Both hydrangea and tomato plants thrive with the right fertilizer, but tomatoes are more demanding nutritionally.
Hydrangeas will grow without additional fertilizer, but a lack of fertilizer may prevent them from blooming.
Tomato plants, on the other hand, are greedy and often lack the nutrient-rich potting soil they need, requiring regular fertilization to stay healthy and productive.
Garden centers stock fertilizers specifically for hydrangeas and tomatoes, but homemade fertilizers are also available for sale.
Gardening enthusiast Grace Alexander shared her recipe in the Gardening UK Facebook group, writing: “Good morning everyone this is my homemade fertiliser (used tea leaves and crushed egg shells).”
She added: “It works wonders for my hydrangea and tomato plants – I can safely say they have produced better flowers and fruit because of it. It's perfect for scattering in the garden later.”
Eggshells provide slow-release calcium to both plants and help prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes.
Similarly, used tea bags act like coffee grounds and serve as an excellent fertilizer and mulch for both tomatoes and hydrangeas. The main component of plant fertilizer is nitrogen, which promotes healthy foliage growth.
Tea leaves contain more nitrogen than plant fertilizers, and also contain potassium and phosphorus.
It is important to remove the tea leaves from the bag and allow them to dry before applying to plants. Some gardeners prefer to use paper (compostable) tea bags as a mulch or drainage layer.
Grace also says that she sometimes adds potato skins to the mix, which also works well.
