Fertilizers have become so expensive. And there are so many to choose from. I’m often asked if there’s a way to make your own fertilizer for vegetables or enhance your soil without purchasing commercial.
The short answer is yes. All plants basically want the same things. However they may want it in different amounts at different times. Therefore, making a good general fertilizer is the way to go, knowing you can tweak the same basic elements for your own specific garden needs.
Before making your own fertilizer, it is good to understand a little bit about plant nutrition, what the components of a good fertilizer are, and how each will help your plants.
There are three main macronutrients all plants need in differing quantities. These are Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. When creating your own fertilizer, it is good to make sure that your mixture has a good balance of these three macronutrients. Head on over to my post “What’s the Deal with Fertilizers” for a little more context on N-P-K.
Vegetable fertilizer recipe
Here’s a good general recipe for creating your own fertilizer:
- 3 parts compost, or up to 50% of the planting medium
- 1 part bone meal
- 1 part fish meal (or kelp meal)
- 1 part worm castings
- a couple of dried, ground up banana peels
- Several crushed eggshells.
Keep in mind that different plants need different things – and sometimes at different times. Consequently, you may want to add more phosphorus during blooming season, add more nitrogen for younger plants, and so on.
But, with that said, go ahead and experiment! as long as you keep the ratios fairly consistent. Your plants will love the nutrition boost!
