We are lucky as we live very close to the seashore. So we are able to easily and sustainably harvest seaweed for use in our vegetable garden.

We enjoy picking up the seaweed, because we realise it’s such a great soil conditioner for the garden. We only ever pick up the seaweed on the shoreline, we never pick seaweed that is attached to rocks.

We have old fish bins that we use but you can or use some old sacks or onions sacks to allow it to dry. And I always prefer to wear gloves, but hubby doesn’t!

For people who do not live close enough to the seashore you can buy dried seaweed and kelp products that you can use in your vegetable garden.

Seaweed is fairly low in nitrogen, but seaweed boasts 60 elements, these include trace minerals, micro-nutrients, and even plant growth hormones and these all boost healthy plant growth.

The amazing thing with seaweed is it does not share any diseases with plants on the land. This means that seaweed will help improve the condition of your garden soil, as the seaweed breaks down it will help aerate the soil making it lighter and the soil will be able to hold moisture better, it will also help the health of the vegetable plants and it can also be used as a general fertilizer in your garden.

Some gardeners use seaweed as a thick mulch, a good thing about seaweed mulch is garden pests don’t like it as it’s salty and it goes very crunchy, but it’s great for the soil.

Many gardeners wonder if you can actually use seaweed straight in the garden and the answer is yes you can. I know some gardeners think the seaweed is too salty and some will wash it or spray it with a garden hose. We live in an area that has good rainfall so I do not worry about that. So we use it straight into the garden.

Personally, we use the seaweed in the winter and spread it straight onto the garden after we picked it up and allow Mother Nature to do its work.

If you want to use seaweed as a mulch apply around 2-4” layer and you will soon see how the seaweed starts drying and shrinking.

You can also use seaweed by composting, adding layers in your compost bin, you need to interlay seaweed with brown matter such as straw or leaves this allows it to have some air as otherwise it can just become a big slimy matter. You can wash the seaweed if you are worried about the salt. By adding seaweed to the compost bin your compost will get trace minerals which will all be added to your garden soil.

Seaweed tea: easy to make all you need to do is add the seaweed to a drum or bucket – it does need a lid – add the seaweed and fill with water, and leave for 3 weeks but you can leave the seaweed tea for several months. It gets smelly, but when you can’t smell the ammonia anymore then the tea is ready. You can then strain the tea and when you want to use it dilute it with water: one part seaweed tea to five parts water and – and feed you plants. This is great for the garden plants it feeds the foliage, it makes the plant roots stronger.

You can dry seaweed and make your own fertilizer. Dry the seaweed by laying it out in the sun until it’s dry and brittle. And crumble it into small bits. Use it around your plants as you need it.

Even if you can’t pick up fresh seaweed then I would still recommend buying yourself a bag of dried seaweed from a garden supplier. Your vegetable garden will love you for it as it will provide you with lots more vegetables.

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Dried blood – This acts as a quick-acting organic nitrogen feed. Dried blood is used as a top dressing such as tomatoes and cucumbers. You can scatter it on top of the soil or dissolve it into water. When dissolved in water it acts even quicker.

Bonemeal – Is made from ground up dried bones. This organic fertilizer is very popular with gardeners because it has a long slow release of phosphate with a little nitrogen. Phosphate is good for root growth.

Fishmeal – Is made from dried bones and ground fish waste. This is a great slow-release fertilizer. It’s a potent but smelly fertilizers but your garden will love it.

Seaweed Fertilizer – This type of fertilizer is made in liquid, powdered form and as a calcified form – and has become very popular for garden users.

Hop Manure – This is made from waste from breweries this is a great fertilizer and is often used on farmland.

Concentrated Organic Manures

Sulphate of ammonia – This is a fertilizer full of nitrogen. It’s a soluble salt which makes it quickly available to the plant. When you use sulphate of ammonia you also need to use lime because it’s very acid-forming. Use it during Spring and Summer 14 days before planting.

Nitrate of soda – Is a salt made from natural deposits and is a quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer. It’s a great fertilizer to use in springtime for over-wintering crops such as spring cabbages or greens.

Nitro chalk – This is a nitrogen-rich fertilizer but has also got calcium in it. This means that nitro chalk does not make your soil acid-like sulphate of ammonia does. A great top dressing for brassicas.

Superphosphate – Is a phosphatic fertilizer and is used in compounds and by it-self.  Your soil needs adequate phosphate for the vegetables to get a good strong root system, which will encourage higher vegetable yields. This fertilizer can be worked into the soil before sowing or planting.

