Many people throw weeds out after pulling them, but TikTok user Kevin Espiritu (@epicgardening), a self-described gardening fanatic who founded the blog Epic Gardening, has a better idea — reintegrate them into your garden.
The scoop
"If you're weeding your garden, don't throw the weeds away," he says in his video. "You'd be throwing away a ton of amazing nutrients."
@epicgardening One of the best ways to use weeds to your advantage in the garden. Try to do this before seed heads develop, and make sure you dry it out completely before you add to compost so you know they are fully dead. #garden ♬ original sound - Epic Gardening
In his TikTok video, which has amassed more than 64,000 likes, Espiritu shows his followers how it's done.
First, Espiritu collects all of his weeds in one spot. Then he shovels them into a wheelbarrow using a garden fork.
Espiritu says it's ideal to do this before the weeds have produced any seed heads to prevent them from potentially spreading.
Next, he dumps the weeds onto a cardboard sheet to dry until they are completely dead. At that point, you can throw them into your compost bin, where they'll help create nutrient-rich soil as they break down.
"One of the best ways to take advantage of your garden," Espiritu says.
How it's helping
Composting can save you money in several ways. First, you could conserve cash on garbage pickup by reducing your volume of trash (some places even levy special yard waste pickup fees in addition to regular trash). Composting food and yard scraps can help you reduce your household's waste by up to 60%, according to Pela. Plus, you'll save money on garbage bags.
Take fertilizer off your shopping list, too — your compost pile will produce nutrient-rich soil for free. And this natural fertilizer is much better for the environment than what you'd pick up at the store.
Traditional fertilizers are responsible for widespread pollution in streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes due to their synthetic chemicals, which make their way into waterways through runoff. Here, they can poison and even kill aquatic plants and animals.
What everyone's saying
Overall, the comment section was full of questions. Many people asked why the weeds needed to dry before being put into the compost pile.
One person took it upon themselves to answer this popular query, saying, "Take it from me, the drying step is vital. I used fresh cut grass as mulch in my veggie garden, and now I have a grass garden."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
