Best Homemade Fertilizer For Garden

INTRODUCTION

In your garden, it might sadden you to see your plants falling off or changing color. And this might be as a result of insufficient or inadequate nutrients. Plants are similar to humans. Since humans also need some particular nutrients and essential minerals to preserve their lives and stay healthy; similarly plants need some essential nutrients to keep healthy and flourishing. True, plants do derive nutrients from the soil, but fertilizers are also a great source of nutrients to plants. It allows you to have a great garden that gladdens you.

Fertilizer is just like a substitute for nutrients from the soil. You might feel that the nutrients from the soil are enough to grow the plants in your garden. But the soil nutrients determine yields. This gives you the reason to employ the use of fertilizer to complement the nutrients from the soil making you have increased yields during harvest. When we humans consume crops and plants it is necessary to give back what we have taken. That’s why we continually and carefully apply just about the right amount of fertilizer to the plants. Not too much, not too little. Not only does fertilizer serve as a substitute for nutrients from the soil, it improves low quality soil, it also restores the nutrients reduced in the over time, and importantly gives quality nutrients needed to produce high and quality yields.

Types of Fertilizer to Use

But you might wonder, “exactly what kind of fertilizer should I use on my garden?” Well, a lot of people believe in chemical fertilizer with the thinking that it’s more efficient than natural fertilizer. Granted, chemical fertilizer seems to contain more nutrients than the soil needs which includes magnesium, nitrogen, and some other ones. But when the use of chemical fertilizer becomes regular it can cause what is called “leaf scorch”. The leaves will start changing from their original color to yellow or even brown since the plants are consuming unnatural things which might be strange to it, and thereby damaging the plants and even reducing the produce. The leaves might actually start to wither, and gravely, the plants might die. Chemical fertilizer comes with many other defects such as:

Acidifying the soil as a result of reduced organic matter that is in the soil.

The top layer of soil can be affected by getting damaged due to the nitrogen employed on the land especially in large quantities and long periods. Causing the produce to have a great decrease.

Polluting the waterway

Chemical fertilizers can affect bodies water due excess finding it way from soil linked to places with water such as lakes, rivers. Therefore, the ones present in the water will consume all the oxygen contained in the water bodies and eventually cause depletion of oxygen which can pose a great threat to the lives of living creatures in the water.

Polluting the air which eventually affects the atmosphere and in turn, negatively affects plants. Too much chemical fertilizer exceeding what the plants need, results in too much nitrogen present in the fertilizer, it can support the release of gases like a greenhouse which includes nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and dioxide into the air and these eventually support the increase of temperature of land.

Depleting the minerals present in the crops.

The use of chemical fertilizers can cause the soil to deplete, which at large affects the quality of the yield. It can really reduce the amount of magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamin, and minerals present in the produce.

Homemade Fertilizer

In the case of natural fertilizers, it can be very much relied on. True, the nutrients in chemical fertilizers supersedes that of natural fertilizers. However, its advantages compensate. Natural fertilizers don’t wash away easily to water bodies which might affect creatures living in waters. Rather it works gradually on plants and yield good results. And in the long run, positively affect not only plants but the planet. Homemade fertilizers are handy and easy to use. It could be found in your backyard or even your kitchen. It’s natural and works well for plants giving you a productive and nice garden.

Homemade fertilizers are numerous and effective for your garden. Just about the materials used in the household can serve as fertilizers. Below are the homemade fertilizers you can use in your garden :

1. Waste from the kitchen

A lot of people tend to discard waste from the kitchen. But actually, the kitchen’s waste is really a good source of fertilizer. It gives the needed nutrients to your plants. When you make your compost from household waste and apply it will retain the soil’s moisture and help increase it nutrients. This can make your garden go well for about a year or even two years without needing to reapply the fertilizer. You’ll have a well flourishing garden which will even remain great be its hot season.

2. Coffee

Coffee grounds have for long been one of the best sources of fertilizers. It has numerous benefits. Plants like roses, blueberries, and tomatoes appreciate an acidic soil. And coffee grounds assist in providing the needed acid for the soil. Simply sprinkling the coffee grounds on the soil or pouring a coffee drink on the soil is one of the ways to use coffee. To make a coffee drink for your garden, simply put into the water about 5 to 6 bags of coffee grounds and soak it for about 7 days to prepare a coffee for your garden. Then apply it.

