If you love to garden, you know how important it is to fertilize your plants so that they can grow healthy and strong. There are many different fertilizers available on the market today, but making your own is a lot cheaper, and you have more control over what your plants get. Here are 7 homemade fertilizers that are made from household items such as Epsom salt, vinegar, or eggshells.
1. Banana Peels
Instead of throwing banana peels in the trash, you can turn them into a potassium and phosphorus rich fertilizer. Simply throw one or two peels in the hole before planting or bury peels under mulch so they can compost naturally.
2. Coffee Grounds
Coffee grounds add nitrogen and potassium to the soil as well as a boost of magnesium which all plants need to stay healthy. Scatter coffee grounds lightly, as a mulch, around your plants once a week. Observe how your plants react and add more each week until they stop showing signs of improvement.
3. Eggshells
Make your own fertilizer using eggshells. They help to strengthen cellular structure and transport of nutrients in your plants. The most efficient way to use eggshells as a fertilizer is to make a stew out of them. Crush your eggshells and dump them into the bucket full of water. Let it sit in the sun for a week, and then pour this stew around the base of your plants.
4. Boiled Vegetable Water
The next time you boil or steam a pot of vegetables, don’t pour the water down the drain. Instead of wasting it, let it cool and use it to water your garden plants. The water is infused with goodies that the veggies have left behind.
5. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt helps plants grow stronger and produce better. Just mix a tablespoon of salt to a gallon of water and apply the water to your plants once a month.
6. Vinegar Fertilizer
The acetic acid in vinegar works great for acid-loving plants like roses, hydrangeas, and berries. Mix a tablespoon of vinegar in 1 gallon of water. Use the solution to water your plants every three months.
7. Aquarium Water
Water your plants with the aquarium water taken right out of the tank when cleaning it. The fish waste makes a great plant fertilizer.
