Hydrangeas can grow the best blooms with intense colour if you use three things from your kitchen that you might throw away. Lindsey Chastain, who writes about homes and gardens in her blog The Waddle and Cluck, said that hydrangeas have their "best blooms that have intense colour when fed a steady diet of rich fertiliser."
It's important to give hydrangea plants the right food so they can make those big, beautiful flowers we all love. Fertilising is the way to do this, reports the Daily Record.
But if you don't want to use chemicals and you don't even want to go to the shop, the expert says you can use leftovers from your kitchen to help "cultivate vibrant hydrangea flowers". Lindsey said: "Many common food leftovers provide an all-natural fertiliser source packed with nutrients hydrangeas crave."
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Here's what you need to know.
Egg shells
One thing you can put on your hydrangeas is egg shells. The expert shared: "Egg shells are one kitchen staple that makes an excellent pick-me-up for hydrangeas."
Egg shells can be used as a natural fertiliser to help plants soak up more nutrients and water from the soil, leading to bigger blooms. To use them, simply crush the empty shells into a powder and sprinkle them around your hydrangea bushes for a calcium-rich soil boost.
Coffee
Another common household item that can help is coffee grounds, as long as they're free of excess oils. Lindsey pointed out that they "deliver a healthy hydrangea dose of nitrogen for lush growth and intense colour".
This works because the organic matter in coffee grounds improves soil structure, helps with water retention, and keeps microbes happy.
The caffeine content in coffee grounds acts as a natural stimulant, encouraging microbial activity in the soil and boosting nutrient absorption, resulting in healthier and stronger plants.
Food scraps
The last kitchen staple that can be used for hydrangeas is acidic food scraps. Lindsey explained: "Hydrangeas benefit from acidity, so acidic food scraps like citrus peels or pineapple tops work wonderfully."
Rich in potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen, adding citrus peels like orange peels to the soil will help your planted hydrangeas not only survive but thrive in their current growth conditions.
To use them, let the peels dry fully before applying them to prevent mould growth.
