90p tea hack that improves garden health and deters pests

While you’ll probably know what you need to do to get your garden looking fresh again, there’s a cheap hack that might help you out.

Chris Ware, a gardening expert at Climbing Wild Gardeners, has shared a 90p hack that helps grass grow healthily and means you can avoid using chemical fertilisers.

The trick will also keep slugs, snails, cats and foxes away from your plants – here’s what we know about it.

Used tea bags don't have to go in the bin, you can use them in your garden instead (Image: Getty)

Expert shares 90p tea hack to help improve your garden

Tea drinkers will know how many tea bags they get through in a day but they don’t need to be put in the bin. Instead, save them for your garden and start seeing the benefits.

Chris at Climbing Wild Gardeners explained: “Tea bags contain beneficial compounds that improve soil structure, retain moisture, and provide plants with essential nutrients.”

How to boost lawn growth with tea bags

Tea bags are particularly beneficial for lawns, providing a natural and cost-effective alternative to chemical fertilisers.

“Burying used tea bags just beneath the soil's surface helps retain moisture and supports healthy root growth,” Chris advises.

He added: “They also help reduce fungal infections, leading to a greener and healthier lawn.”

Chris highlights banana peels as another excellent natural fertiliser: “Banana peels are rich in potassium, calcium, and phosphorus, which support plant growth and fruit production.”

“Chopping them up and burying them near plant roots boosts resilience and overall health.”

Another simple trick is to use the water leftover from boiling vegetables. “This water is packed with nutrients,” Chris explains.

“Once cooled, it can be poured onto plants to provide an extra mineral boost.”

Tesco sells a Stockwell box of 80 tea bags for 90p, making this an affordable way to improve your garden's condition.

Keep pests away with tea bags

If you're adding new flowers and plants to your garden, the last thing you'll want is for them to be eaten by slugs and snails but tea bags can help you with this too.

Aside from promoting plant growth, tea bags can deter unwanted garden visitors.

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“The strong scent of tea is unappealing to slugs and snails, making it an effective deterrent," Chris explains.

“Simply placing used tea bags around flower beds and vegetable patches can help keep these pests away.”

The smell can also discourage cats and foxes from digging up gardens. Chris suggests covering the tea bags with a light sprinkling of soil to disguise them while benefiting from their repellent properties.

Recommended reading:

• 5 practical items your garden needs for its spring spruce up

• When should you start cutting the grass after winter? Garden expert explains

• Expert shares how banana peel can help outdoor flowers thrive in cold weather

By repurposing everyday kitchen waste, gardeners can nourish their plants, strengthen their lawns and keep pests at bay, all while saving money.

“These simple, natural solutions are not only effective but also environmentally friendly,” Chris concludes.

“For just pennies, you can transform your garden and keep it looking its best.”