Gardeners are being urged to keep hold of grass clippings as the garden waste actually provides plenty of benefits. When it comes to growing plants, gardeners will agree that it is crucial to do everything in your power to ensure that they are healthy and thrive and the man way to do that is to make sure that they are getting the correct and right amount of nutrients needed for their growth.

In order to do that, many people will use fertilisers, which provides plants with necessary nutrients that enable it to grow larger and bloom more flowers. While there are plenty of ready-made fertilisers that you can get from the store, there are many natural options that gardeners can use which work just as well and are more cost-effective.

Among the many, grass clippings make great fertilisers. This is because, as plant material, they already have a great amount of nutrients that are beneficial to your plants, including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients.

Making use of the trimmings couldn't be more easy.

Dan Kemper, expert trainer at Rodale Institute, said: "You can put grass clippings in your garden and then till them into the soil, where they'll be broken down very quickly, releasing nutrients for your gardening crops."

Another way, according to marthastewart.com, is to sprinkle the grass clippings on top of your soil. This way it acts as a mulch layer to trap moisture and prevent any weeds.

Erik Steffrud, soils and compost manager at Longwood Gardens, highlighted the advantages of using natural fertilisers.

Mr Steffrud said: "Homemade soil amendments are a great way to reduce material that would otherwise go into landfills, address climate change through carbon sequestration, and build healthy soils all at the same time."

When it comes to using plant food throughout your garden, the main thing is that your plants are getting exactly what they need to grow.

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the three main elements you would find in a fertiliser, while calcium is also a great benefit for plants. You can find most of these nutrients in everyday scraps, that will make helpng you save money as you boost the health of your plants.