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I love the idea of using natural, make-at-home fertilizers in the garden. When I was growing up, my mother was a big advocate of sprinkling the occasional batch of coffee grounds around the garden to help boost nutrients.
Recently, I was flipping through Gayla Trail's book Grow Great Grub and came across another DIY fertilizer that uses kitchen scraps to help plants flourish: Crustacean shells!
According to Gayla, shrimp, crab and lobster shells can be buried in a 2-foot-deep hole. As they decay, they'll add nitrogen, phosphorus, and lime to the soil. She suggests that you mark the spot where the shells are buried. After four weeks, dig up the compost and spread the nutrient-rich soil to other plants around the garden.
I don't often indulge in lobster or crab for dinner, but lately I've been obsessed with super-simple shrimp-and-lemon kebabs. Now I'll have even more motivation to cook them for dinner!
Chime in! Have you used homemade fertilizers in your garden?
