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Tea leaves as fertilizer


Are Tea Leaves Good For Plants?

Whether you have indoor or outdoor plants, they can bring the same calm, inviting feeling you experience from having a nice cup of tea. Plants can even help to create cleaner air throughout your home.

With that said, you might wonder what you can add to keep your plants thriving, possibly without adding chemicals. No one wants to use harsh chemicals on their plants.

Tea leaves can easily better your indoor house plants, potted plants, outdoor plants, and garden beds. Some plants will not do well with the higher levels of acidity, although most plants will thrive.

There are many different ways to use tea leaves for your plants. Some people pour leftover brewed tea on their indoor plants while some like to make their own compost to fertilize their soil.

Is Tea Good for Plants?

Tea leaves contain tannic acid, nitrogen and other valuable nutrients that are released into the soil as they decompose.   Tea leaves also can be an excellent mulch and can increase soil acidity for acid-loving plants. Watering your plants with leftover tea can not only hydrate them, but also increase nutrient levels in the soil.

Read on to find out the best way to improve plant health with both used tea leaves and leftover tea.

What Do Tea Leaves Do To Soil?

Tea leaves contain tannic acid and other valuable nutrients that are released into the soil as they decompose.   

Increase Soil Acidity

The tannic acid in tea leaves increases the acidity of the soil, lowering the pH, which is great for acid-loving plants.  

Your garden soil can be easily tested to determine its acidity.

Keeping Pests At Bay

Tea leaves sprinkled around your plant can also help deter any pesky pests that could potentially destroy your plants. Mice, cats, and different bugs hate the smell of tea. You can spray brewed tea on your plant, place it in the soil, or on top of the soil.

Using tea around your plant roots is an easy way to control pests while you limit pesticide use.

Preventing Weeds

Tea is also said to help prevent and keep weeds at bay. As mentioned above, a tea mulch will help to keep weeds away from the tea itself.

Preventing & Controlling Fungus

Plain tea brewed and then sprayed on the leaves/plant itself can help prevent mold from forming on the leaves. Teas can help to ward off different diseases and fungi that would kill your plants.

Adding Nutrients Into The Soil

Tea is great for many plants—the tannic acids and nitrogen naturally help fertilize and add extra nutrients to the soil. Dried tea leaves will start to break down in the soil and release even more of its properties into the soil, improving the soil’s nitrogen level and acting as a non-toxic plant fertilizer.

Adding tea leaves into your soil will also help with the growth and health of your plants, and is a great way to increase moisture retention and benefit the soil structure.

Are Tea Leaves Good For All Plants?

There are definitely some plants that do not do well with tea leaves. While the average indoor and outdoor plant will benefit greatly from adding tea into the soil, some don’t. Keep in mind that even the plants that can benefit from tea can sometimes have their ph level messed up if you use too much tea.

Blue Hydrangeas love acid soil so they also love used tea leaves.

Which Plants Like Tea Leaves

Plants that do well with a higher level of acid in the soil are the ones you should fertilize with tea.  Plants that do well with a slightly acidic soil are:

Which Plants Should Not Be Fertilized with Tea Leaves

Many plants won’t do well with the added acid because they need a more neutral ph balance. It’s a good idea to always test your soils ph levels just to be sure they are at a good level. There are many places to buy a fairly inexpensive test online. If the leaves start to yellow, that can mean the acid level is too high.

The type of plant that needs lower levels of acid:

What Kinds of Tea Leaves are Best For Plants?

This may be one of the first questions that popped into your mind. After all, tea comes in so many different flavors, strengths, and added ingredients and can contain different chemicals and from many different places around the world. So, do they all do the same thing when it comes to plants?

Just about any true tea you can think of comes from the same plant called Camellia Sinensis. They are just harvested at different times and in different ways creating a unique cup of tea. While some companies add different things in with the tea leaves, for the most part, they are all the same.

If you’re an avid tea drinker, it doesn’t matter if you use tea bags or fresh tea leaves from green tea, black tea, or other loose leaf tea. Adding the organic matter from a used tea bag is a great way to change your soil’s ph and add some acid to alkaline soil.

What Is Tea Compost?

Most gardeners and plant owners know how beneficial organic compost can be but might not know that you can compost tea. Along with the usual coffee grounds and banana peels, tea leaves can be added to your compost bin, but it is not recommended to add tea bags. Some tea bags contain plastic, which will not break down in your compost bin.

If you’re sure your tea comes in paper tea bags, go ahead and drop the entire bag into your compost, but if your tea comes in plastic or polyester tea bags, you should cut open the tea bags and just use the tea leaves in your compost.

Check the ingredients in your specialty tea bags before adding to your garden.

Gardening Know How has a list of almost every brand of tea bag and the materials used to make them.  

