Homemade Fertilizer Series Part 3 - Banana

Hi everyone !! 

I hope you like my first 2 blogs. So today we will discuss the 3rd most effective homemade fertilizer, which is BANANA!! 

Did you know banana peels make one of the best fertilizers for plants? I didn’t until I started using it and saw my plants responding. They turn out to bloom healthier, greener, more flowery. Banana peels are a rich source of nutrients like Potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, along with a host of other minerals your plants need.

Detailed Process: Banana peels can be used in many forms. One could use it as a powder, tea, or directly in the compost. Let's discuss each process in detail. 

• Banana peels tea: This fertilizer uses nutrients leached from banana peels to give your plants a mineral boost. To make it, chop 2 to 3 banana peel and place them in a jar filled with water. Let it sit for 3 to 4 days. After 4 days, strain the banana peel from liquid, mix the liquid with a half bucket of water. Water your plants or spray them as usual with your banana tea. 
• Chopped Banana peels: One can bury them at the bottom of the pot when repotting a plant. 
• Compost: One can use these peels for compost making at home. It helps to speed up the decomposition. 
• Powder fertilizer: Dry some banana peels in the sun for 2 to 3 days. Grind them and your banana fertilizer is ready. Store them in a sealed container and sprinkle them whenever you want to add some fertilizer to your plants. One can mix eggshell or tea/coffee grounds with it to boost the growth.

So the bottom line is never to throw your ripe bananas or banana peel. Freeze them in a self-seal bag until you are ready to use them. 

Benefits: Banana peels contain some of the highest concentrations of potassium, more than 40%, that you can find in most compost items. They are also high in calcium, manganese, magnesium, sulfur, and sodium.  Sodium helps plants to exchange water at the cellular level, magnesium, and sulfur help to produce chlorophyll, the most beneficial part of plants, and essential to the process of photosynthesis. Calcium is essential for helping plants absorb nitrogen, which is an essential nutrient for most garden vegetables.

Questions:

1) Can we use it directly without fermentation?

Ans: No, fermentation helps in the decomposition of banana peel.

2) What should be the quantity and how frequently one should give them to plants?

Ans: Quantity is similar to the amount you pour water to plants. Frequency should be twice a week. 

Thanks for reading!! 

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Homemade Fertilizer Series Part 2 - Starch Water

Hi everyone !! 

Do you have plants stuck for fertilizer due to lockdown?? 

Yesterday we talked about homemade NPK fertilizer, today we will talk about what more your plants need. So here goes our second homemade fertilizer for plants, STARCH WATER. 

Starch water is basically the residual water left after rinsing and boiling eatables like potatoes, rice, macaroni, or pasta. The white residual water is a rich source of Starch. The next time you boil or steam some vegetables on the stovetop, don’t pour the water down the drain. Once the water has cooled, pour the vegetable water in your garden or planting containers to “fertilize” your plants instead of wasting it.  

Detailed Process: Cool down the starch water if it is boiled water. Leave it in a jar or a bowl for 5 to 6 days to ferment. Also, cover the jar or bowl with cotton cloth, allow air to pass through. After 5 days shake it, take 1/10 of this fermented starch water and mix with 9/10 portion of mil and again leave this for 5 to 6 days to ferment. After the complete process takes this mixture and mix with 20 parts of water and pour them to your plants.  

Benefits: Starch water mainly has lactic acid and very minimal NPK qualities. Starch water + Milk + Time = Lactic Acid Bacteria. It creates lactic acid bacteria, which significantly improves soil health by decomposing any organic matter and reducing any chance of unwanted pathogens associated with decaying material. It will also remove foul odors associated with composting and manure. This starchy water will allow the growth of indigenous bacteria. Milk will be used to isolate the desired bacteria needed for the best fertilizer possible while the unwanted bacteria will die off. 

Questions

1) Can we use it directly without fermentation?
Ans: Yes, one can pour this starch water without the fermentation process, but only after cooling and dilution.

2) What should be the quantity and how frequently one should give them to plants?
Ans: Quantity is similar to the amount you pour water to plants. Frequency should be twice a week. 

3) I usually add little salt while boiling macaroni. Can I use this starch water?
Ans: Never use salted starchy water as it may harm plants.

Thanks for reading !! 
Comment below if you have any more queries. Do follow us for future updates
Stay home Stay safe Stay connected. 
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Home Made Fertilizer Series Part 1 - Tea/Coffee Grounds

Hi everyone!! Do you have plants stuck for fertilizer due to lockdown?? 