Sulphate of potash – Is one of the best potash fertilizers. You need adequate potash to go with the nitrogen and phosphate to get a balanced growth for your vegetables.

Muriate of potash – This is cheaper then sulphate of potash but works just as well.

Lime – Is very important for the soil especially if you have acid soil or very heavy soil. It’s important though not to overuse lime on your soil. You need to test the soil with a soil tester before you use lime. The soil tester will tell you the pH of the soil and then you’ll be able to add the right rate of lime to your soil. Also, it will tell you if your soil is low on other necessary nutrients. A neutral pH is 7 any number above this indicates that the soil is alkaline and any numbers below shows you that the soil is acid. The best pH for vegetables to grow in is around 6.5 to 7.

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It’s not in your compost bin. It’s not in your garden shed. And it’s definitely not in any bought compost from your local supermarket or garden centre.

The thing is this ‘soil conditioner’ is Mother Nature’s gift for improving your soil.

When you use this ‘conditioner’ your worm population goes crazy. And fast…within 8 weeks.  Big fat juicy worms gather in your soil. This is great news as worms aerate the soil. So your plant roots can grow deeper and wider. Gathering more nutrients to produce abundant crops.

I’ve seen barren clay soils and sandy soils transformed into productive vegetable gardens with this natural ‘conditioner’. That is when this conditioner is added along with other natural garden fertilizers.

Also when you use this ‘conditioner’ you eliminate any need for weeding. Apart from pulling the odd weed here and there. So no more kneeling down doing any back-breaking, boring tasks.

Another thing about this ‘conditioner’ is this; it adds vital compost to your soil as it breaks down. In fact, you could say this ‘conditioner’ really is a win-win.

And the best bit about this ‘conditioner’?

It’s absolutely free.

So what is this amazing ‘conditioner’?

It’s grass cuttings from your lawn.

Yes that’s right, simple grass cuttings.

Every time you cut your lawn empty the lawn cuttings onto your soil. Spread them around your plants to act as a mulch. This shades out weeds. It also reduces the

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Did you know that stinging nettles make a great fertilizer?

Well, it’s true.

Nettles are a rich source of calcium, nitrogen, manganese, iron, and potassium. They’re all critical nutrients for optimum plant growth.

And now your plants can get these rich nutrients with your own homemade fertilizer.

You see, making liquid nettle fertilizer is simple and easy. And results in free fertilizer. So you’ll save on expensive fertilizers.

How to make your own fertilizer.

1. Pick your nettles in early spring. Fill a good sized bucket. Cut the nettles at the base of the plant.

2. With your gloves on, cut the plants above the bucked into 6” lengths. Or fill a muslin bag with your raw nettles. If you do this, it’s a bit like using it as a tea bag.

3. Fill the bucket with rainwater to the top of the bucket.

4. Place the covered bucket in a sunny spot in your garden.

5. Leave for two weeks. Then it’s ready to use.

6. One word of warning. Liquid nettles smell foul. So wear protective gloves.

Before applying to your plants you will need to dilute your liquid nettles. That’s because it’s a potent mixture.  Dilute to one part liquid nettles to 10 parts water. Apply the liquid to the base of the plants. This way it will get absorbed the fastest.

Which plants respond best to this fertilizer?

It’s the plants with the highest nutrient demand. Plants like courgettes, cucumbers, brassicas, leeks, tomatoes, and brassicas.

How often should you feed your plants? Apply the fertilizer every three weeks.

Another thing to remember is this; you can store the liquid in bottles for later use in the season.

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1. Make your own banana skin compost tea.

As you may know, household compost is great for your garden. It enriches your soil. Plants get valuable nutrients from it.  And it conditions your soil.

But what if you don’t have a compost heap?

Well, simply put some banana skins into a container and add water. Leave this for a few days. You’ll now have a valuable liquid fertilizer for your plants and flowers. This compost tea will contain important nutrients and minerals. The upshot after feeding your plants you’ll see vigorous growth.

2. Control aphid attacks

If your plants are under attack from aphids then drape banana skins at the base of your plants. Aphids hate the smell of bananas and will soon go.

3. As a soil conditioner

Chop up your banana skins and place them in your garden beds, planters, and containers. This helps to condition your soil. Your worm population will increase. Which is always good as worms improve the soil.

4. Make your tomato crop ripen…. faster

Bananas produce ethylene. Ethylene is important for tomatoes because it encourages ripening. So placing banana skins near your tomato plants will help them to turn red faster.

