Do any of you use a homemade fertilizer?

paxpuella · March 11, 2006

I was searching online for homemade fertilizers and found a few different recipes. I was wondering what you all used for either your lawns or your gardens that is tried and true. This is what I found. Thanks.

How to Make Your Own Fertilizer for Lawn
1. Gather 2 c. water, 1 c. beer (the cheaper the better), 1 c. Epsom salts, and 1 c. ammonia.
2. Combine contents in a medium-sized container.
3. Pour mixture into watering can with a spray head.
4. Distribute fertilizer as if you were watering your lawn.
5. Pour leftover contents into resealable container.
6. Wait two to three weeks.
7. Reapply if necessary.

Tips:
The beer will help feed the roots. The Epsom salts will keep the ground aerated by breaking it up; this will help it "breathe" and prevent it from getting hard. The ammonia will kill any fungus or bacteria in the dirt.
This recipe should fertilize an area 400-600 square feet, depending on the water pressure through the canister. You may need to increase the amount by doubling or tripling the recipe to meet your needs

"The Master's" All Purpose Fertilizer
1 can of beer
1 can of cola (any kind, NOT diet)
1 box or cup of apple juice
1 cup lemon scented liquid soap
1 cup ammonia
1 cup liquid lawn fertilizer
Mix together all ingredients. If you buy liquid lawn fertilizer with a hose sprayer attachment, you can use the attachment with any 1 liter bottle to make a 50 gallon sprayer. Spray your lawn and garden with the above mixture every 3 weeks, early in the day.
For houseplants, mix 4 shot glasses of the above mixture to 1 gallon of water and add 1/4 tsp knox gelatin.

Non-Flowering Houseplant Fertilizer:
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp Epsom salts
1/2 tsp saltpeter
1/4 tsp ammonia
1 gallon water
Add 5 tbsp black coffee for acid loving plants
Water your plants with this mixture once a month.

Spring Lawn Feeding:
1 cup Epsom salts
1 cup ammonia
To use with a hose sprayer, mix with enough water to equal 1 quart total volume and pour into the sprayer container. Fertilizes 2,500 square feet of lawn.

Fall Lawn Feeding:
2 cups Epsom salts
3 tbsp baking powder
To use with a hose sprayer, mix with enough water to equal 1 quart total volume and pour into the sprayer container. Fertilizes 1,500 square feet of lawn.

Raymondo · March 13, 2006

I just use manure and mulch on the garden. Both are plentiful round here. The lawn gets no attention whatsoever, apart from regular mowing over the warmer months.

TomatoDon · March 15, 2006

I think, on the whole, the best thing is just to buy the commercial stuff, no matter how specialized or organic or non-organic it is. But some people like making their own. But I really don't think it's better. Besides, it would almost be a full time job making enough to do a large garden and a large lawn all summer. I just get mine the regular way.

But what do I know? Obviously not much, after being here a while and seeing how much better many do it than me. :wink: That's why I'm here.

Just my .02 worth. Lurk mode again!

Don

paxpuella · March 15, 2006

Raymondo:

Silly question, but what kind of mulch to you use?

Also another question, do any of you use sand in your gardens as part of the soil? If you do, what parts of sand, and other ingredients do you use?

Thanks.

Raymondo · March 16, 2006

Paxpuella, I mainly use straw (wheat or oat) as mulch. Bales cost around AU$6 (US$5 or thereabouts) when they're spoiled. I also use grass clippings, though sparingly because they tend to become compacted, and occasionally dried leaves, also in small amounts.
My soil is heavy clay so I used sand on one bed to help break up the clay. I used a couple of buckets for a 9' x 3' bed. It was a lot of work and to be honest, the bed doesn't seem to be any better or worse than any of the others. I won't bother again.

cosmicgardener · March 16, 2006

Raymondo, we have puggy reactive clay and I used sand and gypsum fairly liberally and tilled it in. I suspect it takes a while to distribute the different components but it has improved the bed where I'll be putting blueberries. I also added plenty cow manure at the same time. I think each garden has unique soil properties and you just have to persevere. I try not to bring the clay pan to the surface by keeping the workable soil to a depth of about 10 inches. Hope its warmer in your part than mine!

paxpuella · March 17, 2006

Thanks for everyone's replies.

Maybe this year I will have a bumper of a crop !!!

Dunkel · March 17, 2006

I use a foliar spray I invented. All organic and has good stuff in it. It's called Dunkel's Original Tomato Plant Fortifier.

cosmicgardener · March 17, 2006

I fogot - I also use well diluted worm pee from my worm farm. Fancy forgetting my apprentices!