Making tea compost is easy. You simply add the tea leaves into your existing kitchen compost. They are full of nitrogen, which helps to break down other materials in your compost bin.

Then, simply add it to your garden bed, vegetable garden, or even your herbal tea garden.

What Is Tea Leaf Mulch?

Tea mulch is simply dried tea leaves laid across the top of your plant’s soil, covering the topsoil. Tea leaves and any type of mulch will help hold in moisture, regulate the soil temperature, and keep the sun from drying out the soil and form a crust.

It also helps choke weeds out too. It is best to add a few inches of the tea mulch (the same with most mulches). If you still have extra tea bags, you can also use tea bags for eyes as a quick soother.

Tea leaves can be easily added to your compost pile.

Is Brewed Tea Good For Plants?

If tea leaves are good for plants, you may be wondering if brewed tea is also helpful. Before you dump a mug of tea into your plant, you need to consider a few things first.  

Here’s what to consider before you start to water plants with leftover tea:

Tea Temperature

Plants can die under extreme conditions, and that includes hot liquids. Dumping boiling tea on your plant is not a great idea. It could scorch and kill your plant on contact. Some gardeners pour boiling water on weeds outdoors to kill them. 

If the water is hot but does not touch any part of the plant (roots, stems, leaves, flowers), it would be ok, but boiling is still too shocking. 

Added Ingredients In Your Tea

Different kinds of milk, honey, and sugars may make your tea taste incredible, but they are not great for your plant. 

Milk can cause the plant to form mold/mildew, which can lead to fungal diseases. Sugar can also cause your plant to die. Plants can produce the nutrients they need in most cases. When you add something like sugar, it can cause wilting and the plant to die.

Used teabags easily add acid to your garden soil.

Cost & Waste

If you are only brewing tea to cool and toss in your plants, there are not enough added benefits from a cup of tea to make up for the waste. It is a big waste of perfectly good tea that you could enjoy. The price of the tea you are throwing away will add up over time.

Weaker tea can be less of a waste (weaker tea is a tea where the leaves have already been brewed, and when it is brewed a second time, it produces a weak tea) and is not a waste because you would have just thrown the used tea leaves away anyway.

If you are going to use a cup of tea for your plants, make sure it’s room temperature and free of any extra ingredients. It’s even better if it’s just your left-over plain tea to avoid waste.

The Takeaway:  Tea Leaves Are Good For Most Of Your Plants

Tea is in many homes across the world. No matter what type you love to drink, they can all benefit your plants. It doesn’t matter if you are using tea because you hate waste, want a natural fertilizer, or natural pest control.

It works well with almost any plants, indoor or outdoor. Just always remember to keep an eye on your soil’s PH levels.

If you love tea as much as I do, pin this Are Tea Leaves Good For Plants? pin to your favorite tea-loving Pinterest board and pass it on for others to enjoy! Pinkies up!

Pin this to your favorite tea or gardening Pinterest Board to save for later!

Using tea leaves in the garden: to boost your plants' health

(Image credit: Alice Pasqual/Unsplash)

We’re all for recycling, especially when it benefits our gardens. The latest discovery we’ve made? Using tea leaves in the garden can lead to healthier plants. Of course it can – faded memories suddenly return of parents emptying tea leaves over bountiful rose bushes.

See: Garden ideas – inspiration and ideas for outdoor spaces

But tea leaves are not just good for plants – they can boost compost and deter pests, too. We investigate the upsides – and downsides – of using tea leaves in the garden.

Using tea leaves in the garden

Plant fertilizers contain, among other ingredients, nitrogen, which encourages healthy leaf growth.

Tea leaves also contain nitrogen – but much more than you’ll find in plant fertilizers. There is also potassium and phosphorus in tea, plus tannic acid – which not all plants love. Tea contains aluminum, fluorine and manganese, too, which in high doses can slow plant growth.

This means that stewed tea could harm plant growth, particularly if they don't like acidic soil. Instead, used but drained tea leaves are best added to compost rather than soil or directly over plants. There, they will increase nutrient and oxygenation levels in the compost. 

It’s important to know that not all plants like tea leaves, whether poured over them directly or via compost you’ve made up – the tannic acid in them can lower the soil’s pH and increase its acidity.

So, if you are growing plants that like acidic conditions – there’s a list below – you can safely use tea leaves beneficially. But if you are growing plants that prefer alkaline conditions – again, a list below – you need to be careful. Keeping an eye on your soil’s pH levels is all important. Yellowing leaves can be a sign of acid levels being too high, so keep an eye on this.

Tea leaves are usually removed from tea bags and the bags discarded appropriately before being used in the garden. However, some gardeners like to use paper (compostable) tea bags, however, as a mulch or drainage layer.

See: Using coffee grounds in the garden – extraordinary ways to boost plant growth

Another thing to note: it is more harmful than beneficial to use tea with milk or sugar in it in the garden: sugar will make plants wilt, milk will encourage mold growth.

