One of the most adaptable fruits is the cucumber, which you can eat whole or use in salads, sandwiches, and even soups. However, the majority of people only eat it after peeling it, discarding the peels. They are unaware of the excellent nutritional value and abundance of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins in these peels. Experts advise against discarding it and that the peel should always be left on while eating cucumbers.
Cucumber peels are rich in nutrients. They contain 11% phosphorus and 27% potassium, magnesium and silica. They can grow plants beautifully and fast if proper care is taken. To save your money, DIY cucumber fertilisers are magic.
Here are some of the amazing ways to recycle cucumber peels and use them as plant fertilizers.
Ways to use cucumber as fertilizers
Ash Cucumber Peel Fertilizer
- Peel the cucumber skin and keep the cucumber peels on aluminium foil paper.
- Dry them under sunlight.
- After they are completely dried, transfer them to a steel container.
- Light a match and burn them.
- Collect the ashes.
- Sprinkle them on the soil.
When you switch out the pot, you can include the cucumber peel ash into the soil. The alternative is to use 4 to 5 teaspoons for large plants and 2 to 3 teaspoons for tiny plants. Converting peels into ashes will help to release the nutrients into the soil superfast. The ashes aid soil fertility.
Liquid Cucumber Skin Fertilizer
- Peel the cucumber skin and take the cucumber peels in a glass.
- For half glass of cucumber peels add half glass of water.
- Keep them for 5 days.
- After 5 days it will lose its colour and become translucent.
- Now mix it and strain the cucumber peels from the liquid fertilizer.
- Add the nutrient rich water to the soil.
Once per week, you can use this liquid to hydrate your plant. Do not overwater your plants. This fertilizers contain potassium and phosphorus. Phosphorus is vital to all plants for harvesting the sun’s energy and converting it into growth and reproduction. Potassium is associated with the movement of water, nutrients and carbohydrates in plant tissue.
Roasted Cucumber Peels
- Peel the cucumber skin and cut the peels into small pieces.
- Put the cucumber peels on pan.
- Roast the peels nicely, until they turn brown.
- Now, sprinkle them on the soil.
You can add 2 cucumbers skins per pot at most once every 3 weeks.
Cucumber peels as natural pesticide
Cucumber contains a compound known as cucurbitacin, which makes cucumber taste bitter. Insects donot like this bitterness so, if peels are kept on the soil of plant pot, insects wont come near the plants grow plants faster and healthy. Ants, moths, mites, wasps, and silverfish will stay away from plants because the alkaloid acts as a natural repellent.However, be sure to replace them periodically because decaying cucumbers may actually draw bugs.
