Homemade Plant Food (Fertiliser)

As plants grow, they will need more nutrients than they can get from the soil.

The shelves of the garden centre are full of natural and chemical fertilisers for your plants.  These can easily be made from plants in your garden or from weedy land nearby for free.

– saving chemicals, pollution, biodiversity, transport, plastic and money!

For Leafy Plants - Nettles

Nettle fertiliser – This provides nitrogen which helps plants and leaves to grow.

  • Collect nettles wearing thick gardening gloves to prevent stinging. Collect nettles in spring before it seeds.
  • Place in a tub with a lid, cover with water and put on the lid.
  • Leave for at least three weeks before straining into bottles. It will be very smelly!
  • A dark feed can be diluted 1:10 with water.
  • Throw spent nettles on the compost heap.

Feed for Flowers and Fruit Plants - Comfrey

  • Comfrey fertiliser provides potassium which is good for fruit and flowers.
  • This is good food for tomato plants.
  • Plant comfrey in a hidden corner of your garden if you can.
  • Give it good space to grow and forget about it.

To make

  • Once the plant is established, cut stems  at the base. Place in a tub with a lid, cover with water and put on the lid.
  • Add any borage you have growing in your garden.
  • Leave for at least two weeks before straining into sealed containers or bottles. It will be quite smelly!
  • A dark feed can be diluted 1:10 with water.
  • Throw spent comfrey onto the compost heap.
  • Find out more about growing comfrey on The Spruce website.

All-round Fertiliser - Seaweed

  • Seaweed fertiliser –  is an all round plant food containing nitrogen, potassium, phosphate and magnesium.
  • There are rules about collecting seaweed. We are allowed to collect enough seaweed that has washed up on the beach for personal use.
  • Wash collected seaweed then leave in the sun to dry. Crumble this into a powder and sprinkle around plants.
  • Or, place washed, collected seaweed into a tub with a lid, cover with water and put on the lid. Leave for at least two months.
  • This liquid can be strained into sealed containers and stored.
  • A dark feed can be diluted 1:10 with water.
  • Throw spent seaweed onto the compost heap.