Finally, over-fertilizing plants isn’t good for them, so throwing tea daily over plants – even ones that like acidic soil – might not be beneficial. Instead, look to add tea leaves to compost, as just one of its many ingredients.

Using tea leaves in compost

Used tea leaves added to compost boosts nitrogen levels which helps break down other things you have added, and encourages decomposing bacteria. These can be added as loose leaves or as bags – assuming the bags are paper and don’t have staples or string attached to them. 

Using tea leaves for pot plants

As with garden plants, acid-loving pot plants will benefit from used tea leaves being added to their soil – although as we said above, we would add it to compost as part of a balance of ingredients. See below for a full list of plants that like tea leaves. 

Using tea leaves to prevent weeds

Tea leaves won’t prevent weeds, but use them in mulch (indeed use any mulch) and weeds are less likely to be able to establish.

Using tea leaves to deter pests and insects

If your garden plants are being destroyed by pests, there is anecdotal evidence that you can use tea leaves and tea to deter those that hate the smell – mice, cats and some insects – by either scattering the leaves around the roots of the plant or by spraying cooled tea on to the plant.

Using tea leaves to prevent fungus

Spraying cold tea on to leaves can help ward off fungal diseases that some plants can suffer from.

Which plants like used tea leaves?

You can use tea leaves in the garden on plants that do well with a higher level of acid in the soil. Tea leaves won’t do a better job than shop-bought fertilizers, and are often better added to a balanced compost rather than directly to the plant. 

This is a basic list of plants that will benefit from tea leaves in their soil: 

See: Using eggs in the garden – the natural remedy for transforming your flower beds

Which plants don’t like used tea leaves?

Plants that need an alkaline environment or neutral pH will not benefit from having tea leaves added to their soil. A balanced compost – that includes some tea leaves but other beneficial ingredients – shouldn’t affect these plants dramatically, but keep an eye on wilted plants and those with yellow leaves, and check your soil’s pH levels if you have any concerns.

This is a basic list of plants that won’t benefit from tea leaves:

Lucy Searle has written about interiors, property and gardens since 1990, working her way around the interiors departments of women's magazines before switching to interiors-only titles in the mid-nineties. She was Associate Editor on Ideal Home, and Launch Editor of 4Homes magazine, before moving into digital in 2007, launching Channel 4's flagship website, Channel4.com/4homes. In 2018, Lucy took on the role of Global Editor in Chief for Realhomes. com, taking the site from a small magazine add-on to a global success. She was asked to repeat that success at Homes & Gardens, where she has also taken on the editorship of the magazine. 

Brewing tea as a fertilizer: myth or reality

The use of tea as a fertilizer can be heard everywhere, although opinions on this matter are divided. Let's try to understand the current situation.

Beginner gardeners and gardeners are often advised by experienced neighbors to pay attention to fresh tea. There is an opinion that flowers, vegetables, and berries can grow several times larger if, from spring to late autumn, it is applied to the soil.

In part-time farms, used tea is used as mulch and sprinkled under various plants. However, for this, during the winter period, it is necessary to collect a sufficient amount of used tea leaves, and this is the biggest difficulty. nine0003

Recall that mulching is the surface covering of the soil with a layer of mulch to improve its properties, using organic fertilizers and a variety of materials. Mulching has become widespread in most parts of the world.

Mulch fights weeds: a 5 cm layer reduces their growth by several times. Weeds do not receive enough light under the material and die.

Mulching reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil, and its top layer remains loose. In heat and drought, mulch protects plants from death: it does not allow the topsoil to overheat. Mulching is also used in autumn to protect the soil from weathering and freezing. Mulching is one of the most effective ways to keep plants healthy. nine0003

As organic mulch, in addition to dormant tea, hay, straw, leaves, bark, sawdust, decomposed compost, as well as paper and cardboard are used. Inorganic mulch is also used: stone, gravel, sand. We do not recommend using rubber and plastic, as it is almost impossible to check their chemical composition. Recently, non-woven materials have also been used.

However, it must be remembered that sleeping tea as a mulch attracts insects, worms and birds that use it as food. nine0003

Of course, it is necessary to add dormant tea when planting outdoor flowers, laying it on the bottom of the pot, on the drain. Rotting tea leaves give plants additional nutrition. Rose bushes also like top dressing from sleeping tea, including diluted with water. Ferns, however, it is extremely necessary. The only thing to remember is that the tea leaves used as fertilizer should NOT be sweetened . Sweet tea leaves will be a bait for ants and various insects that do not benefit plants. nine0003

Drinking tea has many health benefits. So, for example, in the tea leaf there are tannins that are necessary for the full development of plants. These substances are acidic in nature and have a remarkable property of reducing the ability to rot. Using it for its intended purpose, you will undoubtedly be satisfied with the results.

