For those growing their own tomatoes and strawberries, there’s nothing more frustrating than when they fail to ripen properly. However, help is at hand, as learning the right fertilisation methods is key to a successful harvest of juicy fruits in the warmer months. While many may reach for commercial fertilisers, gardeners can also turn to natural scraps to turbocharge their plants’ growth.
Gardening blogger Rosslyn Kemerer has revealed a simple way to make an organic liquid fertiliser in a post on her blog, Our Nook of the Woods. Showcasing the end product on her website, Rosslyn dubs it “gardener’s liquid gold fertiliser”. She writes: “While Miracle Grow or other store-bought liquid fertilisers might be convenient, have you ever considered making your own liquid fertiliser for free?”
By combining basic knowledge, a bucket, and water, you can whip up a highly nutrient-rich and easily absorbed liquid fertiliser, commonly known as compost tea, reports the Express.
Rosslyn explains: “Making ‘tea’ can be as simple or as complex as you want it, based on what you have available and how much you’re hoping to make. Pretty much any type of green leaf or weed stores useful nutrients that will break down when soaked in water.”
The primary components in shop-bought fertiliser are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK). Nitrogen boosts leaf growth, phosphorus aids root development, and potassium helps plants bloom and yield better fruit.
Tomato and strawberry plants have a high dependency on potassium, and Rosslyn pointed out two scrap items that meet this requirement – dandelions and banana peels.
To make your own fertiliser concentrate, take a five-gallon bucket with a lid and fill it with banana peels and dandelions. If you wish, you can use a rock to weigh down the materials. Top it off with filtered or rainwater and place a loose-fitting lid on top.
Rosslyn warned: “Do not use any water that contains chlorine as it will kill off many of the microorganisms and nutrients you are trying to encourage.
Allow the concoction to steep for anywhere between three days to three weeks. The longer, the better if you want to extract the maximum nutrients.
After a week, as the natural items decompose further, the mixture should appear very dark or black and will have a foul odour. When you’re ready to utilise it, strain out the organic matter and bury the waste in your garden or compost it.
If you want to use it early, after three days, you can apply it directly without diluting.
If you’ve let it sit for a week, dilute it at a ratio of one part tea to eight parts water. After two weeks or more, the concentrate should be diluted at a ratio of one to 15.
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