DIY Liquid Fertiliser: Grow Lush Plants for Less

DIY Liquid Fertiliser: Brewing Up a Budget-Friendly Boost

Brewing liquid fertiliser from everyday scraps is a budget-friendly and super eco-conscious way to nourish your plants.   Think of it as making a nutrient-rich "tea" for your garden!

Let's explore how to create nutrient-rich concoctions from common household and garden materials:

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Ingredient Source:

Kitchen Castoffs:

• Fruit and Veggie Peels: Things like banana, potato, citrus, and more, which provide essential minerals and potassium.

• Coffee Grounds: Packed with nitrogen (great for leafy growth).

• Eggshells: A champion source of calcium.

Yard and Garden Riches:

• Grass Clippings: Another excellent source of nitrogen.

• Weeds (pre-seed): Use them to extract nutrients, but be careful not to spread unwanted guests!

• Plant Trimmings: Leaves, stems, and prunings that recycle nutrients back into the garden.

Extra Boosters:

• Manure: Use aged or composted manure to prevent scorching your plants.

• Seaweed (rinsed): Full of fantastic trace minerals.

• Fish Scraps (heads, bones, guts): Creates a potent, highly nourishing fish emulsion.

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Simple Brewing Methods for Your Garden Tea

The method is generally the same for all of these: steep, strain, and dilute!

• Compost Tea

  • Ingredients: Compost or any compostable materials (kitchen scraps, garden waste).

  • Recipe: Steep your materials in a water-filled container for days or even a few weeks.  Stir it now and then.   Strain out the solids and then dilute the mix before feeding your plants.

• Manure Tea

  • Ingredients: Aged or composted manure (cow, horse, chicken).   Aged is critical!

  • Recipe: Submerge a burlap sack or an old pillowcase filled with manure in a bucket of water. Steep for days or weeks, stirring occasionally. Again, dilute before use to avoid scorching your beloved plants.

• Weed Tea

  • Ingredients: Weeds you've pulled, making sure they haven't set seed yet.

  • Recipe: Steep the weeds in a water-filled container for several weeks. Strain the solids and use the diluted liquid as fertiliser.

• Seaweed Elixir

  • Ingredients: Fresh or dried seaweed (make sure it's well-rinsed to remove excess salt).

  • Recipe: Steep well-rinsed and chopped seaweed in water for days or weeks. Strain solids and dilute before using as fertiliser.

• Fish Emulsion Power Food

  • Ingredients: Fish scraps (heads, bones, guts).

  • Recipe: Fill a bucket with fish scraps and water, letting it ferment for weeks with occasional stirs.   Strain solids and dilute significantly before using as a liquid fertiliser. (Warning: This one can get a bit stinky!)

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Fertiliser Wisdom:

• Dilution is Key:

         Always dilute liquid fertilisers to prevent burning plants (typically 10 parts of water : 1 part fertiliser).

• Application Options:

  Use liquid fertiliser as a soil drench or foliar spray.  Targeting the base of plants or leaves directly.

• Feeding Frequency:

  Apply every 2-4 weeks during the growing season, adjusting based on plant needs and nutrient deficiencies.

• Storage Secrets:

  Keep liquid fertilisers in sealed containers in a cool, dark place, using them within a few weeks for best results.

By creating your liquid fertiliser from household scraps and garden waste, you're reducing waste, boosting soil health, and promoting vibrant plant growth – all without relying on synthetic chemicals.

It's a win-win for your garden and the environment!

P.S. For more in-depth gardening tips, specific recipes for soil health, and exclusive updates about my plant stock, make sure you sign up for the Kats Flora Newsletter!