Homemade Fertilizer for Plants
Hello! I'm 15 years old and I'm taking care of 4 plants, a Coleus, Elephant Bush, Aeonium lindley, and Zebra Haworthia. People had been saying to feed my plants with fertilizer. The issue is that I don't want to spend much money, and I don't want to ask my parents to drive me to Lowe's to buy a box/bag of fertilizer. My question, is there any someone that knows a good homemade fertilizer to feed my plants. Thank you for your time and help. #plants fertilizer">#fertilizer #coleus #elephantbush #aeomiumlindley #zebrahaworthia #help #moneyproblem
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@DollRubyball88 yes, you can sprinkle used coffee/tea grinds, in the soil, add crushed dried egg shells to soil, make banana water with banana peels or make compost from vegetable scraps. I personally donât use fertilizer. I use miracle grow plant food but I also use egg shells and coffee grinds in some plants.
All store bought potting soil already has fertilizer added. It lasts for a year or two before it's flushed out by all the waterings. Succulents in particular really don't need any fertilizer. They're desert plants that grow in sand and rocks, which don't have nutrients like regular topsoil "dirt" has (specifically nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). Your coleus might be another matter, but I'm not experienced enough with them to advise on fertilizer. But for your other three plants, you don't need to add anything, homemade or store bought. And definitely DON'T add coffee grounds to your succulents! Among other things, the nitrogen can kill them.
As for eggshells and banana water, despite being hyped up on social media, there's no scientific proof they actually offer much in the way of nutrients. Eggshells are supposed to be for calcium, but they have to be ground up into a super fine powder first, and even then they take a very LONG time to actually break down in the soil. Banana water is supposed to be for potassium, but even if you soaked a ton of banana peels in water for days, the banana water you'd end up with would only have trace amounts of potassium.
As for eggshells and banana water, despite being hyped up on social media, there's no scientific proof they actually offer much in the way of nutrients. Eggshells are supposed to be for calcium, but they have to be ground up into a super fine powder first, and even then they take a very LONG time to actually break down in the soil. Banana water is supposed to be for potassium, but even if you soaked a ton of banana peels in water for days, the banana water you'd end up with would only have trace amounts of potassium.
@DollRubyball88 Hello! So happy to meet the acquaintance of a young plant parent! Keep it up! We need ur generation to fix what mine did to this amazing world ð My mother has been asking me to try rice water on my plants! She evidently has watched a million videos on you tube about it and from what they say, just boil rice and then use the water on the plants (after it has cooled of course ð) she is going to make me add it to a few plants this weekend, if it kills them I will let you know! ð JK! It really is supposed to great for them! ðŠīðŋðšðļ
@FamedGymealily @DollRubyball88
Yup!
Kristopher gave a great answer!
His advice is the way to go.
Short, sweet, simple!
Yup!
Kristopher gave a great answer!
His advice is the way to go.
Short, sweet, simple!
@Ponytailmom
Hi Darah. A much more potent way to benefit from rice water. Ferment it!
Fermented rice water is a nutrient-rich, probiotic liquid. It contains essential macronutrients (NPK: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium), micronutrients (Zinc, Magnesium, Iron), amino acids, starches, and beneficial microbes like Lactobacillus.
It benefits soil primarily by acting as a powerful prebiotic. The starches feed existing beneficial microbes and multiply the population of lactic acid bacteria in the soil. This bustling microbial activity accelerates compost breakdown, suppresses harmful pathogens, increases nutrient availability to plant roots, and loosens compacted soil to improve overall structure.
It is very powerful...
You must dilute it! Introduce fermented rice water to your garden or indoor plants, dilute the fermented mixture with water (a 1:15 or 1:20) to avoid burning roots, crusting on the soil surface or attracting pests.
The Amish have done for hundreds of years and never bought a commercial fertilizer. I've been using it for over 10 years. I stay 100 percent organic. This stuff works!
Hi Darah. A much more potent way to benefit from rice water. Ferment it!
Fermented rice water is a nutrient-rich, probiotic liquid. It contains essential macronutrients (NPK: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium), micronutrients (Zinc, Magnesium, Iron), amino acids, starches, and beneficial microbes like Lactobacillus.
It benefits soil primarily by acting as a powerful prebiotic. The starches feed existing beneficial microbes and multiply the population of lactic acid bacteria in the soil. This bustling microbial activity accelerates compost breakdown, suppresses harmful pathogens, increases nutrient availability to plant roots, and loosens compacted soil to improve overall structure.
It is very powerful...
You must dilute it! Introduce fermented rice water to your garden or indoor plants, dilute the fermented mixture with water (a 1:15 or 1:20) to avoid burning roots, crusting on the soil surface or attracting pests.
The Amish have done for hundreds of years and never bought a commercial fertilizer. I've been using it for over 10 years. I stay 100 percent organic. This stuff works!
@Ponytailmom
Wash plain uncooked rice. About three cups of rice and cover with enough water to pour one quart jar full once washed. Add in some sugar or molasses ( I use sorghum) this is for the fermentation process as the microbes need something to feed on.
Rice water contains complex starches, lactic acid bacteria, (LAB) these thrive and multiply much faster when given simple, easily digestible sugars. The sugar acts as "fuel" that supercharges the microbes, allowing them to rapidly dominate the mixture and crowd out harmful pathogens. I add one tablespoon of sorghum while washing. Pour the rinse water over in a quart jar. Do not seal the jar... The fermentation process builds gasses which will explode your jar if sealed. I use a mason with the ring and a paper towel. Keep it at room temperature in a dark place for two days...check it and it should have a pleasant sour citrusy smell...that's when you know it's ready. Pour the full quart into 5 gallons of water ( I use rainwater) that's a perfect 1 to 20 ratio. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
Wash plain uncooked rice. About three cups of rice and cover with enough water to pour one quart jar full once washed. Add in some sugar or molasses ( I use sorghum) this is for the fermentation process as the microbes need something to feed on.
Rice water contains complex starches, lactic acid bacteria, (LAB) these thrive and multiply much faster when given simple, easily digestible sugars. The sugar acts as "fuel" that supercharges the microbes, allowing them to rapidly dominate the mixture and crowd out harmful pathogens. I add one tablespoon of sorghum while washing. Pour the rinse water over in a quart jar. Do not seal the jar... The fermentation process builds gasses which will explode your jar if sealed. I use a mason with the ring and a paper towel. Keep it at room temperature in a dark place for two days...check it and it should have a pleasant sour citrusy smell...that's when you know it's ready. Pour the full quart into 5 gallons of water ( I use rainwater) that's a perfect 1 to 20 ratio. Try it, you won't be disappointed.
Also. Use the prepared water within a week and only use it on any single plant once a month at most.
I use it up in one watering...5 gallons let's me water all my greenhouse plants with a little extra to pour out in my garden. Then after about 5 weeks, I ferment another batch and continue the cycle. Do water with plain water a few times between the rice water.
I use it up in one watering...5 gallons let's me water all my greenhouse plants with a little extra to pour out in my garden. Then after about 5 weeks, I ferment another batch and continue the cycle. Do water with plain water a few times between the rice water.
So, as a fellow teen, I also make home-made fertilizer by getting some chopping of my plants or weeds and adding a pinch of dirt and a spray of water. Then I shake it up, and when I repot my plants, I add the concoction to the dirt and mix it. Sorry I that's a lot or I'm doing it wrong!! Tho i also use dried leaves and eggshells.