Tada!! This series is for you, as we will be discussing 7 homemade fertilizers, which shows very good results in a little time. 

Plants need three things to survive and thrive: Potassium, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen. That's why people buy NPK fertilizer, mostly to enhance the growth of plants. I have never been a fan of chemicals in the environment. In fact, I do organic whenever I can, and that includes the fertilizers that I use for my plants. The great thing about organic fertilizers is you don’t have to worry about your plants containing harmful chemicals plus, it saves your money. Most of them can be made with things that you already have. What is garbage in your kitchen can actually turn into treasure into your garden. DIYing your fertilizer is a great idea, and we all love to DIY, right? 

The first and the easiest is the tea/coffee grounds leftover or used tea leaves. We all prepare chai/tea/coffee in the morning and always throw the chai patti after we are done, but little we know that it is the best fertilizer for plants. So next time when you make chai, take the used chai patti to fertilize your plants. 

Benefits: Tea/coffee grounds leftover or used Tea leaves are a rich source of Tannin and other nutrients like Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. Tannin generates tannic acid, which maintains the PH level of your soil and acidic soil loving plants love it. Nitrogen generally helps in the photosynthesis of plants. They also help in weed suppression. Adding iron/calcium tablets or eggshell residue with tea residue will be a lot more beneficial. 

Detailed Process: Collect your tea/coffee grounds, leaves, or bags for a week in a vessel. Rinse this leftover 2 to 3 times in water to remove the milk and sugar from it. Dry it in the sun for 1 to 2 days. Now one can use it on plants like tomatoes, roses, blueberries, or acidic soil loving plants. 

Some Common Questions

1) I usually add ginger and cardamom in tea, so can I use that tea powder for plants?
Ans: Yes, one after rinsing the residue 2 to 3 times in water can use it.

2) What should be the quantity and how frequently one should give them to plants?
Ans: 2 to 3 spoons for medium-sized plants and 4 to 5 spoons for big plants. The frequency should be twice a month.

3) Will increasing the frequency of this fertilizer will enhance growth?
Ans: No, this will ultimately reduce the growth as it will increase the acidity of soil which plants might not support and eventually die.

4) Can we give only for acidic soil loving plants like tomatoes or roses etc.?
Ans: No, this can be given to all types of plants but give in a very small amount.

5) Can we give unused tea leaves or tea/coffee grounds directly to plants?
Ans: Tea/Coffee leaves or grounds contain tannin in them. It is reduced once they are "cooked" (the brewing process) which is believed to make it less harmful to the plants. So never use it directly.

6) Can we use it in the potting mix?
Ans: Yes Tea/Coffee leaves or grounds can be used in the potting mix as a replacement of per-lite. 

Thanks for reading!! 
Comment below if you have any more queries. Do follow us for future updates
Stay home Stay safe Stay connected. 
Love TheDreamDecorStore

The Janta Curfew Day

Amidst all the information, myths, pros, and cons, memes, criticism of government regarding the unbeatable CORONA, somewhere the bottom of my heart say thank you CORONA for coming. I know many of you have already raised your eyebrows thinking why is she thanking this contagious and unbeatable pandemic. 

But do you know why?? 

Because it's a GOD call to recover all. We were the viruses all along. The air and water pollution we gave to our mother Earth. The closet we gave to our animals and birds. The unstoppable Lifestyle we gave to us. The hatred we have for each other. The time we didn't give to our loved ones.  

Today everyone is frightened and locked down in a shell with a fear to lose their loved ones. It has given us the chance to slow down our pace and rethink the way we live our lives.  

On the other hand, it has given the freedom to enjoy a fresh environment for some. Birds can enjoy chemical-free air, animals can roam outside, fishes and sea animals can enjoy new aquatic life without fear of losing a life on a plate. Today is a HAPPY DAY for them, let us create a happy new environment for them. 

The virus came with a lesson!! Today on the Janta curfew day, let us rethink the wrongs we have done, and let's pledge not to continue it. The time is given to enjoy with your loved ones!! To think that we need more doctors, hospitals, researchers and many more. The virus doesn't die in 12 hours and doesn't kill with clapping. The clapping should be for the doctors, nurses, air force helping people in-spite of fearing about their lives and for all those who are doing double duties staying at home. This time the race is with yourself. Stay home, stay safe!! 

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Which candles are the best candles??

