What do you feed your plants? Besides sunshine, water, air and love that is. ππ₯€π¬οΈπ
I used to feed my plants with store-bought fertilizers but not anymore. FYI, the ones I used were organic and non-organic kinds. I always find store-bought fertilizers come with an extremely strong chemical smell. So it makes me wonder whether I should keep using these chemical-laden fertilizers? My instinct said no. And so, I ditched the store-bought fertilizers including store-bought animal’s manure (the manure smells like manure though) 2 years+ ago. From then on I make my own vitamins to supplement my plants. I prefer to call it vitamins instead of fertilizers though.
Homemade Vitamins For Plants:
*Frequency is rough guide only.
1. Rice water (2nd and 3rd rinse)
Direction: Waters directly on plants.
Frequency: Twice a week to once every 2-3 weeks.
Where to get: When cooking rice.
2. Used coffee grounds
Direction: Scatter used coffee grounds sparsely around the plants.
Frequency: Once every 1-2 months.
Where to get: Your own stock, from friends, Starbucks and some coffee shops.
Tip: If you have too many used coffee grounds on hand, try this DIY air freshener using coffee grounds.
3. Used tea water + dried tea leaves
Direction: Brew tea as usual. Then dilute tea water with 2 parts of water. Waters sparsely around the plants.
Frequency: Once every 1-2 months.
Where to get: Your own stock, from friends and coffee+tea shops.
Tip: Dried the used tea leaves, crush it and then scatter around the plants or use it in piece by piece composting method.
4. Mushroom water
Direction: Dilute mushroom water with 2 parts of water. Waters directly on plants.
Frequency: Twice a week to once every 2-3 weeks.
Where to get: When soaking dried mushrooms.
5. Epsom salt
Direction #1: Dilute 1 teaspoon Epsom salt with 1L-1.2L water. Waters around the plants.
Direction #2: Sprinkle Epsom salt around the plants and then water sparsely or mix with soil and water sparsely. You can also add the salt to the compost (no. 6) and proceed to mix it into the soil or leave it on top.
Frequency: Once every 1-2 months.
Where to get: Buy Epsom salt from shops.
6. Compost
Direction: Add newly made compost to soil (ground & potted) and mix it or just leave on top.
Frequency: Anytime, any day.
Where to get: Make your own homemade compost and from friends.
7. Bone, shrimp &/or fish meal
Direction: Sprinkle meal around the plants and then water sparsely or mix with soil and water sparsely. You can also add the meal to the compost (no. 6) and proceed to mix into the soil or leave on top.
Frequency: Every 3 months.
Where to get: Try this easy DIY bone, shrimp & fish meal blend fertilizer and from friends.
8. Eco-enzyme
Direction: Dilute eco-enzyme with water. I eyeball it. No measurement. Then water the watered-down eco-enzyme solution around the plants.
Frequency: Once every 3 weeks to a month.
Where to get: Make your own easy eco-enzyme! or you can buy eco-enzyme from online sellers.
9. Banana peel water fertilizer
Direction: Undiluted or diluted banana peel water fertilizer with water. I eyeball it. No measurement. Then water the undiluted/watered-down banana peel water fertilizer around the plants.
Frequency: Once every 3 weeks to a month.
Where to get: Easily DIY the banana peel water fertilizer.
9. Leftover kitchen scraps from eco-enzyme & banana peel water fertilizer making
Direction: Cut the leftover eco-enzyme kitchen scraps or banana peels+stems into smaller pieces. Scatter around the plants. You can also leave it whole. Up to you. But the smaller the size, the faster it decomposes.
Frequency: If you have an abundance of it, you can break it up to a few days of scattering. These leftover eco-enzymes kitchen scraps or banana peels+stems come by rarely unless you’re active in making them.
Where to get: If you make your own eco-enzyme and banana peel water fertilizer, you will have the leftover kitchen scraps when you’re done making it.
Of all the vitamins mentioned above, compost and eco-enzyme need the longest time to make. They are however really fabulous to have! I don’t use all the vitamins at once. Sometimes I use rice water, sometimes I use tea water, etc, all depending on the frequency, what I have on hand and my preferences.
Do you use some or all of the vitamins I mentioned above? What else do you feed your plants with? Share your tips below.
Post updated: 3rd Nov 2021
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