The use of sleeping tea as a fertilizer is also evidenced by the fact that it makes the earth, especially clay, lighter. Added to the sand, it, like plant residue, enriches the soil. In addition, plant waste holds moisture well in the sand. The advantage of sleeping tea is the neutralization of alkaline soil. The downside is the creation of favorable conditions for the catastrophic reproduction of soil flies, although this applies mainly to potted crops. nine0003

However, many gardeners and horticulturists consider drunk tea to be a neutral substance that does not bring any benefit or harm. And they believe that sleeping tea cannot be called a fertilizer in the full sense. This is just an additive, a soil filler, its baking powder.

Use tea leaves as a fertilizer as an infusion (1 cup dry used tea leaves per 3 liters of boiling water). Gladiolus, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers respond well to dry sleeping tea - add to the wells immediately before planting. Before sowing seeds with tea, fertilize the soil at the rate of 500 g per 1 sq.m. nine0003

So, drunk tea causes controversy among gardeners. We have given all the pros and cons and encourage you to experiment, observe and share with us the results of your own experiences.

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Tea leaves as a fertilizer for which plants. Is it possible to water flowers with tea and how to do it correctly? Ways of fertilizing

As you know, of all types of tea, the greatest benefit lies precisely in large-leaf tea. Therefore, it should be preferred when using tea leaves as a fertilizer. A solid sheet without mechanical damage retains the maximum number of components. So, for example, a dry leaf plate contains about 7% of the total mass of various minerals, among which, in descending order:

  1. Potassium. It is in tea brewing most of all compared to other elements. For plants, it is required in large quantities during the period of fruit ripening, but the composition of the fertilizer is such that its use for any period will not lead to an overabundance of the component.
  2. Calcium ranks second. It is essential for carbohydrate and protein metabolism.
  3. Magnesium is an integral part of chlorophyll, therefore, its deficiency impairs photosynthesis.
  4. Aluminum is not the most useful element for flora, because it provokes a deterioration in the accumulation of carbohydrates, which is directly related to yield. The use of sleeping tea eliminates its accumulation in the soil and the negative impact on plants. nine0041
  5. Manganese is an active participant in redox reactions. It is necessary for the normal development of the root system, the growth of the vegetative mass as a whole.
  6. Sodium responsible for the transport of sugars.
  7. Iron, which is part of the respiratory enzymes.

In addition to these mineral elements, there are others in tea, but their quantity is so small that they will not have a strong effect on plants. It should be borne in mind that almost half of all substances are in a water-soluble form, therefore, dried tea leaves, when used for fertilizer, will contain minimal dosages, i.e. it is a micronutrient. nine0003

Tea features

In addition to mineral elements, tea brewing contains other components that directly or indirectly affect plants, which must be taken into account when feeding. In addition, there are several rules, the observance of which will avoid mistakes.

Application of tea leaves fertilizer

Tea brewing is a good organic fertilizer with a certain supply of micro and macro elements. There are several ways to bring its benefits to plants:

  1. In open ground, for example, tea leaves can be applied immediately after initial use without drying. In this case, the growth phase of the culture can be ignored. In this case, it will simultaneously perform the function of mulch, which, as it decomposes during irrigation, gradually releases batteries. It is recommended to add wood ash to enrich the material. At the end of the season, after harvesting, the accumulated layer can be dug up with the ground. Remember that there is no sugar in tea, otherwise you will have to fight ants afterwards. nine0041
  2. In the off-season, it is better to dry the tea leaves and then use it in a dry form for tillage. The fertilizer is dug up with the soil, the consumption rate is approximately 0.5 kg / m2. When planting seedlings, the application is carried out under each plant directly into the holes.
  3. Dry tea leaves perfectly protect indoor plants from excessive evaporation of moisture, especially during the heating season when the air is too dry. If the soil in which you plant houseplants is saline, mixing the tea leaves with the substrate will bring the pH closer to neutral. nine0041
  4. Add to compost. Tea will not have a big effect on the composition of the compost heap, but the tannins contained in it will acidify the biomass, which will provoke an acceleration of the process of overheating. This method can be useful if you need faster maturation of the fertilizer.
  5. Root dressing infusion. To do this, pour 3 liters of boiling water into 1 cup of dried tea leaves, let it brew and cool. Such a solution contributes to the rapid provision of plants with nutrients. The flow rate is the same as for normal watering. A low concentration of micro and macro elements will not harm crops. Such top dressing is suitable for both open and protected ground. nine0041

Of all the dormant teas, it is one of the lowest concentrated and safest for growing crops. Its use does not preclude top dressing with other agrochemicals, tk. in its pure form, it will not be able to fully satisfy the need for nutrition. But as an addition, tea brewing is one of the best options for gardeners and gardeners.

