Fertilizers made from natural sources are always the best option! They not only help your plant row but also make them healthier and keeps them free from any pests! Plus, they do not make the soil infertile at all! Go no further than your pantry, backyard or the beach for materials to make your own organic fertilizer:
COFFEE GROUNDS
Acid-loving plants such as tomatoes, blueberries, roses and azaleas may get a jolt out of coffee grounds mixed into the soil. But more likely it’s the nitrogen that helps. Sprinkled on top of the ground before watering or pour a liquid version on top of the soil. If using as a soil drench, soak 6 cups of coffee grounds in a 5 gallon bucket of water. Let it sit for 2-3 days and then saturate the soil around your plants.
BENTONATE CLAY
Bentonate is marketed as a natural and complete soil fertilizer, containing over 60 trace minerals needed for plant growth. It has an alkalizing effect so should not be used around acid loving plants. A light sprinkling several times a year over the soil supplements and revitalizes the garden. Sprinkled in layers on compost it helps breakdown material into humus.
BANANA PEELS
Eating a banana helps replenish lost potassium. Roses love potassium too. Simply throw one or two peels in the hole before planting or bury peels under mulch so they can compost naturally.
EGG SHELLS
Wash them first, and then crush. Work the shell pieces into the soil near tomatoes and peppers. The calcium helps fend off blossom end rot. Eggshells are 93% calcium carbonate, the same ingredient as lime, a tried and true soil amendment!
MOLASSES
Using molasses in compost tea supposedly increases microbes and the beneficial bacteria that microbes feed on. If you want to start out with a simple recipe for molasses fertilizer, mix 1-3 tablespoons of molasses into a gallon of water. Water your plants with this concoction and watch them grow bigger and healthier.
GRASS CLIPPINGS
Rich in nitrogen, grass breaks down over time and enhances the soil. Fill a 5 gallon bucket full of grass clippings. You can even add weeds! Weeds soak up nutrients from the soil just as much as grass. Add water to the top of the bucket and let sit for a day or two. Dilute your grass tea by mixing 1 cup of liquid grass into 10 cups of water. Apply to the base of plants.
MANURE
Add the composted manure (composted chicken, horse or cow manure) to a small permeable bag made from recycled cloth, e.g., a t-shirt or old towel. Let it steep in the shade for a few days and apply it to your soil to condition it before planting. Bury or discard the used bag.
Use these homemade natural fertilizers with natural nutrients which will beef up your harvests and add muscles to your crops!