Plants dying due to over/lack of fertilization? Make these easy fertilizers at home using ingredients from your kitchen! Most plants require 3 components to survive- sunlight, water, and soil. Plants, unlike us humans and animals, cannot express their needs and therefore it is crucial that we take care of them the best we can. The soil is an important element for plant growth as they get their nutrients and nourishment from it. The soil is to plants what food is to us, humans. Therefore, fertilization of the soil acts as a boost to the already present nutrients in the soil. Think of it as getting a healthy balanced diet every time your body is running out of nutrients. Below, you will find a list of easy DIY Fertilizers For Your Plants which can easily be found in your kitchen and will help boost up your houseplants-
EGGSHELLS:
Just like we humans enjoy eating eggs in our breakfast as they are a good source of calcium and potassium for our body, our plants could use them too. Calcium found in these eggshells helps plants build a strong cell structure. To use eggshells, remove the contents inside the egg, clean the eggshells and crush them well with the help of a mortar and pestle. Now evenly spread the crushed shells over the top layer of soil. The shells would be automatically absorbed by the soil.
GRASS CLIPPINGS:
Once you have mowed the extra grass from your lawn, you can use these grass clippings as a homemade fertilizer for your indoor as well as outdoor plants. Surprisingly, grass clipping has the most needed macronutrients- Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium in them. Evenly spread chopped grass clippings over the bottom layer of the soil and cover them with the remaining soil. Since the grass clippings contain 80% water, they will easily decompose after a time period.
COFFEE:
If your home has acid-loving plants like nasturtium, daffodils, marigold, sweet potato, parsley, potatoes etc, then this fertilizer is a must have on your gardening list. Coffee has the ability to maintain the required nitrogen as well as acid level in such plants and is a fertilizer available in every kitchen. There are two ways to use coffee grounds; either you can evenly sprinkle coffee grounds over the top layer of soil or you can dilute them in fresh water and drizzle them over your plants.
BANANA PEELS:
We always tend to throw away the banana skin unaware of the fact that our little garden needs them the most. Rich in phosphorus and potassium, banana peels would help your plants to strengthen, boost up fruiting and protect them from diseases. So the next time you eat a banana, reserve the peel for your garden. To mix banana peel in the soil, you can either chop them and sow them deep in the soil or soak them in fresh water for 3-4 days and then spray the water over the plants.
VINEGAR:
Vinegar is another fertilizer which would uplift the alkaline level in your container plants. Other than boosting the alkalinity, it also keeps the ants at bay. Vinegar also helps the plants to get rid of weeds. Do not directly pour the white vinegar into the soil. Always dilute 1 cup of vinegar in 2 gallons of fresh water while watering your plants. This is one of the best DIY Fertilizers For Your Plants.
TEA:
Just like coffee, the acid-loving plants enjoy tea as a fertilizer. Because tea contains citric and tannic acid which helps maintain the pH levels of the soil. Since tea is so readily available in almost all Indian houses, it would make sense to use these for your indoor plants as well. Once you finish drinking or pouring your tea, strain the leaves and let them cool. Or, if you’re using a tea bag, remove the tea bag from your drink. And then cut open to let it cool. Once cooled, mix these leaves with the soil of the houseplant. Alternatively, you can soak fresh tea leaves and then pour that water directly into the soil and that would be a great DIY Fertilizers For Your Plants.
So there you have 5 DIY Fertilizers For Your Plants which you can use to boost up your garden. Unlike chemical fertilizers, these ones are natural and do not harm the plant or soil in any way. Over-fertilization shouldn’t be an issue with these. Just make sure to use these a maximum of once a month. Fertilizing doesn’t get easier than this!
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