3. Use grass Clippings

When you trim your garden, make sure to keep the clippings of the grass. You might ask, “what should the length be?” The length of the clippings should be about half an inch and at most an inch to give essential nutrients to almost all plants. It assists in stopping weeds from disturbing and also provides nitrogen.

4. Weeds

Yes, weeds. Does it look surprising to see ‘weeds’? Are you perhaps wondering how weeds can help and even serve as fertilizers? Well, as we know weeds are just unwanted plants. In most cases, weeds are really rich in nitrogen and can serve as a really effective fertilizer. Of course, you won’t replant weeds after pulling them out. Instead, just as coffee, make a weed drink or tea. Put about one quarter (1/4 of weeds that you’ve uprooted into about 21 liters container. Then fill up the remaining space with water. Fill it with as much water as it can accommodate. Allow it to soak for about 7 days. You’ll notice some changes in the color of the water. The color will change to the color of tea, like light brown color. Then apply this “tea” to your garden and see how healthy your plants will be.

5. Lime or Eggshells

Have you ever employed lime as a substitute for fertilizer? You’ll notice it positively affect your garden. Lime is really beneficial. It reduces the acid of the soil for plants that don’t need acid. Calcium isn’t an exception. Calcium is an imperative nutrient that your plants need. Plants can get enough calcium when you use lime on the soil. In the case of no lime, eggshell is a great substitute. It is cost-friendly. So after using the eggs, do not discard the eggshells. Rather, keep them. It works exactly just like lime. Eggshells contain about 93 percent calcium carbonate which is really needed by the plants. If you employ one of these, you’ll definitely have the flourishing garden you want.

6. Manure

Most people know about manure and it’s also really effective. Manure could be from chickens, cows, birds, and even horses. Manure in its different types has a high amount of nitrogen and many other essential nutrients. But there are procedures. Manure that’s composted is recommended because raw manure contains high acid and tends to have way more nutrients that supersedes the need of the plants. So applying it to your plants can cause them to burn especially when it’s too much. However, composted manure has less acid and fewer nutrients making it suitable for plants. Without worrying that your leaves might get affected. Of course, the smell is uninviting but, its odor takes just a little time to change to a good smell, perfect for refining the soil.

7. Banana peels

Research has shown that banana is rich in potassium. Plants like roses are potassium lovers. So make use of banana peels as fertilizers for plants like roses. The banana peels should be buried by the side of the rose to make the composition natural. When the growth of the rose improves, the peels should be buried on the top layer of the soil. In these ways, your plants will be able to derive the potassium needed for good growth.

8. Leaves from trees

When leaves fall from trees, we usually pack them, and bag them to discard. But it’s high time we stopped that. Leaves from trees should be collected for your garden. Why? This is because leaves have a high amount of minerals. They help to retain the moisture and even reduce the weight of heavy soils. Since minerals are really essential to plants and trees leaves are rich in minerals. Isn’t that a great match? You can add crushed leaves into your soil or spread them on the soil to serve as a great fertilizer for your plants which in turn makes your garden great.

Q&A Section

This buying guide section will give answers to frequently asked questions about the best homemade fertilizers for your garden. Take time to go through the answers.

How to make organic liquid fertilizer

Organic liquid fertilizers can be made in numerous ways. The Ingredients range from household waste to animal waste. Of course, you need a container and probably a stick for mixing. Examples of ingredients to be used are:

Container: The container should be free of holes and of course, should be free of any toxic product like petroleum products. Because these can get rid of the bacteria and the microorganisms that are needed for the plants to flourish.

Ingredients: The ingredients needed for making liquid organic fertilizers are easy to get. It can include manure of animals, ash, green leaves or grass, living earth.

Manures: These are a great source of nitrogen for plants. So let it occupy about one third (1/3 of all the ingredients. Combining different animal manures is very effective.

Green leaves or grass: Green leaves or grass also referred to as green matter contains a lot of minerals. This as well should occupy one third (1/3 of all the container.

