What Are Soap-Based Fertilizers?

Most people think of fertilizers as some type of mix you buy at the garden store that's full of chemicals. Soap-based fertilizers can be a safer and more economical option. While you probably won't find any soap-based fertilizers at your garden store, there are recipes for making them yourself.

Soap Versus Chemical

Commercial chemical fertilizers are generally petroleum-based. That means they contribute to America's dependence on foreign oil. In addition, they contain potentially toxic chemicals. By using soap-based fertilizers you are reducing your toxic footprint, which is good for the environment. In addition, soap-based fertilizers can be considerably less expensive than the commercial chemical varieties.

Effectiveness

Chemical fertilizers you buy at the garden store are definitely more effective in the short run. Homemade soap-based fertilizers tend to take longer to work. That means if you treat one area with a commercial fertilizer and another with your homemade version, you'll see a big difference early in the process in the area of the commercial fertilizer. Multiple treatments of the soap-based fertilizer can help to get the process going faster, though. However, nothing can replace time in terms of getting results.

Ecological Benefits

While soaps are not without their environmental risks, they are much safer than petroleum products. That means that the risk of fertilizer run-off getting into the water supply and causing health problems is reduced. In addition, there is less risk to pets or other animals in the area of the fertilizer. Soap-based fertilizers are far safer for herb gardens and other plants used to produce food. Using a natural soap will help to emphasize this benefit.

Pesticide Function

Another advantage of using a soap-based fertilizer is that it has a secondary function. Soap-based pesticides are commonly used as an organic alternative to chemical pesticides. That's because soap will kill many insects and insect eggs. So, using a soap-based fertilizer can help to keep your yard or garden free of pests. Of course, you need to know that the fertilizer might also have a detrimental effect on beneficial insects like bees.

Recipes

There are many recipes for soap-based fertilizers. Different results are reported with each mixture. It's probably best to experiment with a few until you find the one that works best in your application. One example of a recipe calls for a mix of beer, soda, liquid soap, ammonia and mouthwash. Of course, there are variations depending on the particular recipe you use. Some recipes include such ingredients as tobacco, molasses and fish emulsion.

References

• Thrifty Fun: Homemade Lawn Fertilizers
• Orgunique: Back to Nature: Organic Fertilizers