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Boost Your Tomato and Strawberry Harvest with Homemade Fertiliser
Growing plump tomatoes and vibrant strawberries is a rewarding gardening experience, but fruit that fails to ripen can be disappointing. To ensure your tomato and strawberry plants flourish and yield a plentiful supply of flavourful fruit during the summer season, mastering effective fertilisation techniques is essential. Gardeners seeking a natural approach can easily avoid commercial fertilisers by utilising common household scraps to enhance plant growth and nutrient uptake.
Create Your Own “Gardener’s Gold” Liquid Plant Food
Gardening experts, Our Nook of the Woods, recently detailed how to prepare your own organic liquid fertiliser at home. In a blog post featuring an image of the fertiliser, they enthusiastically endorsed it as “gardener’s liquid gold fertiliser”. They posed the question: “While readily available store-bought liquid fertilisers offer convenience, have you considered the benefits of creating your own cost-free liquid fertiliser?”
Simple Steps to Nutrient-Rich Compost Tea
With basic gardening knowledge, a simple bucket, and water, you can produce an exceptionally nutrient-rich and bioavailable liquid fertiliser, often referred to as compost tea, perfect for feeding your tomato and strawberry plants.
Utilising Natural Ingredients for Plant Nutrition
The gardening experts explained the simplicity of the process: “Making ‘tea’ can be adapted to your preferences and resources, depending on available materials and the quantity desired. Almost any type of green leaf or weed contains valuable nutrients that are released when steeped in water.”
Understanding Essential Nutrients: NPK
Commercially available fertilisers typically contain three primary components: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK), each playing a vital role in plant development. Nitrogen supports healthy foliage growth, phosphorus encourages strong root development, and potassium is crucial for promoting blooming and enhancing fruit production in plants like tomatoes and strawberries.
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Banana Peels and Dandelions: Natural Potassium Sources
Tomato and strawberry plants have a high potassium requirement. The gardening specialists highlighted two readily available scrap items particularly rich in potassium: dandelions and banana peels, making them ideal ingredients for homemade fertiliser.
DIY Fertiliser Concentrate: Step-by-Step Guide
To prepare your fertiliser concentrate:
- Use a five-gallon bucket with a lid.
- Fill the bucket with banana peels and dandelions.
- Optionally, weigh down the materials with a rock.
- Cover the contents with filtered or rainwater.
- Affix a loose-fitting lid.
Important Note: Avoid using chlorinated tap water, as chlorine can harm beneficial microorganisms and reduce nutrient content.
Brewing Time for Optimal Nutrient Extraction
Allow the mixture to steep for a period ranging from three days to three weeks. Extended soaking times are recommended to maximise nutrient extraction from the organic materials.
Using Your Homemade Tomato and Strawberry Fertiliser
After approximately one week, the fermenting mixture should darken considerably and develop a strong odour as the natural ingredients decompose.
When ready for application:
- Strain the liquid fertiliser to remove solid organic matter.
- Bury the strained waste in your garden or compost it.
Dilution Ratios for Effective Application
Early Use (3 days): The fertiliser can be used undiluted immediately after three days of brewing.
Standard Dilution (1 Week): For fertiliser brewed for one week, dilute at a ratio of one part fertiliser to eight parts water.
Concentrated Solution (2+ Weeks): For highly concentrated fertiliser brewed for two weeks or longer, dilute at a ratio of one part fertiliser to fifteen parts water.