Did you know that you can now grow peanuts at home using unused items? One way is by using used AQUA bottles as a growing medium.
Growing peanuts in used AQUA bottles is relatively easy. This is also one way to manage plastic waste wisely. So, let's discuss it further in this article!
How to Grow Peanuts in Used AQUA Bottles
Peanuts are a type of legume belonging to the Fabaceae family. This plant offers numerous benefits due to its rich composition of calcium, vegetable protein, vitamins, iron, and unsaturated fats.
Growing peanuts is also part of a healthy lifestyle. The process involves several stages, from seeding to preparing the growing medium to harvesting. Here is how to grow peanuts properly in used AQUA bottles:
1. Seeding
Before starting the seeding stage, it is better for you to select peanut seeds first. Avoid seeds that are hollow, cracked, split, or moldy. Then, choose seeds that are free from pests, 100 days old, blackish in color, and so on.
Seeds can be obtained from existing peanut seeds. For healthy growth, it is best to choose seeds from fresh peanuts. After that, you can start sowing cotton. Here are the complete steps to follow:
- Soak the peanut seeds in warm water at 40–45°C for 10 minutes. This will stimulate germination.
- Then, soak the cotton in warm water to remove any chemicals.
- Prepare a container for the sowing process and insert the soaked cotton.
- Place the peanut seeds on top of the cotton and add a small amount of water.
- Then, place them in a shady, sunny location.
- Let them germinate for a few weeks, and they will be ready to be planted.
2. Prepare the Planting Medium
Once the peanut seeds have developed 2–5 leaves, transfer them to the planting medium. Here, you can prepare a used AQUA bottle with several peanut seeds.
However, be sure to remove the top part of the bottle and make a drainage hole at the bottom. Then, place small stones inside to stop the soil from blocking the hole. Next, fill the bottle with a mixture of soil, sand, or rice husks, and compost in a 2:1:1 ratio.
If you want it to be even looser, you can add nitrogen fertilizer at the recommended dosage. However, this step is optional, as peanuts naturally supply their nitrogen.
3. Planting Stage
Next, plant one peanut seedling per bottle filled with soil to a depth of about 3 cm. Then, place the bottles in a location that gets enough sunlight and is protected from rain.
4. Maintenance and Care Stage
When the peanut planting stage is complete, be sure to perform routine maintenance and care. This stage involves several steps, including:
- Replanting, which involves replacing dead peanut seeds with new ones.
- Cleaning and weeding the planting area to remove weeds and other debris. Cover the roots with soil.
- Water the soil regularly, once or twice a day, in the morning and evening, to keep it moist. If the plants have flowered, refrain from watering to prevent disrupting pollination.
5. Harvesting Stage
Generally, peanuts are ready for harvesting when they are 3–4 months old for short-bearing plants. Meanwhile, for long-bearing plants, it is usually 5–6 months. The harvesting period can vary depending on the type of peanut.
Peanuts that are ready for harvest have several easily identifiable characteristics, including the following:
- The stems harden.
- The leaves turn yellow and begin to fall.
- The bean pods are full, hard in texture, and a dark brown color.
That explained how to grow peanuts successfully in used AQUA bottles. Using recycled AQUA plastic bottles for planting is akin to implementing the environmentally friendly 3R concept (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle).
However, please know that during gardening, you will undoubtedly lose significant amounts of body fluids. Therefore, do not forget to constantly replenish your AQUA Life supply to ensure you are drinking enough water.
Why AQUA DULU? Because not all water is AQUA. AQUA Life is a variant of AQUA's bottled product made 100% from recycled plastic bottles. These bottles can then be recycled into useful products, including planting media.
This embodies AQUA's #BijakBerplastik program, demonstrating the company's commitment to environmental sustainability. Furthermore, AQUA is a safe product to consume because its quality and cleanliness are always maintained.
AQUA comes from selected mountains whose spring water sources are protected through 9 selection criteria, 5 stages, and at least 1 year of research on over 600 parameters. This authentic Indonesian product has received halal certification and meets the regulations of the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) and the Indonesian National Standards (SNI).
AQUA is 100% Pure, 100% Indonesian, and 100% Halal. Let's always have AQUA Life on hand to accompany our daily activities!
