No Time for Compost? Try These Homemade Natural Fertilizers
Are you looking for natural fertilizer alternatives? Do you like the idea of compost, but don't have the time to make it? There are simple steps to compost making. Still, if you have no time, there are ways to feed your vegetable garden naturally without having a full blown compost pile. One is to liquify your kitchen scraps in the blender.
What kind of kitchen scraps make good homemade natural fertilizer? You can literally use any vegetable scraps you have. Be sure not to use meat, meat by-products, meat gravy or fish. Why? They will cause decay which can spread to your plants. You can use eggshells, milk, juices and coffee. Certain vegetable scraps work best on certain plants.
How do you make homemade natural fertilizer in the blender? All it takes is some kitchen scraps and water, milk or juice. Fill your blender with scraps, eggshells or coffee grounds . Cover with your chosen liquid. (See ingredient recommendations below.) Blend until liquified. Strain for easy pouring if needed. Let age for a day or two for optimum nutrition. Now you have homemade natural fertilizer without all the work of a compost pile.
Is blended homemade natural fertilizer a quality substitute for compost? It is, but you have to know how and when to use it. This fertilizer is potent. Don't pour it directly on the stems of your vegetables. Instead, pour it in a ring around the stem, then water. The water will dilute it and carry it to the roots.
How often should I fertilize? Fertilizing too often can ruin your vegetable garden.On the other hand if you don't fertilize enough, your vegetables will wither and die. It's a dilemma faced by many gardeners. I solve it by fertilizing once in early spring, once in mid-summer and once in late fall. If you see vegetable plant leaves starting to yellow, chances are, they need fertilizer.
Compatible fertilizers and common vegetables:
*Corn, peas, beans, spinach, beets and related vegetables like coffee grounds and themselves as fertilizer. Old beans (as long as they were not cooked in meat broth) are an excellent source of nitrogen. Liquify any combination with water for best results.
*Tomatoes and melons love to drink milk blended with eggshells for calcium. You can use powdered milk and water. Tomatoes also love nitrogen, so feed them those liquified beans and coffee grounds too. They also love tomato juice.
*It makes sense that a plant would thrive on the same nutrients it contains, doesn't it? For the rest of the garden, use the rule of feeding plants a decayed and liquified version of themselves. Be sure to strain your liquid fertilizer. Large chunks of chopped veggies in the garden can cause fungus to grow.
More from this contributor:
Is Your Eco-Friendly Compost Really Green?
Super Simple Garden Compost Guide for Beginning Gardeners
Recipes for Organic Pesticides and Fertilizer
Source:
Personal experience
What kind of kitchen scraps make good homemade natural fertilizer? You can literally use any vegetable scraps you have. Be sure not to use meat, meat by-products, meat gravy or fish. Why? They will cause decay which can spread to your plants. You can use eggshells, milk, juices and coffee. Certain vegetable scraps work best on certain plants.
How do you make homemade natural fertilizer in the blender? All it takes is some kitchen scraps and water, milk or juice. Fill your blender with scraps, eggshells or coffee grounds . Cover with your chosen liquid. (See ingredient recommendations below.) Blend until liquified. Strain for easy pouring if needed. Let age for a day or two for optimum nutrition. Now you have homemade natural fertilizer without all the work of a compost pile.
Is blended homemade natural fertilizer a quality substitute for compost? It is, but you have to know how and when to use it. This fertilizer is potent. Don't pour it directly on the stems of your vegetables. Instead, pour it in a ring around the stem, then water. The water will dilute it and carry it to the roots.
How often should I fertilize? Fertilizing too often can ruin your vegetable garden.On the other hand if you don't fertilize enough, your vegetables will wither and die. It's a dilemma faced by many gardeners. I solve it by fertilizing once in early spring, once in mid-summer and once in late fall. If you see vegetable plant leaves starting to yellow, chances are, they need fertilizer.
Compatible fertilizers and common vegetables:
*Corn, peas, beans, spinach, beets and related vegetables like coffee grounds and themselves as fertilizer. Old beans (as long as they were not cooked in meat broth) are an excellent source of nitrogen. Liquify any combination with water for best results.
*Tomatoes and melons love to drink milk blended with eggshells for calcium. You can use powdered milk and water. Tomatoes also love nitrogen, so feed them those liquified beans and coffee grounds too. They also love tomato juice.
*It makes sense that a plant would thrive on the same nutrients it contains, doesn't it? For the rest of the garden, use the rule of feeding plants a decayed and liquified version of themselves. Be sure to strain your liquid fertilizer. Large chunks of chopped veggies in the garden can cause fungus to grow.
More from this contributor:
Is Your Eco-Friendly Compost Really Green?
Super Simple Garden Compost Guide for Beginning Gardeners
Recipes for Organic Pesticides and Fertilizer
Source:
Personal experience
Published by Jaipi Sixbear - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle
This award winning web writer is co-owner of several writing websites. She's a featured parenting contributor on Yahoo! Shine and Yahoo! Voices. She enjoys helping fellow writers maintain a positive mindset... View profile
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4 Comments
Post a CommentWow great idea! Never thought of blending the scraps. I usually just tossed them out on the yard, not as gross as it sounds. ha.
Of course you know fish is an excellent fertilizer.
Great tips, I just want to add one important thing for pet owners. Do NOT use coffee grounds or any mulch with cocoa in it as it could be very toxic to dogs.
Great article. I love love love it.... :o)