Have you started your own home garden to save money but found out that buying fertilizer is quite costly and not always environmentally-friendly? Learn which common kitchen and household waste can help you make your own fertilizer and save money.

1. Crushed eggshells for lowering acidity and adding calcium
2. Banana peels for adding potassium
3. Used coffee grounds for adding nitrogen
4. Green tea leaves/bags for acidifying the soil
5. Molasses for adding macronutrients like carbon, iron, sulfur 
6. Wood or fireplace ashes for increasing soil alkalinity
7. Gelatin powder for a nitrogen boost
8. Used cooking water (when boiling pasta, vegetables, or eggs) for a general dose of essential nutrients
9. Vinegar for acidity 
10. Fish tank and rice water for nitrogen and other nutrients
11. Compost (fruit and vegetable scraps, newspapers, grass/yard clippings)
12. Animal manure (cows, horses, chickens)
13. Leftover bones for phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium

While there's plenty of options to create your own fertilizer, keep the N-P-K ratio in mind. Nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium are involved in healthy plant growth. Nitrogen helps the growth of stems and foliage, phosphorous maintains a healthy root system and flower production while potassium helps the plant's hardiness against insects and disease. 

Make sure that you also know what your soil and plants need, and how to properly apply your homemade fertilizer.

Happy gardening!

Sources

Gardening Chores

Gardening

The Spruce

Farmers' Almanac

Lomi