. Pests will react to such a "delicacy", and your task then comes down to only collecting them and destroying them. An important aspect is the cost of such an organic fertilizer. Basically, you only pay for potatoes once, and you end up with food and natural fertilizer for the same price.

How to prepare fertilizer

You can prepare organic fertilizer from potato peelings yourself in several ways:

• make flour;
• prepare a substance like a gruel;
• prepare a nutritious infusion.

Perhaps for many, the simplest use of peeling potatoes is to simply drop them in, but if you take a little time to prepare a complete fertilizer, you are much more likely to increase yields.

Potato peel flour is prepared in several stages:

1. Dry cleaning. For these purposes, it is better to choose a thin potato peel, which is obtained when working with a vegetable peeler. You can dry the material near a heating device for 5-6 days. The best effect will be if you use an oven. At high cleaning temperatures, not only do they dry faster, but at the same time bacteria and fungi that may remain on them are destroyed.
2. Pass the dried waste through a meat grinder.
3. It is advisable to store the dry substance in cotton bags until spring.

Preparation of gruel from cleanings:

1. Dry cleaning on batteries, in a closet or in the sun.
2. Place them in a barrel and fill with boiling water so that everything is well covered with water. Hot "bath" helps to destroy bacteria and fungi.
3. Within 10 days, the gruel is infused and soaked. After that, it is necessary to mix thoroughly and ceiling. In this form, the gruel is ready for use.

Potato waste tincture can also be used to water plants. The cooking process involves soaking organic matter in hot water for a day.

What plants can I use

Fertilizer from potato peelings is not suitable for all plants. The most responsive to feeding are:

• cucumbers;
• cabbage;
• pumpkin;
• berries (black and red currants);
• fruit trees;
• houseplants.

Fertilization is not suitable due to diseases common with potatoes for the following crops:

• pepper;
• eggplant;
• tomatoes.

When planting seedlings, it is better to use gruel or flour, which in the amount of one handful must be added to each hole and sprinkled with soil. Then the layers are repeated once more and the seedlings are already planted in the hole. You can water the plant at the root with a watering can. Fruit trees and shrubs are most susceptible to organic fertilization in spring. Therefore, you should simply dig the cleaning into the trunk circle. During the summer, they will rot and give glucose and starch by the fall.

Do you want to save as much as possible and not harm the plants in your summer cottage? Then collect potato peels and make your own organic fertilizer. Indeed, with the help of it, you will not only enrich the soil with useful substances, but also help protect future crops from various pests.

Video "Using potato scraps in the garden"

Video instruction on the use of scraps, as well as how to use potato peel when planting currants.