Do you know that each human hair strand contains traces of up to 12 elements? Wondering if you can use them for plants or in the yard? If yes, then Here’s Why Putting Human Hair in the Garden is a Good Idea!
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Anatomy of a Human Hair
Human hair does break down eventually and helps in keeping the soil lighter. A single hair strand’s lifespan is 2-7 years, and an eyelash has a lifespan of 150 days.
We can lose up to 100 hair strands every day, and the entire head can still replace all the strands in 4 years. Why let it all go to waste and not use it in your garden!
Here’s Why Putting Human Hair in Garden is a Good Idea
1. Plant Fertilizer
According to a report by the Oregon State University, Human hair contains 51% carbon, 21% oxygen, 17% nitrogen, 6% hydrogen, and 5% sulfur, which makes waste human hair a good source of organic fertilizer.
Mix handful or more hair in the growing medium at the time of planting. It will aid the plants with better growth.
You can also grind the hair into small pieces and mix it in the growing medium in the ratio of 3:1 at the time of planting.
Check out the Best Homemade Fertilizers for Your Plants here
2. Get Juicier Tomatoes
Human hair contains several necessary nutrients, including keratin and nitrogen, which can greatly help tomatoes to grow bigger and juicier fruits.
The valuable protein keratin can help tomato plants grow stronger roots, which enhances the uptake of essential nutrients, making tomatoes bigger, juicier, and sweeter.
You can also use human hair for growing eggplants and peppers.
Mix 2-3 handfuls of hair in the growing medium per plant and add a bit of balanced fertilizer at the time of planting.
Learn How to Use Eggshells to Grow Unlimited Tomatoes here
3. Loosen up Soil
Human hair can provide structural support to the plants’ roots as they help break down clumpy and thick soil. As human hair is also rich in oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and sulfur, it makes it as good as bone meal, making them perfect for use in compost.
4. Keep the Snails Away
To deter snails, keep hair strands around your garden where they frequent. Place a few hairs around the plants as it can act as a protective barrier that entangles these soft-bodied creatures.
Learn the Best Tips to Deter Snails from Your Garden here
5. Deer Repellent
To keep deers away, place hair in small bags or make a bundle of them, and hang from tree branches or fences. These animals hate the hair smell and also stay away fearing that they might accidentally end up chewing it.
Here are the Best Deer Resistant Plants, You Must Check Out
6. Repel Rabbits
Human hair can keep the hopping bunnies out of your garden as it tricks them into thinking we or some predator is nearby. Collect strands from brushes and spread them around the fence perimeter to keep the rabbits at bay.
7. Natural Mulch
Human hair retains moisture well and also helps to bind the soil, which reduces the chances of erosion.
The hair structure allows the water into the soil while it blocks the evaporation process maintaining the soil moisture level. Similar to other mulches, human hair can also keep the soil cooler.
8. Control Weeds
Hair can effectively control weeds that do not invade the mulch, making it more efficient. Mixing a handful of hair strands in the growing medium around the plants can keep weeds from growing in your garden.
Get some Effective Weeding Tips here
Some Things to Remember
- You can always collect some free hair strands from a local barbershop/salon.
- If your hair is exposed to dyes or chemicals, use them on shrubs and flowers instead of food crops. It will reduce the chances of the chemicals leaching into the soil and passing onto food.
- You can also use dog or cat hair for the same purpose.
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