Brewed from quality tea leaves, or the so-called sleeping tea, actively garden and indoor plants. About whether this fertilizer can really be beneficial, agricultural professionals are actively arguing even today. However, proper use of the leaves can have a beneficial effect on many types of plants. nine0003

Conventional brewing methods, even repeated ones, cannot completely wash out all the substances that make them useful from the leaves of the tea bush. In large quantities, they retain tannin compounds, especially useful in gardening. At the same time, carefully dried raw materials are able to gradually release microelements into the soil or plant roots for a long time.

Note!

Only tea brewed without the addition of sugar, honey or spices may be used for such purposes. Otherwise, midges will start in the ground, the site will attract entire colonies of ants. nine0003

Effect of tea on plants

It is useful to infuse with tannins, which:

Dry leaves contain:

Boron, aluminum, manganese are found in small quantities. All of them contribute to the active formation and strengthening of roots, leaves, buds and inflorescences. As a result, the plant becomes stronger, gives a much larger yield in the presence of other favorable factors. Large-leaf tea, namely it is recommended to use it, when added to the soil, it will make it looser, lighter, softer, will help natural ventilation, which is also very useful for most crops. nine0003

Which plants to use

Organic fertilizer in the form of tea leaves or leaf compost will have a good effect on vegetable crops, berry bushes, aromatic herbs. All plants that need strong green shoots, active photosynthesis and the formation of a large number of fruit ovaries will respond positively to top dressing.

Fertilizer is not used for root crops, crops that grow well in dense and heavy soil. Top dressing is also undesirable for crops that can “fat”, that is, actively grow above-ground foliage and stems to the detriment of the fruits or the underground part, which is harvested as a crop. nine0003

Self-cultivating vegetable gardens and orchards often use food, herbs, coffee and spices as supplements. Used black tea as a fertilizer is used to feed a variety of plants: flowers, fruit bushes, vegetables. And there are reasons for this, hidden in the benefits of tea leaves.

Large-leaf tea leaves are used more often as a fertilizer because they contain more important substances:

At a lower concentration, fresh tea contains tannins and vitamins. nine0003

Features of the use of tea as a fertilizer

When using tea leaves as a fertilizer, you need to remember that the maximum amount of useful components is contained in the active - liquid - form.

For the treatment of seedlings, garden and indoor plants, large- and medium-leaf teas are chosen. Bags are used only in extreme cases.

Nutritious brew must be free of excess substances. Even if the composition includes lemon zest, then there is a high probability that such a product also contains flavoring. nine0003

If it is planned to bring in sleeping tea during planting, then the leaves are dried first by throwing them on a sieve. For storage, the fertilizer is placed in a container and cleaned in a dry place. Indoor flowers are fertilized with a small amount of semi-dry matter: excessive moisture provokes soil infection, mold formation and the reproduction of black midges.

Influence of tea leaves on plants and soil

When using tea as a fertilizer, the following effects can be achieved:

Flowers and vegetables react very well to fertilizing with tea leaves: green manure, azalea, hydrangea, sorrel, cucumbers, simple radish, pumpkin fruits, carrots.

If tea leaves are used to fertilize flowers in an apartment, then it retains moisture in pots during the heating period, when the air is dry. You can use the leaf product as a drain. nine0003

Before introducing tea leaves into the soil, it is necessary to determine the acidity level of the soil. If the indicator is high, then it is not recommended to water the ground or apply the dry version of the substance.

Use of tea in the garden and in the garden

The areas of application of the sleeping product are quite wide. You can use tea leaves as a fertilizer for the following purposes:

  1. Soil improvement for small seeds. The product stimulates the growth of most edible greens and some root vegetables. For planting take 1 tsp. seeds of carrots, parsley or basil, mixed with a glass of dry tea leaves. nine0041
  2. Mulching. As a mulch, tea leaves are used only on the surface of open ground, which is regularly ventilated and warmed by the sun. The old mixture, prepared in advance, is distributed among the beds.
  3. Improvement of soil quality. To increase fertility, use 500 g of used tea per 1 m2.
  4. Fertilizer. To improve the germination of plants, a special microflora is created in the upper soil layer with the help of tea. The remains of the tea leaves are mixed with ash, placed around bushes and tree trunks, mixed. As a result, the effect of the tea is prolonged, and plantings receive more useful substances. This method of application is ideal for tomatoes, cucumbers, gladioli and beans. nine0041
  5. Compost. The brewed tea is taken out into a rotting heap, mixed with what is already in the fertilizer harvest. As a result, nitrogen production begins, and the fermentation of organic products is accelerated. It is important to first remove any artificial and metallic elements from the brewed product.
  6. Top dressing with infusion. Freshly brewed tea as a fertilizer can also be used in liquid form. For 1 st. leaves take 3 liters of boiling water. Pour warm broth under the roots of plants. Fertilize with this crop product in the country or in the garden. The ground may be open or closed. nine0041

Experienced growers find new combinations for sleeping leaves and other organic fertilizers within their garden.


