Eggshells: Eggshells are high in calcium, a nutrient that plants need for cell growth. Grind up eggshells into a fine powder and mix them into your soil to provide a calcium boost.
Coffee Grounds: Coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, a nutrient that's important for plant growth. They also help improve soil structure and increase its acidity. But be careful as they can be overly acidic for some plants.
Banana Peels: Banana peels contain potassium, which is important for plant health. You can chop them up and mix them into your soil, or steep them in water and use the water to irrigate your plants.
Cooking Water: When you boil or steam vegetables, don't pour the water down the drain. Instead, let it cool and use it to water your plants. It contains nutrients that your plants will love.
Aquarium Water: If you have a freshwater fish tank, the water you remove during changes is full of nutrients from the fish waste. It can be used to water your plants.
Epsom Salts: Epsom salts contain magnesium and sulfur, both of which are beneficial for plants. Dissolve a small amount in water and use it to feed your plants.
Fireplace Ash: Wood ash from your fireplace can be a good source of potassium and calcium carbonate.
Vinegar: A very diluted vinegar solution can be used to increase the acidity of your soil, which can help certain plants like blueberries or azaleas that prefer acidic conditions.
Chamomile Tea: Chamomile tea is known to have anti-fungal properties. You can use it to water your seedlings to prevent damping off.
Beer: Some gardeners swear by beer as a way to treat brown spots in lawns. The sugar in the beer supposedly feeds beneficial microbes in the soil. Use it sparingly, though, as too much alcohol can harm plants.
Yeast and Sugar: Dissolve 100 grams of fresh yeast and 100 grams of sugar thoroughly in 5 liters of warm (but not hot) water. Leave the solution for a day at room temperature to ferment well. Then water the cucumbers with the prepared feeding under the root. One plant will be enough 50-100 ml of the mixture.Yeast is a fungus that can help provide several beneficial services for plants. When yeast ferments the sugar, it produces carbon dioxide, which can be beneficial to plant growth because plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Yeast also helps in enhancing the availability of nutrients to the plant roots by producing natural growth hormones. These hormones can stimulate root growth, thereby enhancing nutrient absorption. Additionally, yeast can help in the production of certain compounds that help in disease resistance. In this particular solution, sugar acts as a food source for the yeast.
Iodine and Milk: Add 1 drop of iodine and 100 ml of milk to 1 liter of water and stir the mixture thoroughly. Spray the soil around the seedlings abundantly so that it gets wet. Such feeding will not only provide cucumbers with nutrients but also protect against fungal diseases.The iodine and milk solution. Iodine is a trace element that is often used as a fungicide in horticulture. It can help protect plants from certain fungal diseases. Additionally, iodine is a micronutrient that plants require for proper growth. Although they need it in small amounts, a deficiency can lead to problems like poor root development and reduced growth. Milk is believed to have a similar effect; it has been suggested that it can help control certain diseases in plants. Also, milk contains nutrients such as proteins and sugars, which may be beneficial for plant growth.
Compost Tea: Make a "tea" by steeping compost in water. This can be used to water your plants, providing them with a nutrient-rich drink.
Molasses: Molasses is a good source of several nutrients including calcium, magnesium, and iron. Mixed with water, it can be a beneficial plant feed.
Citrus Peels: Just like banana peels, citrus peels can be dried, crushed, and mixed into your soil. They add nutrients and also help deter some pests.
Corn Gluten Meal: This is a natural weed and feed product. It prevents seeds from germinating and is high in nitrogen.
Hair: Both human and pet hair are high in nitrogen, and can be mixed into your soil or compost.
Wool Scraps: Wool is a good source of nitrogen and will break down over time.
Oyster Shells: If you live near the coast, crushed oyster shells can be a great source of calcium.
Peanut Shells: Peanut shells add organic material to the soil which improves soil texture and nutrient content.
Wine: Leftover wine can be diluted with water and used to water your plants. It's said to be particularly good for roses.
Alfalfa Meal: Alfalfa meal can be used as a soil conditioner, adding organic matter and nutrients to the soil.
Soap Water: Water left over from washing dishes (provided you used biodegradable soap) can be used to water your plants. It also helps to deter pests.
Bone Meal: This is a great source of phosphorous, which is important for root development.
Cottonseed Meal: This is a good all-around fertilizer, supplying nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Sea Kelp: Sea kelp can be used to improve seed germination and can help plants absorb nutrients more effectively.
Baking Soda: A solution of baking soda and water can be used as a foliar spray to treat fungal infections.
Green Tea: A weak solution of green tea can be used to water plants. It contains tannic acid, which can lower the pH level of your soil.
Club Soda: The minerals in club soda (like magnesium and calcium) are great for plants. Just let the club soda go flat before using it to water your plants.
Beer Grains: Used beer grains can add nutrients to your compost or soil.
Gelatin: Gelatin can be a source of nitrogen for your plants. Dissolve a package of gelatin in hot water and then add cold water to make a gallon of fertilizer.
Fish Tank Gravel: The gravel from a fish tank is often rich in fish waste, a good plant fertilizer.