Living Earth: living earth along with ash of about 3 shovels should be added too. It can help multiply all the essential microorganisms while ash contains potassium that affects the fertilizers positively.

Water: Of course, for every ingredient of liquid fertilizers, you definitely need water. It should fill up the container to the top but not to the brim so that while you stir all the ingredients, it doesn’t pour out. Stir all the ingredients together and continue to stir for about 10 minutes for 15 days and voila! Your liquid organic fertilizer is ready. Stirring it to hasten the decomposition process which in turn make your fertilizer to be of good quality. Remember to keep your fertilizer away from direct sunlight and rainwater.

Your organic liquid fertilizer must not necessarily include exactly these ingredients. It can include other ingredients such as :

Banana Peels: The peels are rich in potassium. Simply put the banana peels in a jar and fill a jar with water and close it tightly. After 3 days your fertilizer will be ready.

Eggshells: It contains calcium and potassium. But high calcium and less potassium. grind the shells and also put them in a jar and add water to fill. Wait for about 7 days before using it.

Vegetable water: When you boil vegetables, keep the water. Vegetables are rich in vitamins. When you boil the vegetables it releases the vitamin nutrients in the water and this really aids in healthy plants. Allow it to cool and yet again, add water. Because of its smelly odor, use all the amount.

All these along with the ones mentioned earlier in this content can be used to make your liquid organic fertilizer.

Here are some of the best options you can try:

1. Gelatine Fertilizer: Mix a pouch of unflavored gelatine with water and use it to water your plants once a month. It’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor plants.
2. Banana Peel Fertilizer: Banana peels are rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. You can puree them, soak in water, or bake and grind them to add to your soil.
3. Eggshell Fertilizer: Eggshells contain calcium, selenium, and nitrogen. Boil crushed eggshells and then strain the water to use as a fertilizer. This is especially useful for plants needing calcium.
4. Wood Ash: This is a good source of potassium and calcium carbonate, which can balance acidic soil. Use it sparingly as a light sprinkle on the soil.
5. Cooking Water: The water from boiled vegetables, eggs, or pasta (without salt) can be used to water plants, providing various nutrients.
6. Vermicomposting: Use red wiggler worms to turn your kitchen scraps into rich compost. The worm excrement, or castings, is an excellent fertilizer.
7. Coffee Grounds: These are great for acid-loving plants like azaleas and blueberries, providing nitrogen and helping to maintain acidic soil conditions.
8. Animal Manure Fertilizer: Aged manure from various animals can be a nutrient-rich mulch for your garden. It’s essential to age the manure properly to make it safe for use.
9. Manure Tea: This involves steeping manure in water to create a concentrated liquid fertilizer. It’s vital to use organic manure to avoid contaminants.
10. Fish Emulsion Fertilizer: Made from fish waste, this is a strong fertilizer that should be applied carefully. It’s particularly good for growing tomatoes.
11. Seaweed Fertilizer: Seaweed is a source of many trace elements and can be steeped in water to create a nutritious liquid fertilizer.
12. Epsom Salt Fertilizer: A simple mix of Epsom salts and water can be used as a foliar spray to provide magnesium, which is essential for photosynthesis.
13. DIY Bone Meal: This is a good source of calcium and phosphorus for your garden.
14. Molasses Fertilizer: This organic option is great for vegetables like tomatoes.

Can I make my fertilizer?

Once you have the needed Ingredients, making your fertilizer becomes really feasible; you can make your own fertilizer with ease. Since most organic or homemade fertilizers are made with wastes from households. Could be waste from your kitchen mixed with water. Above are some fertilizers you can try making with materials that are within your reach. Ranging from eggshells, coffee grounds to banana peels and many more.

Are banana peels good for plants?

Research has shown that banana is rich in potassium. Plants like roses, peppers, and tomatoes are potassium lovers. Potassium is one of the essential nutrients that helps plants stay healthy. It also helps to improve the protein in plants. Without potassium, plants will be at risk and have really poor growth. So banana peels are really good for plants. You either bury the banana peels close to your plants, or make banana tea by filling a jar containing banana peels with water and cover tightly for about 72 hours before use.

is baking soda good for plants?