Tea bag use

Tea bags can be used as seedling tablets. They easily replace peat counterparts. Sequence of actions:

The advantage of this growing method is the possibility of transferring crops directly with bags. After a while, the paper will dissolve into the soil. It is good to use this method of growing seedlings on products sensitive to picking (bell peppers, eggplants

How to fertilize indoor flowers with tea?

If you put semi-moist leaves in a flower pot at the height of the heating season, they will prevent moisture from evaporating. Such a fertilizer will be useful when using saline soil during planting. nine0003

In order to improve the composition of the earth, only tea leaves that have been steamed without sugar can be used.

You can also use a tea solution made from 3 liters of boiling water and 1 cup of tea leaves. In a cold state, it is applied under the roots instead of regular watering. It is important to observe proportions so as not to overfeed indoor flowers.

The use of liquid tea or used tea leaves as a fertilizer for garden, horticultural or house plants is justified only if alkalinization of the soil is observed. Too acidic soil will react negatively to such top dressing. As for crops, nutrition is best reflected in those vegetables, berries and flowers that are not demanding on the composition of the earth or prefer acidic soils. nine0003

Cultivated plants need constant feeding, as the fertile soil layer is depleted over time. Tea brewing as a fertilizer in the country is a very profitable and cheap fertilizer, which is appreciated by amateur gardeners in our country. Although there are voices of doubt about the effectiveness of such feeding, many summer residents successfully use sleeping tea in the garden and for feeding indoor flowers. Consider how best to use tea leaves for plants.

The benefits of sleeping tea

For fertilization, you should use loose leaf tea, the composition of which is rich in useful microelements. Tea bushes absorb substances from the soil, which accumulate in the leaf part and remain after brewing. nine0003

Contains:

manganese;
potassium;
iron;
calcium;
other trace elements.

Manganese is responsible for plant photosynthesis, the formation of the root system and the formation of vitamins.

Potassium is necessary for the formation of plant leaf cover. With its deficiency, the leaves sag and change color. Calcium is necessary for metabolism in tissues, the formation of a strong root system and fruit set.

Magnesium provides photosynthesis, with its deficiency, the edges of the leaves turn yellow. Iron deficiency provokes the disease chlorosis - the leaves become discolored and fade. In tea leaves, iron is contained in a form available to plants and is well absorbed. nine0003

Scattered tea leaves are added dropwise with a shovel on the soil surface, mulching is performed. When decomposed in the ground, tea leaves release nitrogen, which is necessary for the proper development of crops. If you collect a large amount of sleeping tea, you can also fertilize fruit trees with it, not to mention raspberry or currant berry bushes.

During the winter period, tea leaves can be gradually stored for spring gardening. To do this, the collected leaves are carefully dried on a sieve in a thin layer. Dried leaves are placed in a suitable container and stored until gardening begins. nine0003

Please note! Tea brewing does not replace basic plant fertilizers, but is an additional top dressing.

Sleeping tea leaves are the safest organic fertilizer due to the low concentration of trace elements. It does not harm the root system of plants; it is impossible to overfeed the seedlings with a substrate of tea leaves. This distinguishes the use of tea from other organic substrates.

Welding as a fertilizer has the following advantages:

increases the moisture permeability of sandy soils; nine0096 loosens clay/loamy soils;
acidifies alkaline soil;
prevents the development of weeds;
repels garden pests;
is used for mulching.

Please note! Tea brewing accelerates the maturation of compost.

Tea leaves can also be used as a fertilizer in liquid form. To do this, pour a cup of dried leaves with boiling water (3 liters) and insist. When the solution has cooled, seedlings are irrigated with it - they are poured into the wells.

Infusion application

Which type of tea can be used as a plant supplement? Suitable black and green varieties, as well as herbal herbal teas. One thing is important: the infusion should be of medium strength. Too strong tea can damage the root system, and weak tea leaves will not do any good.

Gardeners apply tea fertilizer during the spring digging of the soil. About 0.5 kg of dry tea leaves are consumed per square meter. Together with tea, the soil is fertilized with ash and other organic matter. nine0003

See also: it is added immediately after purchase, because its storage is problematic: the slightest amount of moisture in the air starts a chemical reaction of its extinction on these pieces.

Tea fertilization rules:

use only large-leaf teas;
do not use tea leaves with the addition of flavorings and other additives;
before preparing the solution, it is necessary to pre-dry the sleeping sheets;
mulching of the ground in flowerpots is not carried out; nine0096 top dressing is applied once a week.

Please note! You can neutralize the acidity of tea leaves by simultaneously adding ash to the soil.

