Deepak Kushwaha, a terrace garden expert from Madhya Pradesh, shares a step-by-step procedure to put together compost using waste potato peels.
To those who are planning to start or have taken up organic farming, preparing your compost and using it for enriching the soil is a brilliant idea. It is the easiest way to deliver nutrients to plants. It also saves money and helps to get rid of kitchen waste in the most sustainable way.
Although the basic procedure is the same, there are multiple methods to make compost.
Gardeners can decide what goes into the compost and what doesn’t. Deepak Kushwaha, a terrace garden expert based in Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh, shares his way of making compost from potato peels.
“We always look after the plants but don’t pay enough attention to the soil. It is important to help the soil to gain essential nutrients which in turn aid the growth of a plant. Otherwise, the crops may die or yields will be reduced,” says Deepak to The Better India.
Deepak has been into gardening for the past two years and is proud to say that he depends rarely on the market to procure vegetables. He grows brinjal, tomato, bitter gourd, okra and even obtained 15 to 20 kg yield from one tomato plant. He also started a YouTube channel called Terrace and Gardening in April 2020 to share tips on plant maintenance. The channel has over 4 lakh subscribers now.
Keeping a well-maintained compost pit is one of Deepak’s success tips. He says that it is cheap and easy with no complications. And unlike chemical fertilisers, compost manure causes no harm to the environment. It also aids in elevating the taste and health benefits of crops.
Potato is a common vegetable that is always available in the kitchen. “Potato skins are significant for the growth of plants. The peels are rich in nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and many vitamins. All these nutrients increase the growth of our plants. The composts can be given to any plant during any season.”
Here is how you can make compost using potato peels:
Essentials:
1. Waste potato peels
2. Water (1 litre)
3. A box or container
Method:
1. Add a handful of potato peels to a container filled with one litre of water.
2. Close the container and keep it aside for four days.
3. Mix the solution with a spoon once every 24 hours.
4. After four days, filter it using a sieve.
5. Add an equal amount of water to this solution.
6. The compost water is ready. It can be poured in small quantities under each plant.
Watch the whole process as a video here.
Happy gardening!
Read this story in Hindi here.
Edited by Yoshita Rao
