Adding Nutrients to your Soil is Easy

Adding nutrients to your soil is easy, especially when you understand the basics. Soil has a huge array of compounds and nutrients that encourages growth and reproduction in plants. As well as some, that in excess can inhibits it’s ability to produce a healthy plant. Start here for the basic three, NPK.

Nitrogen (N)

Nitrogen plays an important role and is needed for plant growth. It provides the energy available. The richest sources of organic nitrogen are from grass fed manures, blood meal, feather dust and cottonseed or soy meals. Some of the simplest things we often throw away are great sources for your indoor or outdoor plants. Don’t throw out your water from steaming your vegetables or your used coffee grinds, both of these are excellent ways to reduce your waste and receive free nutrients for your plants. Even cleaning your fish tank is an amazing way of boosting your soil’s nutrient value.

Phosphorus (P)

Phosphorus is found in both animal and plant cells and allows us to harvest the energy of the sun. It is a vital nutrient for growth and reproduction. The most natural occurring source of phosphorus is human urine. However, there are many other “less extreme” options. Bone meal is a highly available product. Crab or shrimp waste, bat guano, burnt cucumber skins and composted mushrooms also provide a good source of Phosphorus. You could even save the hair from your hair brushes and use it under any transplants to provide them a long term supply of Phosphorus.

Potassium (K)

Potassium is directly associated with the nutrient, carbohydrates, and water movement within your plants as well as the rate of photosynthesis. Making it one of the most important nutrients. There are many easily attainable sources of potassium for most people. It is available in a commercial fertilizer, or seaweed or kelp, but if you’re like me homemade is better. Wood ash is a high provider of potassium, but I would use sparingly as it will add calcium and increase your ph in the soil. I also recommend not burning any painted or treated wood as the chemicals associated are not beneficial to the plants or us. You can also make use of those wasted banana peels by soaking them in a jar of water for a couple days. Just strain and add your home made banana peel water to your plants.