The next time you clean out the shower drain or your hairbrush, save some hair for your garden, as it can provide plants a big boost of nutrients, hydrate soil, and improve crops.

All hair, from human to cat to goat, can be used as a fertilizer. Hair contains high levels of magnesium, nitrogen, and other micronutrients that could help your plants thrive.

Individual hair fibers can also create a net-like cover that makes it hard for weeds to push through, and helps to bind the soil together, improving drainage and resisting erosion.

Collect hair from around your home, cut the clumps into small pieces, and mix them evenly into your compost pile or directly into the soil before planting seeds or sprouts.

Water the soil to help everything settle. Add more hair about once per year, before the peak growing season, to aid your plants in producing more fruits and vegetables.

Hair can also be left in a cloth netted bag for birds to use in their nests. This will introduce your scent to the space, which will scare deer and rodents away from your plants.