Plant Care 101

From garbage to garden, this is truly an unusual fairytale to experience. 

 Do you also have OCD of finding DIY for anything and everything? Well, then you are at the right place. Yes, you heard it right. We have a SURPRISE for you - an amazing idea to turn your waste into the best. How exactly is it possible? The secret lies in urban gardening, a method that converts kitchen waste into beautiful gardens. It’s officially the time to make a garden from kitchen waste!  

It's the gift that keeps on giving. You can turn your food scraps and yard waste into "black gold" that will feed your plants and improve your soil. Other than being an effective step for a green future, following this process is also very simple. What’s great is that it can be done at home; that has to earn brownie points! Pick up small barrels, pots, or even buckets to start. It is exciting to realize that an urban garden can be both indoors and outdoors. From flowers to vegetables, you can grow whatever you like.  

Shall we proceed further to get your hands dirty for some food and flower cultivation with the urban gardening products? Yayy!? Sure, that’s the response we’re waiting on. The excitement is two-sided! We can’t wait to see you benefit your urban garden through waste management as well. Let’s scroll up, green thumbs! Urban Gardening is undoubtedly the best. 

Step 1: Identify the type of compost you want to get rid of: 

The belief that compost can only be found on a terrace, balcony, or anywhere else is part of the reason why people tend to reject composting. However, let's dispel this myth right now. They can collect compost starting from the kitchen. It can be collected right from the table itself. Go on, be a compost hunter! 

What can be composted? Well, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, grains, bread, unbleached paper napkins, coffee filters, eggshells, etc. Anything that can be eaten or grown in a field or garden, it can be composted. 

 Step 2: Begin with segregating your waste: 

Once your hunt for the waste is completed, let’s move ahead to segregate them. Separate the edible waste, vegetable and fruit peels, and the leftovers into food in one container. In the other container, collect the dry waste like dried paper or leftover packaging materials. Are you shocked that this barely took you five minutes? Haha, we know that this is too easy to believe. Moreover, ensure that the container is sealed properly, to protect the waste from bugs, flies, worms, and unnecessary peeping each minute to check what is happening. Also, avoid collecting colored paper, leftover meat or bones, onion or citrus peels, non-biodegradable or other toxic items. They can disintegrate into smaller pieces, forming microplastics, and accumulate in the environment 

Step 3: Make your composting bin: 

You can get any compost bin, in the size you need. Ideally, it should be low-maintenance, light-weight, durable, easy to clean and it shouldn’t take on the odors of its contents. But, you can use any container of your choice too for composting.  

To start: 

• Make a few holes on different levels around it. 
• Don't keep drilling because four to five holes will do.  
• That way, the plant will be properly aerated.  
• Also, the summertime requires them to be cooled.  
• The soil has now to be added to the bottom of the container.  
• It might be a good idea to use a tray or newspaper below your container to allow for spills.

Step 4: Let's begin composting 

Time for the best part - getting the hands dirty! Start by adding the waste inside the bin. Add food waste in layers alternating with wet waste. Ensure the wet to dry waste ratio is right and in balance. For instance, if you put one cup of food waste, then you should add one cup of dry waste too which should be a mix of dry leaves, sawdust, and newspaper scrap. At least, once every week you have to mix the compost with half a scoop of new soil. If you want to make it quicker, we would advise you to use semi-composted soil for your compost. 

Well, this might take a while, so for the people who cannot wait to meet the love of their lives, the ‘the garden of their dreams’; we have an amazing kitchen waste decomposer, Bokashi especially for them. This works like black magic to speed up the process. Add Bokashi to the kitchen waste and voilà! Your garden will give results as a greener and healthier plant in no time and in no odor! Yes, you heard us, it helps in converting your waste into compost without any foul odor. It may take up to 4-5 weeks with Bokashi, compared to the standard process that takes much longer and may be messier. 

Step 5: An Important Alert! 

Have a careful look at your compost, if it is properly covered. If the bin starts to stink, that indicates the balance of waste is off. Don’t worry about it, all you have to do is add more newspaper or simply make extra holes. After every seven days, utilize a rake to give the pile of waste a quick turn. This will provide enough aeration for the waste to decompose successfully. If you think that the compost is too dry, just sprinkle some water to bring moisture. 

Happy Conclusions 

With time, a little patience, and a lot of love, you can get some happy results within 2-3 months. By turning your waste into something useful you will not only grow a beautiful garden but also clean up your kitchen mess. The dry, crumbly, and smelling composts of earth can then be used in your garden or potted plants. Amazing, right? Well, something that’s a lil more amazing is adding IFFCO Urban Gardens pampering products – like, Magic Soil for the soil base and Sea Secret for further nourishment, along with the process. The growth and beauty of your garden with them will make you fall in love with your garden every single time you look at it. Try the Bokashi compost maker and accelerator, and you will never regret the outcome that your garden will produce. So what are you waiting for, hurry up and start building your ur-ban-g-on garden today!