Balcony Garden Web's video: 15 Cheap Indoor Plant Parenting Hacks You Should Know

Maintaining houseplants can be a tough and expensive task if you don’t know how to do it correctly. To make it easy for you, we bring some of the best Cheap Indoor Plant Parenting Hacks! 1. Baking soda as Houseplant Cleaner To encourage photosynthesis–the foliage must remain clean and dust-free. For doing this, take a soft, lint-free cloth soaked in a quart of water with a pinch of baking soda and gently clean the leaves. 2. Vinegar to Clean Clay pots Vinegar has several uses in the kitchen, and you can also use this cheap miracle ingredient to clean your clay pots! As the pots absorb calcium, salts, minerals from water, and fertilizers, they end up looking ugly over time. Make a solution of 1 cup of 5% white vinegar in 3-4 cups of water and soak the pots in this solution for 20-30 minutes. Gently scrub with a soft-bristled brush, and you are done! 3. Cornstarch Reduces Watering Needs Cornstarch is used in every kitchen as a thickening agent in soups, gravy, and other dishes. You can use this ingredient for plants by adding 2 tablespoons to a medium-sized pot. It will help in restoring the moisture and reduce the frequent watering requirements. 4. Use Old Sponges for Layering You can use old sponges for layering the bottom of the pots. They will prevent root rot by soaking extra water that runs down the bottom. 5. Use Chopstick to Support Plants Used wooden chopsticks can be used to support small plants. Insert them in the soil and string up the droopy stems on them using plant tape or intertwine. 6. Seed Starters Don’t buy small pots for growing seedlings. Crack the eggshells carefully to sow seeds in them. You can also use cardboard egg trays for starting seeds. 7. Eggshell Tea According to the document published on the Florida University extension website, the eggshell contains 3% phosphorus, and 0.3% magnesium, with traces of sodium, potassium, zinc, manganese, iron, and copper that plant needs. Make its tea by boiling eggshells in a gallon of water and apply it to plants when it cools down. 8. Eggshells as Fertilizer Eggshells are an excellent source of calcium carbonate, an essential element needed for plant development by nitrogen fixation, and also provide potassium and phosphorus. 9. Beer in the Compost Beer has many nutrients like phosphorus, calcium, bacteria yeast, magnesium, and potassium that can boost compost fertility and return those nutrients to the soil. Use it as a supplement to increase the rate of decomposition, which in turn boosts the breaking down of a particular component in a compost pile. 10. Coffee Grounds and Paper Coffee Filters Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen and contain potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are great for the plant’s growth. Just sprinkle the grounds on the soil, and you’re done! You can use it on plants like pothos, philodendron, roses, and jade plants. 11. Water Bottle Hack If you are a constant traveler, you can use this hack to ensure your plants are watered when you are away. Fill a bottle with water and insert it in the soil, upside down, after making tiny holes on the cap. The water will seep through it, keeping the plant watered when you are away! 12. Charcoal Thanks to its high potassium content, charcoal acts as a soil conditioner. It is a great soil additive and can be used as mulch too. Using activated charcoal with water also helps in detoxifying the soil by clearing the buildup. Thanks to its absorption qualities, you can also use it to neutralize the harmful effect of pesticides. 13. Aquarium Water As aquarium water contains ammonia, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, you can use it to water the plants for added benefits. It also contains beneficial micro-organisms that help in nurturing the soil. You can use it for lucky bamboo, pothos, and tomatoes. It is also good for cuttings that grow in water and plants in vases. 14. Boiled vegetables, Pasta, or Rice Water The water from veggies, pasta, and rice has traces of calcium, starch, carbohydrates, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and potassium that boost the plant’s growth by providing beneficial nutrients. 15. Use Banana Peels as Fertilizer Banana peels are a great source of potassium and phosphorus that can do wonders for peppers and tomatoes. Chop the peels and place them in the oven or in the sunlight under a strainer to make banana peel chips. Spread the bits in the center of the plants and water. You can also bury them under the soil of potted plants or as a mulch. Which hack are you going to try? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for watching. Hit the like button, and don’t forget to subscribe!