How 'Green' Is Your Garden? Eco Friendly, Natural Garden Fertilisers to Try
By Toneia - 07:47
When you think about fertilisers for your garden, your first thought might be that shop bought, loaded with chemicals is the best option. However making your own fertiliser is something to consider, not only is it cheaper but it allows you to avoid harmful chemicals and actually does the same job. Plants need three main macronutrients to flourish and survive, these are pphosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. On top of this, there are seventeen other nutrients that are essential for crop production and plant growth with different plants needing these in different levels. So before getting started, get to know what your plant needs before creating your fertiliser since it's getting the quantities right which is the tricky part.
A fertiliser rich in phosphorus; cornmeal from maize
Cornmeal is cheap and accessible, being available in most stores. Cornmeal from maize contains phosphorus which is one
of three essential macronutrients for a plant. Another way you can get phosphorous is with ground bone, since I like to keep my garden cruelty free this isn't a route that I go down myself. But if you have bones from the meat you eat, keep them and freeze them until you have enough to grind. Phosphorus in plays
a critical part in maturation, seed production, flowering/fruiting,
respiration, photosynthesis and root development.
A fertiliser rich in nitrates; coffee
grounds
You can use coffee grounds as fertiliser since this is rich in nitrates. You can use leftovers from making coffee, or coffee shops may give you left overs
for free. Coffee grounds can add nitrates by being mixed directly into the soil, or you can make a mix in a
blender with other macronutrients ingredients on this list. The benefits of nitrates is that they helps
plant flourish, create proteins and chlorophyll to help production of flowers and fruits. Nitrates enable the plant to grow strong, allowing it to reach areas
when sunlight and water may be limited. The final benefit of nitrates is for the
plants cell reproduction which contains it DNA to pass on when pollinating
other plants/seeding.
A fertiliser rich in potassium; banana
peel
Banana peel is made up of 42% of potassium, which
is one of the highest sources when looking for a fertiliser rich in this macronutrient. You can put the
banana peel in water and soak using the juices, or blend with other macronutrient foods. Also, you can blend
with a mix of coffee ground and cornmeal for an all-round nutritious meal for
the plant. Potassium encourages your plants move nutrients and water between
cells, protection against disease, makes the plant stem stronger, helps
flowering and can improve the quality of your fruit if the plant has the right
amount. Peppers, tomatoes, honeydew melon, are an example of all potassium
loving plants.
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