March 11, 2006	#1
paxpuella Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern IL Posts: 21	Do any of you use a homemade fertilizer? I was searching online for homemade fertilizers and found a few different recipes. I was wondering what you all used for either your lawns or your gardens that is tried and true. This is what I found. Thanks. How to Make Your Own Fertilizer for Lawn 1. Gather 2 c. water, 1 c. beer (the cheaper the better), 1 c. Epsom salts, and 1 c. ammonia. 2. Combine contents in a medium-sized container. 3. Pour mixture into watering can with a spray head. 4. Distribute fertilizer as if you were watering your lawn. 5. Pour leftover contents into resealable container. 6. Wait two to three weeks. 7. Reapply if necessary. Tips: The beer will help feed the roots. The Epsom salts will keep the ground aerated by breaking it up; this will help it "breathe" and prevent it from getting hard. The ammonia will kill any fungus or bacteria in the dirt. This recipe should fertilize an area 400-600 square feet, depending on the water pressure through the canister. You may need to increase the amount by doubling or tripling the recipe to meet your needs "The Master's" All Purpose Fertilizer 1 can of beer 1 can of cola (any kind, NOT diet) 1 box or cup of apple juice 1 cup lemon scented liquid soap 1 cup ammonia 1 cup liquid lawn fertilizer Mix together all ingredients. If you buy liquid lawn fertilizer with a hose sprayer attachment, you can use the attachment with any 1 liter bottle to make a 50 gallon sprayer. Spray your lawn and garden with the above mixture every 3 weeks, early in the day. For houseplants, mix 4 shot glasses of the above mixture to 1 gallon of water and add 1/4 tsp knox gelatin. Non-Flowering Houseplant Fertilizer: 1 tsp baking soda 1 tbsp Epsom salts 1/2 tsp saltpeter 1/4 tsp ammonia 1 gallon water Add 5 tbsp black coffee for acid loving plants Water your plants with this mixture once a month. Spring Lawn Feeding: 1 cup Epsom salts 1 cup ammonia To use with a hose sprayer, mix with enough water to equal 1 quart total volume and pour into the sprayer container. Fertilizes 2,500 square feet of lawn. Fall Lawn Feeding: 2 cups Epsom salts 3 tbsp baking powder To use with a hose sprayer, mix with enough water to equal 1 quart total volume and pour into the sprayer container. Fertilizes 1,500 square feet of lawn.

March 13, 2006	#2
Raymondo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saumarez Ponds, NSW, Australia Posts: 946	I just use manure and mulch on the garden. Both are plentiful round here. The lawn gets no attention whatsoever, apart from regular mowing over the warmer months. __________________ Ray

March 15, 2006	#3
TomatoDon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MS Posts: 1,523	I think, on the whole, the best thing is just to buy the commercial stuff, no matter how specialized or organic or non-organic it is. But some people like making their own. But I really don't think it's better. Besides, it would almost be a full time job making enough to do a large garden and a large lawn all summer. I just get mine the regular way. But what do I know? Obviously not much, after being here a while and seeing how much better many do it than me. :wink: That's why I'm here. Just my .02 worth. Lurk mode again! Don __________________ Zone 7B, N. MS

March 16, 2006	#5
Raymondo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saumarez Ponds, NSW, Australia Posts: 946	Paxpuella, I mainly use straw (wheat or oat) as mulch. Bales cost around AU$6 (US$5 or thereabouts) when they're spoiled. I also use grass clippings, though sparingly because they tend to become compacted, and occasionally dried leaves, also in small amounts. My soil is heavy clay so I used sand on one bed to help break up the clay. I used a couple of buckets for a 9' x 3' bed. It was a lot of work and to be honest, the bed doesn't seem to be any better or worse than any of the others. I won't bother again. __________________ Ray

March 17, 2006	#8
Dunkel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West By God Virginia Posts: 245	I use a foliar spray I invented. All organic and has good stuff in it. It's called Dunkel's Original Tomato Plant Fortifier. __________________ I plant... Therefore I am. - Dunkel What the country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds. - Will Rogers

March 16, 2006	#6
cosmicgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tasmania, Australia Posts: 407	Raymondo, we have puggy reactive clay and I used sand and gypsum fairly liberally and tilled it in. I suspect it takes a while to distribute the different components but it has improved the bed where I'll be putting blueberries. I also added plenty cow manure at the same time. I think each garden has unique soil properties and you just have to persevere. I try not to bring the clay pan to the surface by keeping the workable soil to a depth of about 10 inches. Hope its warmer in your part than mine!

March 17, 2006	#7
paxpuella Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Southern IL Posts: 21	Thanks for everyone's replies. Maybe this year I will have a bumper of a crop !!!