These 6 plants are ideal for making a great fertiliser: Nettle, Comfrey, Clover, Dandelion, Borage, Yarrow. They all feature in our pack of garden match cards available to download from our homepage.
These plants are good because they contain high levels of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, or are particularly effective at decomposing to release nutrients and minerals into a fertiliser soup or compost tea. Plants like Nettle and Comfrey are especially potent for this purpose due to their high nutrient concentrations.
How to Make DIY Liquid Plant Feed
1. Harvest Plants
Collect the leaves, stems, and flowers (avoid roots) of Comfrey, Nettle, Borage, Clover, Yarrow and Dandelions (or any mix of the above). Chop them up a bit to help them decompose faster.
2. Put in a Bucket / Add Water
Fill a bucket or container with water and put the plant material in (ideally rainwater, if available). You’ll want about a 1:10 ratio of plants to water for a balanced mix.
3. Leave for a Week or Two
Cover the bucket and leave in a warm spot for 1-2 weeks. Stir daily if possible to help with oxygenation and breakdown.
4. Strain and Dilute
After a week or two, strain the mixture and dilute it (about 1 part soup to 10 parts water). It’s ready to apply around the base of plants as a liquid fertiliser. Apply it directly around the base of plants into the soil. Avoid sprinkling leaves to prevent potential damage.
Watch out, the final mixture can be quite smelly, but it’s a nutrient rich mix that will help improve the soil and plant growth.
Benefits of Homemade Fertiliser vs Buying in a Shop
DIY Liquid Plant Feed Image Credits
Thanks for Clover photo from Unsplash.