Since tea dressing acidifies the soil, it is especially useful for the following vegetable crops:

radish;
sorrel;
spinach;
carrots;
cucumbers;
pumpkin.

Tea leaves are used outdoors without pre-drying.

Mulching

This method involves covering the soil with tea leaves to improve soil structure and prevent drying out. Mulching also prevents the growth of weeds if its layer is at least five centimeters. Weed sprouts are deprived of sunlight and air, so they die immediately. Mulching with tea leaves protects the soil from drying out and reduces irrigation, which is especially important in dry weather. nine0003

Important! Drinking tea should not be sweetened.

Mulching also protects the fertile layer from overheating in hot weather, and from freezing in cold weather. Hay, straw, cardboard and other organic and inorganic components are used as mulch. However, summer residents should be aware that tea leaves can attract various insects and birds. This is especially true for sweetened tea leaves.

How to properly mulch with tea leaves? First, the soil is loosened, then the leaves are poured, and then they are sprinkled with a small layer of earth. If left uncovered, the leaves will attract insects. nine0003

Tea bags for seeds

Gardeners have come up with an economical and efficient way to germinate seeds using ordinary tea bags. They are successfully used instead of peat tablets. To do this, carefully cut off the top of the bag along with the thread and fill the free space with soil mixture. The sachets are placed in a tray in rows and plant seeds are planted, having previously irrigated the contents of the sachets with water. Then the container is covered with a lid and placed in a suitable place. nine0003

Please note! Seeds in tea bags germinate very quickly.

As soon as the first sprouts appear, the seedlings dive. Then the seedlings are moved to open ground along with bags: they instantly dissolve in the ground. This method of breeding seedlings is very convenient, since there is no need to take out seedlings and injure the root system.

Indoor plants

To make the flowers on the windowsills pleasing to the eye with their lush leaf cover and long-term flowering, many housewives use tea that has already been drunk. Tea brewing as a fertilizer for flowers is widely used. The use of tea leaves is not associated with any difficulties: just periodically water the flowers in flowerpots with the remains of the teapot. nine0003

Please note! Ferns and cacti are especially fond of tea leaves.

The dormant leaves can also be used to form potting soil in flowerpots. To do this, mix part of the tea leaves and three parts of the soil. Now you can plant flowers. This fertilizer improves the quality of the soil mixture, provides better breathability. This soil mixture is especially useful for plants with a fragile root system.

To form the filling of flowerpots, used tea bags are also used. They are laid on the bottom of the flowerpot to form a drainage system. Put several layers of bags - and you will not need to use expanded clay. Drainage will save the earth: it will not spill out of flowerpots through holes. Drainage also keeps moisture in the flower pots by preventing water from escaping through holes in the bottom. nine0003

Please note! Tea bags at the bottom of the flowerpots keep the potting soil from drying out.

The soil in flower pots becomes loose, moisture and breathable due to the presence of tea drainage. The soil will not become musty or moldy in plastic pots.

However, if you use sweet tea leaves, flies will appear in the flowerpots. It is a food supplement not only for flowers, but also for pests. Also, one should not forget that tannins are not useful for all indoor plants. nine0003

The use of tea leaves in flowerpots protects them from pets - cats. They often knock over flowerpots with plants or gnaw leaves. Citrus peels also help to protect flowers from cats, the smell of which repels animals.

Result

Tea leaves are an excellent means of fertilizing the soil, which is used as an additional plant nutrition. Among gardeners, there is still debate about the effectiveness of the use of dormant tea leaves. However, most lovers consider the introduction of tea fertilizer profitable and useful. Tea increases yield and prolongs flowering, protects plants from phytophthora and mold, improves soil structure. nine0003

The use of tea fertilizer is completely free, as dormant leaves are used. Top dressing is applied regularly throughout the summer season - watered with a solution or mulched. This fertilizer is completely safe for plants, as trace elements are in small concentrations. However, top dressing should be used carefully, since tannins are not useful for all plants. It should also be borne in mind that tea leaves actively attract insects and birds.

What mineral fertilizer did you use? nine0107

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Use of tea leaves in everyday life.

