Rather than buying fertiliser, why not trying natural options that won’t cost you extra cash? If you want to supersize your suedes or grow gargantuan geraniums, natural fertilisers may very well help you on your way to a bigger and more healthy yard.
In today’s piece, we look at several natural fertilisers that can help your plants, fruits and vegetables grow well and provide you with delicious bounty.
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Top eight natural fertilisers
Coffee grounds: If you have acid-loving plants in your garden (such as tomatoes, blueberries and roses), coffee grounds are an excellent fertiliser. Packed with nitrogen, coffee grounds will certainly give specific plants in your yards a boost. To use, simply scatter the grounds on the soil, before pouring water on them to help penetrate further down and reach the roots. Our ratio is one cup of coffee grounds to one gallon of water.
Eggshells: You probably already know about using eggshells as a fertiliser, but what natural fertiliser list would be complete without them?! Eggshells are almost 94% calcium carbonate, which is the same compound lime - a firm favourite of gardeners for its soil-enriching properties. All you need to do is crush the eggshells into small pieces and place them near plants that need a boost.
Weeds: Yes, you read that right; weeds can be used for fertiliser! Being high in nitrogen, they will heartily feed your plants with one of the primary compounds plants require to flourish. Preparing weeds is pretty straightforward; all you need to do is remove them from the ground before they flower, chop them up into small pieces (often referred to as ‘much’), blow them to dry for several days (I usually do so for around a week) and then proceed to add them to your compost pile. If you want to create something extra potent (and pungent), add the dried roots directly to a bucket of water, cover (pack it down tightly) and leave for several weeks. You’ll end up with an incredibly stinky gooey mess, but it will work wonders for your plants!
Urine (of the human variety): I know some may find his a little (or extremely) disgusting, I thought it was worth mentioning because it can give plants such as tomatoes a helping hand. Human urine contains more potassium than many shop-bought fertilisers - as well as being high in nitrogen (which we all know plants love); therefore, if you’re fine with peeing into a bottle and pouring it on your plants, you’ve got yourself nutrient-dense fertiliser for free. Our suggested ratio is one part urine to seven parts water. Small plants need around 1.5 cups, whereas larger plants will need upwards of three cups.
Manure: Just like eggshells, manure is a tried and test favourite. Although it certainly does pong, there is no doubting its prowess where boosting plant health and growth is concerned. Regardless of which animal is from, the best manure is that which has been left to aged and compost for a week plus. Wrap the manure in some form semi-permeable material prior to applying to your plants.
Bananas: Rich in potassium, many things in your yard will benefit from bananas. Using them is simple too. If planting new plants, bury a banana peel or two under where the plant will go or add to your compost pile to give it a potassium boost.
We really hope you’ve found the above natural fertiliser tips helpful. Having used many of these myself, I can attest to their success and ability to give plants that little bit extra nutrition they need to flourish properly.
Thanks for dropping by!