Last time we spoke about paraffin candles & their side effects. So are there any better candles in the market that are budget-friendly & no repercussions to humans?? Certainly yes, Soy wax candles. Soy wax candles are made from soy wax. Soy wax is a vegetable wax derived from soybean oil. After soybeans are harvested, they are cleaned, cracked, and rolled into flakes. The oil is then extracted from these flecks and hydrogenated. In the process, unsaturated fatty acids present in the oil are saturated, thereby dramatically altering the oil's melting point. It then solidifies at room temperature. They also don’t produce any unsightly black soot, which is not only a pain to clean, but is a health hazard as well. 

Benefits of soy wax

• Soy wax is derived from a vegetable, (soybeans), while it's counter partner, paraffin wax is derived from petroleum (a refined a gasoline product).
• Soy wax is a natural, renewable resource.
• Soy wax is biodegradable and cleans up with plain old soap and water.
• While soy candles tend to be slightly more expensive than their paraffin alternatives, you also get more for your money. Soy wax burns at a cooler temperature, meaning that your candle will burn for more hours than a paraffin candle of the same size.
• Soy wax burns with zero Petro soot, creating Petro soot free candles. 
• By buying soy wax products, not only are you helping to support soybean farmers, but you’re also ensuring that the newest addition to your home decor burns clean and won’t detract from your air quality.
• Soy Candles are Vegan - If you abstain from using animal products, then you might find candle shopping to be a frustrating endeavor. So many types of candles, use animal products! Beeswax comes from the hives of beeves, tallow comes from the fat of animals, and some wax even comes from whales or dolphins. Soy candles are 100% vegan and do not require any animal products in their production or use. 

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Are candles safe for you ???

Candles, those small or big, thick or thin, colored or colorless, scented or without scents, these illuminating bodies sparkle the house. While we may no longer rely on candles for light at night, they are still a popular ornamental fixture in many homes. A candle can help to set a relaxing mood in any room, whether you’re having company for dinner or enjoying a little “me-time” in the bubble bath. Ever thought they could be hazardous to your life. Yes, you heard it right.

Most candles that you find today are made of paraffin wax, but unfortunately, it’s not the safest compound to be inhaled as it burns. Paraffin is derived from petroleum and made up of straight-chain hydrocarbons, which combust to produce dark soot that can get into linens, stain walls, and lead to respiratory problems. Candles made of paraffin also contain hidden dangers in the form of additives, or chemicals added to the wax to make the resulting candles look, smell, and burn better. You can find additives derived from petroleum called microcrystalline, which help improve the texture of wax, as well as polyethylene produced from natural gas that add a glossy finish. 

Many candles have cored wicks made from cotton that is wrapped around metal support. The design helps keep the wick from falling over into the wax. This is especially useful for scented candles because the fragrance oils soften the wax and allow non-cored wicks to go limp.

Next time remember this before you lit a candle. I will be sharing the alternatives in the next article. 

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Its all about priority!!

Ever thought "Who is the most selfish person in this world??", just look in the mirror, the person you see is your answer. Yeah, you heard it right. We are living in a selfish world, where it is not about the time, but priorities. Our likes, dislikes, thought processes, even the person we live and enjoy with changes with our priorities. We love to speak to the one who is our priority, not the one we love or the one in need. We love to complete our priority, not our passion/

Our best friends in school, with whom we spent our childhood. Even the sun can miss one day, but we could not miss our calls. We thought these buddies for life, but then school ended, priorities changed. 

Our best friends in college, with whom we took classes, labs, assignments, etc. The hostel life is a part of our existence. We thought these buddies for life, but then college ended, priorities changed.  

Our First Love, with whom we learn the meaning of love and care. With whom we thought of marriage and kids. We thought we will live our entire life with this person, but then break up happened, priorities changed. 

Our parents, our nurturers, who taught us everything in life. Our good or bad, all come from their upbringing. We thought we will take care of them in the future, but then the job came, we left home, priorities changed. 

The girl who loved dancing is a coder, the guy who wants to play music is a pilot. That doctor wanted to be a writer and the housewife wanted to go work outside.

We are too busy with our present priorities, that we completely forgot the priorities we had. Take out time to call that school or college friend. Have a reunion. Barge someone's door all of a sudden to give a surprise. Go attend that friend's wedding. Make that hobby your profession. Don't think this time, just go :). Life is too short, you might regret it in the end. The desk you are holding will replace you in 7 days, but the friends you had will be there for 7 decades.

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