Gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh is urging gardeners to include this kitchen scrap when making homemade garden compost, and it’s probably already in your kitchen counter.
Now that the temperatures are much warmer, it’s time to complete some gardening tasks to avoid these from piling up. Thanks to Alan Titchmarsh, who has become a household name when it comes to the gardening world, it has now become so much easier.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, Gardening With Alan Titchmarsh, the gardener shared some tips and tricks to keep weeds at bay and keep the gardens as tidy as possible.
By using potato peels for mulching, gardens will be thriving with blooms as the hotter months approach. Potatoes are rich in nutrients and also have a lot of potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. These nutrients are also great for plants, especially during the months of spring and summer.
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In the eight-minute video, he explained: “Adding organic matter or ‘mulch’ to your beds and borders is a great way to help your plants go stronger and healthier. Mulching not only enriches the soil, encouraging root growth, it helps stop the weekends and seals in moisture.”
As explained by Alan, mulch is a thick-layer of well-rotted organic matter that is spread on top of the soil, providing a lot of nutrients to plants. Mulching is great for garden spaces because it helps retain the moisture and improve the overall health of the soil.
The garden enthusiast revealed that his homemade garden compost had accumulated over the years, including things such as green waste from a vegetable patch and other things that he had cut from the garden. Alan also said that there wasn’t any food, except potato peels.
After mixing it well and keeping it moist and firm, Alan then spreads it around his garden. By adding potato peels, plants will receive a boost, sealing in moisture and reducing watering, ensuring that the weeds have less chances to grow.
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Alan’s tips to remember when mulching:
- Choose the right mulch based on the plants’ needs
- Make sure that the mulch is moist
- Adding organic fertiliser first and laying the mulch in a two-inch layer
- Lay the mulch on top of the existing plants
By following Alan’s simple advice, gardening experts and non-gardening experts will be able to keep their outdoor spaces as clean and tidy as possible, while witnessing their plants and flowers bloom beautifully.
