It can be maddening having to constantly up unwanted pet hair from your home – but garden owners have been advised not to throw it straight in the bin. According to horticultural experts, pet hair (or human hair for that matter) might be put to better use on your .

An estimated Brits partake in , making it one of the nation’s most popular hobbies. Especially as the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, more of us are listening to the call of the outdoors. Spending time in nature is beneficial for a multitude of reasons, too. It can improve our immune systems, raise our levels and better our mental health.

Plus, there’s also the brilliant side effect of beautifying your garden with fruits, veg and all sorts of wonderful flowers. You don’t need to buy a load of fancy tools or plant mulch either. Pet owners – and hairy humans – will be pleased to know that hair can actually make a great compost ingredient.

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Before you screw your nose up, it’s not as crazy as it sounds. Hair contains compounds like magnesium and nitrogen, which releases very slowly as it breaks down. This is fantastic for plants, as nitrogen is a key component of chlorophyll – the compound which allows plants to photosynthesise. Equally, magnesium helps activate certain enzymes, which is also necessary for the development of chlorophyll.

According to the gardening experts at : “Hair – whether sourced from a human, dog, cat or horse – works surprisingly well as a natural fertiliser thanks to its high levels of magnesium. It can take up to two years to break down, but when used in compost, the hair can provide structural support for roots and help break up thick or clay soil.”

Obviously, it may not be the best idea to leave wads of loose fur scattered across your garden. Instead, the most effective (and least messy) way to utilise pet hair is to mix it in with other compostable ingredients like kitchen scraps and dead leaves. This way it will break down a lot easier than if it were placed in clumps. Although, you should note that it usually takes about a month for composting hair to break down enough before adding it to your soil.

If you're looking to speed up the decomposition process even further, it may help to place a tarp over top of the compost pile. This will trap both heat and moisture, enabling the materials to break down. It's also advised that you turn over the compost a few times a week to mix everything together.

Where you place the hair depends on your goals. If placed on the surface, hair can be great at keeping away pests. When buried under the soil with these other materials, the hair can help strengthen roots as well as providing much-needed nutrition for the plants.

Have you tried this tip at home? Has it worked? Let us know in the comments.