Over the past week, Ireland was treated to a glorious stretch of spring weather. Sunshine and rising temperatures made it the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors and tend to our gardens. As we dust off our gardening tools and start planning for the months ahead, it's also a great opportunity to think about how we can give our plants some extra care.
One of the most common items households buy each week is milk, which many of us rely on for everything from coffee to cereal. But what happens when that milk goes off before we've had a chance to use it all? Instead of tossing it down the drain, it turns out that spoiled milk can be a surprising and effective ally in the garden.
When milk goes bad, it thickens into a yogurt-like substance and takes on an unpleasant smell - but spoiled milk is also packed with nutrients that can benefit your garden. It contains calcium, nitrogen and phosphorus, all of which are essential compounds for plant growth. The calcium also helps prevent blossom-end rot, which causes dark patches on the underside of vegetables like aubergines.
What makes spoiled milk preferable to fresh milk is that it's already broken down and is an organic material, which means it won't attract bugs or mold while it decomposes, Mirror UK reports. This makes it a far more practical and effective option for your garden. Fresh milk, on the other hand, can be messy and may encourage unwanted odors.
For the best way to use spoiled milk in your garden, The Greenwashing Index advises: "Just mix it into the soil around plants. Milk also makes an excellent preventative spray against powdery mildew - simply dilute it, using one part milk to ten parts water, then apply it over the surface of the leaves."
It's also important never to pour undiluted milk directly onto plants or into the soil, as it can harm them. It's best to mix milk with water, aiming for a 50/50 ratio.
Another spoiled ingredient you can use is flour. Leafy crops like spinach, kale and lettuce can benefit from this, according to The Greenwashing Index. Flour contains nitrogen and other important micronutrients, such as calcium, making it an unlikely but ideal soil enhancer.
The best time to use flour is before your crops begin to grow. It can be added directly to the soil or to your compost bin. The experts recommend: "Lightly dust stale flour over the soil a few weeks before planting, or simply add it in thin layers to your compost heap."
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