How to Ferment Peanut Shells into Nutrient-rich Soil
The article introduces how to ferment peanut shells to make nutrient-rich soil and shares the correct usage method of peanut shells for flower cultivation. Let's find out more from the editor.
As the weather cools down, the potting and repotting of potted plants is not yet complete. The most troublesome part of potting and repotting is the soil, because soil is the foundation for plant growth. If the soil is poor, all other efforts are in vain. The soil for planting flowers should be well-draining and loose, as well as fertile and rich in nutrients. Today, I'll teach you how to make nutrient-rich soil from discarded peanut shells, which is also suitable for difficult-to-grow flowers like azaleas, orchids, and gardenias, and prevents root rot. Moreover, this nutrient-rich soil is very fertile and can make the leaves of the plants lush and glossy. If you make it now, it will be perfect for potting in the spring.
Materials
Peanut shells
Garden soil
Peanut bran (can be replaced with cooked peanuts or soybeans)
Airtight plastic bags (snake skin bags) or buckets
Preparation Method
Step 1
Mix a suitable amount of peanut shells, garden soil, and peanut bran (cooked peanuts or soybeans) evenly and set aside. For ordinary flowers, the ratio of the three is approximately:
Peanut shells : Garden soil : Peanut bran (cooked peanuts or soybeans) = 3 : 6 : 1
For flowers that require higher soil quality, such as orchids and azaleas, the ratio is approximately:
Peanut shells : Garden soil : Peanut bran (cooked peanuts or soybeans) = 4 : 5 : 1
Step 2
Place the peanut shells, garden soil, and peanut bran (cooked peanuts or soybeans) into the prepared plastic bags or buckets, add water to moisten, seal, and place them in a warm place to ferment naturally.
How to Ferment Peanut Shells into Nutrient-rich Soil
Step 3
After about 6 months of fermentation, the peanut shell humus soil is ready. Expose it to sunlight for a while or soak it in boiling water before using it for repotting plants. There is no need to add any base fertilizer during repotting, as the soil is already loose, well-draining, and fertile.
Precautions
1. Choosing Peanut Shells
Peanut shells should only be raw or plain roasted ones. The flavored and salted peanut shells sold in the market are not suitable for growing flowers. Sunflower shells can be used as a substitute, but they must also be plain. Personally, I think peanut shells are easier to collect, after all, they are larger in size. Sunflower shells are too small; you would need to consume a lot of sunflower seeds to get a sufficient amount of shells.
2. Mashing Cooked Soybeans and Peanuts
In the absence of peanut bran, cooked soybeans and peanuts can be used as a substitute, and the effect is almost the same. However, it's best to mash the cooked soybeans and peanuts, as this will decompose faster and mix more thoroughly with other materials. If they are not mashed, other materials may decompose before the soybeans and peanuts do. Using such soil to grow flowers may not achieve the expected results and may even burn the roots.