Baking soda isn’t harmful to plants, but can rather help in plant growth. It can prevent the growth of fungi. Baking soda is recommended to be mostly on fruits and vegetables. Adding about a teaspoon of baking soda into about 4 liters of water and then applied on plants will help decrease leaf burn. For the mixture to stick, add a teaspoon of dormant oil and half a teaspoon of dish liquid soap. You might have read that baking soda isn’t really effective, but since it is not harmful to plants, trying it out will cause no harm.

Which plants like coffee grounds?

Coffee grounds have long been one of the best sources of fertilizers. What coffee grounds does is assist in providing the needed acid for the soil. Plants like blueberries, carrots, lily, parsley, gooseberries, rhododendron, hydrangeas love acidic soil and flourish well in acidic soil. So, coffee grounds play a great positive role in the well-being of these listed plants.

Are eggshells good for plants?

Eggshells are a really effective fertilizer. Containing a large amount of calcium makes it to be really efficient. Eggshells neutralizes the acid in the soil for plants that are do not want acid. For plants, calcium is needed to sustain them. Using egg shells on plants as fertilizer is equivalent to feeding your plants calcium. Eggshell is easy to get. Of course, you’ll need a large number of egg shells for maximum use. Because as you grind it, it produces little powder.

which plants likes Epsom salt?

Plants that are magnesium lovers likes Epsom salt. Epsom salt is mostly about magnesium. So plants that loves magnesium definitely likes Epsom salt. Plants such as pepper, rosebush and tomatoes really thrive when Epsom salt is applied. Applying Epsom salt mixed with water to the plants’ base or directly to the foliage will yield big fruits and big flowers.

What’s better HPS or LED grow lights?

Ever since LED grow lights were introduced, questions about “which is better” became rampant. Years back, HPS is has been referred to as the best. But when LED grow lights got improved, HPS could no longer compete with LED grow lights. And it started to fall off the queue of the best. Today, LED grow lights are the best. Its technology has been really improved and has become price friendly. Of course, HPS gives out a large amount of light. This very quality made it stand out. A large amount of light is effective for flowers. But in the long run, it produces heat also. Making the light lose the quality needed by plants. LED grow lights, on the other hand, are also effective. These advanced grow light, gives out quality light to plants. And it consumes really less power. Since most LED comes with a spectrum, it’s suitable for plants throughout the cycle.

What is HPS grow lights?

HPS grow lights also called High-Pressure sodium to grow lights are used to support the growth of plants. They are very effective for plants. When you want to grow large plants, HPS is an effective grow light. It can be used in large places like big grow rooms, grow tents. It is designed with raw lights suitable for plants like flowers allowing it too yields large fruits and leaves. A large amount of light it gives out has a great positive effect on plants like flowers.

How much area does a 1000 watts HPS cover?

Before purchasing any grow light, you of course will consider the source size of your garden or grow room. You’ll also consider how many plants the grow light will accommodate. The 1000 watts HPS can cover about 7 square feet of your garden or grow room. And effectively, you’ll see great results on your plants.

Can you use HPS for the whole grow

Whether during the flowering stage or for the whole growth, HPS is a really effective light that can be employed. It yields maximum great results. HPS spectrum’s color helps to yield better than other grow light excluding modern advanced grow light. Combining HPS with LED grow light can serve as an equivalent to sun. It helps plants produce buds that look sun-grown. When you use HPS for the whole growth, you can rest assured to see your plants producing not only quality yields and results but also great growth.

Are HPS lights dangerous

HPS lights can be dangerous when safety precautions are not followed. And when precautions aren’t followed not only your plants can be affected, even your eyes can be affected. And many times it is not reversible. HPS also gives a large amount of UV. Radiation of UV can really pose danger to the skin, thereby, causing skin problems. Because of this, the bulb has been made to filter away the harmful rays. But if the bulb gets broken, it is really risky. HPS lights can be safe to use as long as precautions are put into consideration. And positioned at safe places.

How many plants can you put under a 1000 watt HPS

The size of plants is a determinant of how much the HPS 1000 watts can accommodate. Most times it accommodates about 6 to 9 plants. For smaller plants, it can accommodate way more than 9 plants. And sometimes it can range from 50 plants to a bit more.

