Teatime in the Garden- For Your Plants

The nice heat wave we have had offered a big boost to our gardens in growth, and encouraged the fateful growers that summer has indeed arrived. The boost in vitamin D comes at a cost for both human and plant life has the intense heat can zap us all quickly of energy. While you are looking for a nice shady spot to enjoy an icy glass of tea, do not forget to offer teatime to your garden as well.

Tea leaves in the garden offer a healthy boost to plants and work to deter pests. It encourages healthy leaf growth with a boost of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. In some cases, the tannic acids, aluminum, fluorine, and manganese may slow some plant growth from tea leaves so check into your tea type before top dressing or offering liquid nourishment. Acid loving plants like hydrangeas, roses, begonias, azaleas, and tomatoes will thank you. There are better alternatives though for all around teatime in the garden.

A favorite go to that offers a nice quenching drink of potassium tea made from bananas. Simply discarding your banana peels in a watering vessel in the garden and allowing you to soak for a few days, or weeks, will steep a nutrient rich tea that will offer a boost to dehydrated plants, especially tomatoes. Not only is this a natural fertilizer, but it is also a fantastic way to compost spent banana peels with essential nutrients that significantly enhance the growth, health, and flowering of plants.

This organic elixir promotes healthy roots with hormones known as auxins found in bananas. The potassium post will enhance flowering, in turn boost fruit and veggie production. Banana tea is also high in phosphorus, boosting nutrient uptake and energy transfer. The calcium in banana tea strengthens plant immunity and lastly the peels improve soil quality by adding organic matter.

A bonus, according to the Farmers Almanac, is aphids detest the smell of bananas, so a dose of this liquid fertilizer is sure to have them packing. This cost-effective natural fertilizer is simple and environmentally friendly making it a perfect option for rehydrating your plants during these dog days of summer.