How to Soak Green Vegetation in Water Liquid Fertilizer

Many gardeners wish to avoid the application of chemical-based commercial fertilizers. Natural organic liquid fertilizers prepared from common household materials and recycled garden waste can provide both garden and house plants with rich nutrients to encourage root growth and healthy leaf development. Supplement your soil with regular applications of this all-purpose, rich organic "garden tea."

Things You'll Need

• 5-gallon bucket with lid
• Water
• Fresh grass clippings

Instructions

1. Collect fresh grass clippings, garden waste, leaves, weeds or pond algae.

2. Place the fresh organic material in a 5-gallon bucket. Compress the material and fill until the bucket is 2/3 full. Cover with water (to accelerate the process, use boiling water). Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in a sunny location to allow to age for six to eight weeks. When mature and fermented, the mixture will have a strong, "earthy" odor and a bubbly composition.

3. Strain the liquid into another 5-gallon bucket or container with a lid. Use a kitchen strainer, colander or sieve. A piece of window screen also works well. Add more fresh organic waste to the original bucket and repeat the process for a continual supply of nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer.

4. Dilute the strained mixture with three parts water (rainwater is ideal).

5. Apply the diluted mixture to house and garden plants monthly.

Tips & Warnings

• When applying fertilizer applications, it is very important to be aware of the growth rate of your garden and house plants. Slow-growing plants require less fertilizer; faster growing plants require more. Be careful not to over-fertilize as this can stunt growth and cause leaves to turn yellow. Root vegetable crops will benefit from an application of fertilizer every other week.

References

• Ohio State University Extension: Master Gardener - Houseplants
• Onlinetips.org: Organic Landscaping