When it comes to our garden and the food we supply for our family , we like to keep everything natural – and that includes any and all types of fertilizer used on our plant . The simple true statement is , when it fall to providing a little encouragement to plants and flowers – there are some bang-up , all innate methods that work wonders without the need to ever apply a unmarried store - bought fertilizer .
Unlike synthetic , man - made fertilizers – all of the raw diy fertilizers below actually help to build high quality filth for thelong term – creating a more productive garden for you each and every twelvemonth . Even better – all but one can be made for innocent !
It ’s significant to remember that any and all plant food should be used in moderation . Too much of a undecomposed affair really can be a trouble for plants – especially when it come to fertilizing the territory . If you have thick-skulled , grim green plants with lots of leafage ontogenesis but very few veggies forming – it ’s most likely due to too much fertiliser .
Here are 5 of our favourite ’s to use :
5 Natural DIY Fertilizers
Compost Tea
Compost afternoon tea is one of the best smooth fertiliser you may use – and it ’s free and easy to make ! Compost tea is nothing more than unused compost steeped in water for a few days . The water take in all of the nutrients , and when apply to your plant root zones and leaves – gives a muscular boost !
Compost Tea can be applied every few weeks to your garden once plants and transplants have become established . As with tearing , it is upright to use ahead of time in the 24-hour interval before the sun is too hot and the tea can sunburn the leaves of plants . As with any fertilizer , utilise in moderation . Too much fertilizer and your plants will put all their development into creating leaf – and minuscule veggies!See : How To Make Compost afternoon tea
Manure Tea
Although we have always been partial to our compost teatime – manure afternoon tea is another excellent alternative for those that raise their own farm animal such as chickens , rabbits , cattle or buck . Manure tea , like compost tea , is made by plunge a shovel - full of fresh manure in a 5 gallon bucket of water for about 24 to 36 hours . It can then be utilize by watering around the plant ’s beginning zones . Manure tea can be passing stiff and can burn the leafage of works – so be thrifty to not soak the leaves .
When applying manure Camellia sinensis , it is best to only habituate on non - root crops like love apple , pepper , cucumbers , etc .
Coffee Grounds
Coffee can do more than just leave a piffling get - up - an - go in the daybreak for you – it and can also do the same for your garden plants ! burnt umber grounds are an excellent source of nitrogen – and contrary to democratic belief , it will not acidify the grease . ( The PH of chocolate earth are right near the neutral )
Sprinkle a few teaspoons of grounds around each industrial plant every few weeks and water in – the coffee will act as a slow dismission fertilizer pushing small amounts of atomic number 7 to the plants .
Coffee cause are also an excellent choice to put in your compost pile – providing a picayune atomic number 7 kick to heat up the pile and make degenerate compost !
Compost
You simply will not find a better constitutional plant food than compost . It incorporate all the nutrients your garden needs ! We apply a 2 inch thick layer of compost around every unmarried plant in the garden . Not only will it help to reduce green goddess around your plants – but the compost will work as the consummate slow - press release fertilizer each time you irrigate or it rains .
Great compost holds all of the nutrients needed to power your garden , and help keep soil loose , viable and energized . In accession to the mulching method – we use it liberally in all of our veggie planting holes and as an additive to all of our homemade planter and hang basketball hoop soil mix . See : 5 tip To Make majuscule Compost
Cover Crops
This is a little more of a foresighted term fertiliser for your garden – but belike the most crucial of all if you want to build incredible soil ! Each and every dip we plant a concealment harvest of yearly rye whiskey or buckwheat – and it is by far the good “ fertilizer ” we can apply to our garden !
Cover crops are simple-minded to plant , require zero maintenance – and lend tremendous quantity of organic matter and sustenance back to your garden , as well as help to fix nitrogen levels so that plants can grow strong . They also protect the soil from losing valuable nutrients from the snowfall , ice-skating rink , wind and rain through the harsh wintertime months .
By covering the soil with a deep blanket of a super - charged covert crop – it also significantly cut down on the amount of weed in next class ’s garden by keeping fluff and drifting seed from find a home . See : Planting Cover Crops
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Happy Gardening ! Jim and Mary
