Coffee grounds being added to baby vegetables plant

How to Make Your Own Fertilizer

Fertilizer is essential for healthy plant growth. However, commercial fertilizers can be expensive and sometimes contain harmful chemicals. Luckily, it is easy to make your own fertilizer at home with just a few simple ingredients.

Recipes for homemade fertilizer

There are many different recipes for homemade fertilizer, but they all have three things in common: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen helps plants to grow strong and green, phosphorus aids in flower and fruit production, and potassium helps to promote water uptake and prevent disease.

You can find all of the nutrients your plants need by recycling kitchen scraps and yard waste. For nitrogen, you can use coffee grounds, eggshells, or banana peels. Phosphorus can be found in bone meal or manure, while potassium comes from wood ash or seaweed.

A decaying banana peel in a potted plant.
Banana peel in a potted plant

Making fertilizer

To make your fertilizer, simply mix equal parts of each ingredient together and apply it to your plants every two weeks or as needed.

You can also compost your kitchen scraps and yard waste instead of using them as fertilizer. Composting is a great way to reduce household waste and improve the quality of your soil.

Conclusion

Making your own fertilizer is a great way to save money and reduce your environmental impact. By using common kitchen scraps and yard waste, you can provide your plants with all the nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy.