Whether you’re looking to save money or do the environment a favor this gardening season, you may want to look into organic fertilizers as a natural option. Natural lawn fertilizer has all the benefits of synthetic fertilizer without the major drawbacks such as expensive prices, limited availability, or negative environmental consequences.
Weeds
Since weeds are the pesky bane of every gardener’s existence, they might be a surprising source of fertilizer. According to farmersalmanac.com, you can make a simple mixture called “weed tea” by filling a five-gallon bucket less than ¼ of the way full of weeds. After that, fill the remaining space in the bucket with water and then soak the weeds for up to two weeks. After the water takes on a brownish tone that mimics regular tea, pour the weed tea onto the garden for organic fertilizer.
Grass Clippings
Since grass clippings tend to be rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, they also make a great choice for fertilizer. Everyone mows the lawn, so everyone should have at least some grass clippings to work with for homemade fertilizer. Once you collect the grass clippings after cutting the lawn, toss between an inch and half an inch of grass clippings over the garden.
Animal Manure
If you’ve ever lived in the countryside, you probably recognize the smell of cow manure from a mile away. While it’s strongly scented, it also packs a strong punch of nitrogen. Raw manure may have too high of an acid content to nurture plants, so you may want to opt for composted manure. Whether you choose cow manure, pig manure, horse manure, or chicken manure, it’s a classic natural fertilizer choice for a reason.
Kitchen Scraps
When you leave some scraps on your plate, you might feel bad about wasting the food by tossing it in the trash. One way to help the environment and ease your guilt is composting kitchen scraps and applying them to your garden as fertilizer. Compost adds nutrients to the soil and keeps it moist, which is crucial in the hot summer.
Coffee Grounds
Even if you can’t compost all kitchen scraps, you can use coffee grounds as fertilizer in a pinch. Best of all, they smell better than manure and help acidify soil for plants that require extra acidic soil like roses and tomatoes.
Eggshells
If your plants need a lower acid content, eggshells can help lower the acidity of the soil. Crushed eggshells also infuse the soil with extra calcium, which is good for growing healthy, strong plants. For a cheap alternative to lime, eggshells can’t be beaten.
Tree Leaves
Autumn leaves are another great choice for natural fertilizer. Most of us shove them in bags and dispose of them in the trash, but fallen leaves still have a purpose after they hit the ground. Leaves have several key benefits, including minimizing weeds, attracting earthworms, locking in moisture, and lightening up heavier soils.