There are many kitchen staples that can be used to enhance and benefit the plants in your garden. Whether you are finding unexpected ways to use coffee grounds or adding eggshells to your herb garden, your pantry holds a treasure chest of plant-benefiting items that will help your garden thrive. Honey is a great example of a kitchen item that is commonly used to improve your health and take care of wounds on animals, but did you know it provides several benefits in the garden when used as a fertilizer? It is not meant to replace regular fertilizers, but there are several ways that using honey can complement your regular fertilizing and watering routines.
Honey contains trace amounts of a variety of essential nutrients that plants need to thrive, including phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. It also is a great source of microbes that soil needs to be healthy. The microbes can improve the soil’s structure, help plants’ roots absorb nutrients better, and break down organic matter. It may be surprising to learn that honey can actually deter pests when used in combination with other natural deterrents and sprayed on the plants’ leaves. Another benefit to using honey as a fertilizer is that it promotes healthy growth of the roots and helps them extract healthy nutrients and necessary water from the soil.
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How to use honey as a fertilizer for your garden
Hand with flowered gloves spraying fertilizer on plants – Maryana Serdynska/Getty Images
There are several ways you can use honey in the garden as a fertilizer. The most common way is to make a honey-water spray by mixing one or two tablespoons of honey with a gallon of warm water and stirring until the honey is completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool completely before using it on your plants, as using hot or warm water can harm and potentially kill your plants.
Pour the honey-water combination into a spray bottle, and you’re all set. One or two tablespoons may not sound like a lot, but you don’t want to upset the bees’ natural foraging instincts by adding too much honey. Once you have your honey and water spray, you can use it as a foliar spray and spray the leaves of your vegetable and flower plants. Spraying the leaves can help the plants absorb nutrients and can also provide some protection from some pests. Spraying honey and water on the leaves has also been reported to perk up drooping or even dying plants.
Another way to use your beneficial honey water is to drench the roots of your plants with the honey and water mixture. Water at the base of the plants, and make sure to water deeply. Root drenching like this will stimulate the roots to grow and enhance the microbial activity in the soil. Use the honey-water mixture every two to four weeks during the growing season of your plants. Using the honey and water mixture along with revitalizing your garden with a quality NPK fertilizer will boost your plants’ health and growth so you can enjoy the rewards: beautiful flowers, healthy plants, and great harvests.
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Read the original article on Outdoor Guide.
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