adding things to the soil

[STHLMgreen]

I have read about adding different things to your soil to improve it. Here are a few things, what else is there?

Coffee Grounds :: Sprinkle on the ground around plants before watering for a slow release of nitrogen.

Egg Shells (washed and crushed to a powder) :: contain calcium, prevent slugs

I've also heard of adding tea leaves (under rose bushes provides tannic acid, which roses love), used tea bags for plant moistuire (in a hanging basket), ashes (from charcoal?), fish bones and other things to soil. What do you guys think? What common waste products improve drainage or soil quality?

I also use my old fishtank water on my plants so that water isn't wasted. My bamboo plants in particular love this.

I would love to learn more about this as I would just get rid of these things anyway and I don't have any extra money to spend on my herb and vegetable gardening, so everything has to be a found or common item. I live in an apartment so all my compost goes to the community collection. So if there's anything I could benefit from I'd love to learn from experience.

[wulf]

Watch out for things going mouldy or attracting slugs and snails (which love decomposing things but aren't averse to nibbling on a few fresh shoots if they are available!).

What kind of garden have you got (space and range of plants)?

Wulf

[Andy Hamilton]

with the egg shells make sure that the shell is clean.

you can also use seaweed as a mulch, good for potatoes.

[albert onglebod]

Bonfire ash as potash.
Nettle tea (nettles soaked in water,very smelly) as tomato feed.
Comfrey is supposed to be very good.
Grass clippings as a mulch.
Vegetable peelings in a trench for when you plant runner beans(you can start the trench in winter and add to it).
Old leaves.
Cold tea on house plants and I suppose garden plants.

[Cheezy]

[quote="STHLMgreen"]I have read about adding different things to your soil to improve it. Here are a few things, what else is there?

Coffee Grounds :: Sprinkle on the ground around plants before watering for a slow release of nitrogen.

I heard someone recently mention this on GQT, apprently not good for non acid loving plants, as coffee grounds are very acidic. Also it is usually not advised to add "cooked" waste to the garden