DIY Bio Enzymes from Kitchen Waste

Nita Singh, a dedicated homemaker in Kolkata, has transformed her urban abode into a thriving botanical haven, inspired by her fond childhood memories of her grandma’s lush garden. Growing over 500 diverse plants and vegetables, Nita has gone a step further by crafting her own bio enzymes from kitchen and garden waste.

Her journey began with a longing for the open spaces of her grandmother’s garden, leading her to start her own garden in 2001. Over the years, Nita has cultivated a green paradise in her home, boasting a wide variety of plants. Some of them are fruits like guava, litchi, and grapes, and seasonal vegetables such as tomatoes, okra, and pumpkins.

Nita has ingeniously repurposed recycled materials, like plastic containers, coconut and eggshells, and PVC pipes for her gardening needs. She also creates organic fertilizers and fungicides from kitchen waste, like neem leaves, marigolds, orange peels, lemons, and bananas.

Here are Nita’s five simple steps to create bio enzymes at home:

1. Follow the 3:1:10 formula by mixing the primary ingredient (neem, lemon peels, banana peels, etc.) with jaggery and water in the respective ratios.
2. Store the mixture in plastic bottles, as glass containers can become dangerous due to gas release during fermentation.
3. Keep the containers in a dark place to preserve the beneficial bacteria in the fertilizer.
4. After three months, mix 1-2 ml of the enzyme in a liter of water for plant application. Increase to 5 ml for severe insect attacks.
5. These bio enzymes have no expiration date and can be used as a starter for a new batch by adding around 5 ml, reducing the preparation time to one month.

Nita’s sustainable approach to gardening and plant care offers valuable insights for both seasoned and novice gardeners looking to enrich their green spaces with homemade bio enzymes.

Re-reported from the article originally published in The betterindia