There was a small program on the first channel, which told about some ways of using tea brewing - www 1tv ru , but these are not all ways to use it. Many people know the use of black tea leaves as a fertilizer for plants. Sleeping tea is used for feeding. The remaining tea leaves are not thrown away, but they fertilize the beds in the garden with it or feed indoor plants - www sadomania ru nine0096 Wet tea leaves must not be applied in large quantities, as it can cause the formation of mold in plants. It is better to use dry tea leaves followed by watering the plants. Tea leaves are used before sowing seeds, because it is an excellent organic fertilizer and its use stimulates plant growth.
With the help of tea leaves, an unpleasant fishy smell can be removed. The fish needs to be cleaned, all the insides removed, cut into small pieces and put in a deep bowl or pan. Mix dry tea with crushed black peppercorns and sprinkle pieces of fish with this mixture. Close the bowl with a lid and leave for 15-20 minutes. Then fill the fish with vegetable oil and sprinkle with onions, and leave for another 15 minutes. And then the fish can be fried, stewed, etc. , removing excess from it. nine0096 Carpets are often cleaned from dust by welding. Wet tea should be scattered on the carpet and left for 20-25 minutes, sprinkled with water a couple of times. Then, with a broom, sweep the tea in the direction from one edge of the carpet or carpet to the other. Drinking tea absorbs dust, so it can be easily removed from the carpet. Drinking tea can clean not only carpets, but also upholstered furniture upholstered with fabric.
Fabrics can be dyed with tea to give them a brownish tint (cotton, knitted and woolen fabrics). If things have lost their brightness and faded a little, after washing they can be lowered for half an hour in warm water with the addition of tea. Depending on the intensity of the color of the tea leaves, there will be a desired shade. After that, things are not rinsed, but squeezed out and hung out to dry. You can also dye suede with tea. nine0096 Tea can be used to clean plank and wooden floors. This will help restore their brightness and hue. First you need to wash the floors with a cleaning agent to remove the dirt, and then with a rag you can wipe them with a solution of tea infusion. In the same way, you can refresh the color of wooden furniture.
You can also wash windows with drunk tea. The tea leaves must be dried, then mixed with ordinary chalk (in the form of a powder), add water, so that the result is a mushy mass. Rub the resulting slurry on both sides of the glass panes. When the chalk and tea mixture is dry, wipe the glass with a soft cloth and then polish. nine0096 With the help of sleeping tea, you can restore the cleanliness of clothes made of dark natural fur. Slightly damp tea should be evenly poured onto the fur and left for a few minutes, then brush it off with a damp brush.
Tea can be used to wash dishes. For example, in the country. Tea has cleansing properties. With the help of tea bags, you can remove dirt and grease from dishes and even from mirrors. After this procedure, you need to rinse the products or wipe with a damp cloth.

Easter eggs can be dyed with tea. About 4 tablespoons of dry tea are needed per liter of water. Eggs should be boiled for 10-15 minutes, and in order for the shell to color better, you need to add 2 tablespoons of vinegar

Tea can be added to the dough. It will give it a brown tint and make the products more rosy. Tea solution can be used to grease pies before baking -

For health and beauty tea leaves are used even more widely))

Tea helps with bruises. To do this, you can attach a freshly brewed, but already cooled black tea bag to the bruised area and the bruise will come off much faster. Black tea contains tannins, which reduce swelling and constrict blood vessels. Such a compress can be done repeatedly until the bruise comes off. nine0096 Tea can be used as a sunburn remedy. Moist tea bags will relieve the pain of a sunburn, and if it burns the whole body, you can take a bath with tea extract (strong brewed tea)
Tea helps with various cuts. A moist tea bag will reduce and soothe the nagging pain of a cut.
With pimples and blackheads, it is useful to wash your face with green tea.
Tea also helps with problems in the mouth. Tea will relieve pain and accelerate the healing of pustules and ulcers (with stomatitis, for example). You can rinse your mouth with infusion of tea, or you can apply a tea bag to painful places. Tea can significantly freshen your breath. nine0096 Tea leaves can be used in the bath. You can pour brewed tea on the stones, or you can throw a sleeping leaf. It will enrich the steam with the smells of herbs.
Tea is GREAT for sweaty feet. To do this, you need to brew tea and lower your legs into this solution. You can also wipe clean feet with tea solution, and then wipe dry.
Tea perfectly absorbs odors. It will help to remove the smell from the hands after cleaning the fish or garlic. To do this, you need to wipe your hands with a tea bag after working with smelly foods. Used dry tea will help get rid of fleas in pets, and the smoke from burning tea leaves will repel mosquitoes. nine0096 Brewing tea can drive moths out of the house. To do this, put green tea bags in the pockets of your clothes. Or put green tea in bags of fabric and distribute them in a wardrobe.
Many people know the use of tea as an additive to natural dye for dark hair. Dissolved in strong tea, henna dyes hair golden and slightly strengthens hair roots -

How to darken hair at home? -

The most common use of tea bags is as compresses to eliminate bruises and bags under the eyes, as well as to soothe tired eyes. You need to soak the tea bags in ice water or just pour water and leave for a while in the refrigerator. Tea not only relieves redness and swelling, but also soothes tired eyes. nine0003

Green tea brewing moisturizes, tones and rejuvenates the skin. But tea with additives and flavors is not desirable. For the mask, you need to beat 1 egg yolk and mix it with 1 tablespoon of flour. With the help of brewing strong green tea, bring the mask to the consistency of gruel and apply on the face.

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