Do you know there are some Expired Medicines and Supplements You Can Use in the Garden for plants? Don’t believe this? Read ahead to know more!
If you’ve expired countertop medicines, multivitamins, and supplements–don’t throw them. Instead of that, use them in the garden to grow lush and healthy plants.
Have a look at surprising Vicks VapoRub uses in the garden here
Effects of Expired Medicine on Plants
There are many amazing plant hacks available on the internet that can boost your plant growth–One of them is using expired medicines that generally go in the trash box after their expiry date.
In research on the use of expired multivitamins, it has been found that expired vitamins and calcium supplements, in moderate amounts, can be used in the garden in the form of manure, or you can dilute them in water to feed your plants.
- Vitamin B1: Stimulates root and flower growth
- Calcium: Results in a healthier root system
- Vitamin B12: Results in healthy leaves
- Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate: Helps in the synthesis of certain proteins that aids in the formation of chlorophyll
- Vitamin C: Regulates cell division and growth
- Folic Acid: Green and fuller foliage
- Vitamin B2: Regulates drought tolerance in plants
- Nicotinamide: Helps in the overall growth of the plant
- Vitamin D3: Enhances and speeds up the root formation
Uses of Expired Medicine and Vitamins for Plant Growth
1. Feed Plants with Expired MultiVitamins
Instead of throwing away expired multivitamin capsules, add them to your plant fertilizer. Supplements composed of calcium eliminates stunted growth in plants and helps in forming new leaves and tissues. If your plants show weak and lanky growth, adding a few zinc tablets in the water will greatly help the plants in the conversion of starch to sugar.
2. Expired Medicines in Compost
You can throw some expired medicines in your compost pile. Multivitamins can be added to compost along with folic acid and Vitamin C. They raise seed vigor and offer potential seedling production.
3. Water your Plants with Expired Vitamins
Dissolve some expired multivitamins in distilled water and water your plants once a month this way. Vitamin B12 is a great addition to green vegetables like spinach and fruits, improving nutrition uptake in plants. Since plant roots can actively absorb Vitamin B12, you can mix the tablets in water.
Supplements You Can Use in the Garden
Expired supplements do not become toxic or lose their potency when it comes to their use in plants. If you have bought whey or soy protein in large quantities and some leftover got expired, don’t worry! You can use it in the following ways:
- Soy (Glycine max) protein contains protein, fiber, iron, phosphorus, copper, and manganese. You can use expired soy supplements in the garden by diluting it one scoop per gallon of water.
- As whey is rich in milk solids, it can aid in plant growth by providing several essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Dilute one scoop per 2 gallons of water and feed your plants.
- Whey is also acidic to some extent and is super beneficial for acid-loving plants like azalea and gardenia. It can also help in correcting the soil pH!
Aspirin Tablets in the Garden
Whether expired or not, aspirin tablets can do wonders for your plants; you can use them to combat fungal diseases, and they work as rooting hormone as well. Its addition also increases immunity against pests and diseases in plants. If you want to learn more about aspirin use in the garden, read this article here.
Viagra Power
An interesting study states that viagra increases the vase life of cut flowers by retarding the breakdown of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). So if you have a pack of expired viagra, just crush a tablet, mix it in water, and see your wilting cut flowers remain erect for a longer time.
glucosamine sulfate. might provide food for soil bacteria and sulphur
I came across an expired bottle of Centrum (still sealed) and it was killing me to throw it in the trash. I stumbled across your article, and now I won’t have to waste them :). Thank you for taking the time to share this information!
Careful about using synthetic vitamins and minerals in your garden.
can you use omega 3 fish oil capsules in the garden?
Interesting. That can not mean that if they work for plants in that way and are past their supposed best before date, it’s just a scam by the companies to get us to buy more. If they’re as effective on the plants as demonstrated here, then they’re still likely to be as effective for us beyond the bb date
My doc explained that these drugs/supplements lose 1% effectiveness per year past the expiration date. So one year past the expiration date the item is still 99% effective; 2 years past 98%, 3 years 97%……etc
So when they hit 50 you need to double the dosage.
Thanks
Hi, my wheatgrass powder supplement has expired. Can I use it on my plants?
Thanks, Julie.
Expired medications are largely still good for a very long time. The exception would be biologicals such as antibiotics. In fact the US department of defense saves billions of dollars each year by having medications expiration dates recertified. There were medications from the 60s that were still effective.
One needs to know what medications are still good or not but look in to this information and see what I am saying is true for yourself.
Hi, I have a Premier Nutritional Protein Shake that is already expired. Can I use them on a Moringa plant that is growing about 4 feet tall now? If so, how do I use them? Thank you!
I have a ton of potassium pills in different doses left over after needing them during chemo. Can I use them on my plants? What plants? What dosage of potassium? How?