Not Bananas: Fertilize Your Garden With A Simple 'Tea' You Can DIY In Minutes

In cuisines around the world, onions appear as a base ingredient in countless dishes and recipes. It's one of the most-consumed vegetables in the world, and the enzymes it releases when chopped and cooked add the pungent flavor needed to balance savory dishes. But it's got a use you may not have heard of: as fertilizer for your garden. You've likely heard about using coffee grounds, banana peels, and apple cores, and now you can add onions to that list. All you need is water and several onion peels and you'll be on your way to creating a virtually cost-free, all-natural liquid fertilizer that bolsters the health of your plants.

Fertilizing your garden using commercially available products can be tricky, but it doesn't have to be. Too much fertilizer can cause root damage and stunted plant growth, but many fertilizers contain the same beneficial compounds found in onions: Magnesium, potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. According to a 2022 study published in the International Journal of Scientific Development and Research, using a tea made from onion peels to fertilize plants showed increased plant growth and promoted flowering. It also helped prevent or decrease bacterial and pathogenic diseases on the plants. The mixture can be used on vegetables and flowers alike, so it's good for just about anything in your garden.

You can use any color onion — red, white, or yellow — to make your onion tea. Simply add a generous handful of onion peels to 4 ½ cups of water and store it in a cool, dark place (like in a kitchen cabinet) for 24 to 48 hours. When the water has changed color slightly (the color of the onion tea will depend on the type of onion you use), it's ready to be applied to your garden. Remove the onion peels by straining the mixture, then store the tea and throw the onion scraps in your composter. Or, you can use those kitchen scraps as natural fertilizer for thriving tomato plants.

The tea is the concentrated base you'll dilute before applying it to your plants. Mix about a cup of the concentrate with 4 ½ cups of water, and either use it to water your plants or spray the mixture right onto them. Your homemade fertilizer can be used once a week, and the concentrate should last for about a month if stored correctly. In time, you should notice the onion tea fertilizer benefiting your garden and saving you money.