5 Natural Indoor Plant Fertilisers you already have!
We are almost half way through winter and Im counting down the days to start fertilising my indoor plant jungle. I want to give my indoor plants a boost when they emerge from dormancy and start photosynthesising again! Generally one doesn’t fertilise in the colder months as growth is stagnated. But with longer days and consistent temperatures in the warmer months, indoor plants are putting all their energy into growth. A monthly fertilising boost will help them along their way. Also, spring would be the best time to repot any plant babies that require it, so we might as well fertilise the soil at the same time.
This year though, I have vowed to make my own fertiliser! Au-natural of course. Firstly, I like the idea of knowing what’s in the fertiliser. Because it all comes from my kitchen, I feel more comfortable using it on plants situated inside my home. Secondly, I want to save money (so I can buy more indoor plants, obviously), and last but not least I will be using scraps I have around the house that would otherwise land up in the bin. Win-Win I’d say.
- Egg Shells
We often have egg shells that just get chucked in the bin - rather than waste, use them as a fertiliser! Rinse shells and remove the membrane. Soak the egg shells in water for a few days and use it to water your indoor plants. Alternatively, crush the shell and mix with soil. They are a rich source of calcium, and contain minerals that your indoor plants will love!
- Banana water
Bananas are packed with nutrients such as potassium, phosphorus and magnesium - they are good for us, so they are probably good for indoor plants too! You can either cut the peel up and mix into soil when repotting, or soak the peels in water for a day or two and then use it to water your indoor plant babies.
- Coffee Grounds
Dont throw your coffee grounds out! Mix them into the soil when repotting or soak in water and use the liquid to water your indoor ferns (ferns LOVE coffee grounds!).
- Cooking water
Use the water from your vegetable cooking instead of pouring it down the drain. When you boil your vegetables (or meat) vitamins and minerals dissolve into the water. Once cooled down to room temperature, use it on your plants.
- Green Tea
Remove the tea leaves from the bag and sprinkle over the soil or pour the cooled down tea straight into the soil, either way your plant will love you for it! This liquid fertiliser, like coffee grounds, is best of plants that thrive in acidic soil.
All the above fertilisers are probably in your kitchen right now! If you’re a newbie plant parent, fertilising can be daunting. Heck, just keep an indoor plant alive can be daunting, but with Plant Baby’s monthly indoor subscription, you get care instructions with each delivery, so it doesn’t have to be tricky. Sign up here https://plantbaby.co.nz/collections/monthly-plant-baby-subscription and get your indoor plant jungle growing!