How often should you change your HPS grow light?

The bulb’s quality, the switches made, and how much use the HPS depends on the longevity. But still, it’s advisable to change your HPS grow light at least every 12 months for efficient and maximum use. This will really benefit the health of the plants and have a positive effect on your growing plants. Also, due to the color blue spectrum used, it’s easy for the light to degrade. So bulb lights HPS is being employed, it’s recommendable to replace it 10 to 13 months after. And most, after 14 months.

Is HPS best for flowering?

People who grow flowers have referred to HPS grow light as the best when it comes to flowering. HPS is designed to give a large amount of light to plants which really assist in the growth of flowers. The raw light it produces also will result in great, quality yields and big buds. It gives quality intensive nutrients to flowers. When it comes to flowering HPS supersedes other lights. Though it has its bad sides, the good sides can amount to it. HPS has advanced lights, cheap set-up cost, and affordable.

How many plants can you grow under a 600 watts HPS

Do you worry about how many plants you can grow under a 600 Watts HPS light and how much it will yield? Well, it will accommodate 16 plants conveniently and will be able to yield about 37.4 grams per plants you’re growing. It will vary of course if it’s outdoor and under good condition. The yields might increase to grams of 500.

Is 150w HPS enough for one plant?

Do you just want to grow a small number of plants? Are you wondering if 150w HPS will be enough for about one plant? Yes. 150w HPS is enough not even only for one plants, but 4 plants. So, if you want to grow about one or two plants, 150w HPS is really efficient. You see your plant grow and flourish yielding good results.

How to make fertilizers from kitchen wastes?

About almost everyone gets rid of food waste by throwing it into the rubbish. But this is really a waste of resources. Why get rid of food waste when it can actually be used as fertilizers. A fertilizer that yields rich results and brings about produce that delights you.

Food waste when composed is a good fertilizer for plants. Instead of totally getting rid of food waste, why you discard it on your plants. Converting either food waste or even leftovers from your kitchen into organic fertilizer and applying it to your plants is the best source of nutrients for your plants. A key to having flourishing plants and a great garden.

How then can you use this very food wastes from your kitchen to make fertilizers? Below are steps to make it :

1. Get your kitchen waste ready. Could be fruit peels, overripe fruits, eggshells, remnants, Vegetables, or water from vegetables. After getting any of the ingredients ready, spread it on a dry place and till some ash on it. Make sure to get rid of oil and even meats containing fats to avoid a worse smell. Doing that will assist the composting process.

2. Add organic materials.

Apart from the wood ash, sawdust can be added to the compost. It will speed the process of composition. Manures too can be added. Manures too are very effective. So adding manures to the compost will yield really good results.

3. Add garden waste.

To make your fertilizer full of nutrients, quality nutrients, add garden waste like grass clippings or weeds. Since most weeds are full of nutrients suitable for plants. Pour the garden waste into a compost bin.

4. Then, mix it all.

The chosen kitchen wastes should be added to the garden waste already in the compost container. The container needs to have a handle and then holes by the sides. The holes will allow moisture in excess to leak out while the handle will enable to spin and mix the mixture thoroughly. It’s recommended to mix it about twice or thrice daily to bring about an effective result.

Conclusion

To grow plants, fertilizer is a great way for assisting and boosting your plants. It can also serve as a substitute for the sun. If you have a garden, you sure do want your garden to look great and be in good condition. To accomplish that, you need to apply fertilizers. Of course, your choice of fertilizers matters a lot and plays a great role in the condition of plants. Chemical fertilizers have their benefits and are also popularly known and used, but the harm it can cause to plants and nature outweighs its benefits. That is why homemade is the best choice. What’s more? You can make your fertilizers from your comfort zone. With no need to start finding any scarce Ingredients. With wastes from your kitchen and backyard, you can easily make your fertilizer which will play a great impact on your plants. You’ll see effective plant growth, advanced quality plants, and big buds or fruits.

Homemade fertilizers can be relied on with no need to worry about any setbacks. That’s why homemade fertilizers are recommended. These contents have talked about numerous ways and ingredients to make the best fertilizers in your home that will have a maximum and great effect on your plants which in turn gives you a flourishing garden.