5. A mid-season foliage spray

Got any plants looking sickly? Plants that have been weakened by insect or disease? Or not growing as fast as you want? Then give them an instant growing boost with your own homemade foliage spray.

Put the skins in the sun. Let them completely dry out. Then put them in a food blender or other kitchen utensils. You need to whisk the skins until you’re left with a fine powder. Then put the powder into a spray bottle.  You’re now ready to spray your plants!

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Using coffee grounds in your compost bin is really good. They are a great green material as it helps with composting all the material down, it’s very rich in nitrogen and it also contains many minerals. So it’s really worth adding to the compost heap.

Coffee grounds are great to add in the compost bin, they quickly decay with the other things that are added in the compost bin and making a beautiful compost.

You can also add the coffee grounds straight onto the garden soil. Mix it into the soil and it will start to release nitrogen into the soil.

Many people think that coffee grounds are acidic, which isn’t true – because when the coffee is made the acid is somehow removed and the ground becomes close to pH neutral between 6.5 and 6.8. Which is why it’s so perfect for the garden.

Some people also make a coffee feed. Add 2 cups of coffee grounds to around 10 to 15 litres of water and let it steep overnight or for a day. This makes a great feed for your vegetable garden, and you can also use it feeding pots and containers. Some gardeners also water it on the plant’s foliage which is a great pick me up for your plants.

You can add coffee grounds to your houseplants just add a scoop to the compost of the plant and water it in, they will love you for it.

Really…? Do coffee grounds repel slugs and snails

Whilst many people love the smell of coffee, others hate it. Slugs and snails hate the smell so you can deter them by making a ring-fence of coffee grounds around your plants.

The only thing is you will have to continue doing it as the coffee ground smell evaporates very quickly, so every few days keep adding coffee grounds as the previous lot will start to decompose quickly into the ground.

You can also use coffee grounds as a mulch in your garden, this is especially good if you have one of the large coffee outlets like Costa or Starbucks who give away bags of coffee grounds every day. Just use it around the plants to keep the weeds down.

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Why?

That’s because Epson salts are high in magnesium and sulfur. These are two nutrients critical for optimum growth.  Take magnesium; this nutrient encourages plant cell growth. And the sulphur? This is used to correct the PH of soil when it’s too alkaline. Also, it raises sulfur levels when they’re too low.

But these aren’t the only use for Epsom salts in your vegetable garden.

1. Spraying tomatoes.

Tomato plants have a high requirement for magnesium and calcium when producing their fruits.

One of the best ways to ensure your tomatoes get higher amounts of these nutrients is to apply a foliar spray. Add two tablespoons of Epsom salts to 8 pints of water. Spray your plants every two weeks once the plants have fruits starting to develop.

2. Higher seed germination

Before you sow your seeds add Epsom salt to the soil. Doing this will encourage more seeds to germinate.

For every 100 sq ft of soil add one cup of Epsom salts. Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of salt per hole before planting out plants.

3. Boost your pepper crop

Peppers have a high magnesium requirement. So, measure the height of your pepper plants.  For every one foot of height, sprinkle one tablespoon of Epsom salts around the base of the plant. Do this every two weeks throughout the growing season.

4. Slug repellent

Got a slug problem? Sprinkle one tablespoon of salts around the affected plants.

5. As a nutrient-rich foliar spray

Make a spray comprising of 8 pints water to one tablespoon of salts. Spray your plant leaves every month during the flowering and growth stages.

Now you have a powerful and inexpensive nutrient-rich feed that boosts your vegetable yields. Use Epsom salts and see the results for yourself.

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• Bone meal– is coarsely ground bones that is used for organic fertilizer. It works like a slow-release fertilizer and is very good for your garden. You can buy Bone meal from garden centres and other garden shops.
• Fish, Blood and Bone– is a great soil improver. Also used as a fertilizer but it will last over an 8 month growing season. Fish, Blood and Bone is a general organic fertilizer that feeds the soil – it’s a 6-6-6 in analysis which means it feed the soil in equal parts of Nitrogen (N), Phospherous (P) and Potassium (K) you see it on the bags as NPK.
• Potash –is also a natural fertilizer and is used to get stronger root growth which then increase your vegetable, fruit and flower production.
• 6X Pelleted Chicken Manure – this can be available in the supermarket or your local garden centre. It’s an organic fertilizer and is six times richer than farmyard manure. Chicken manure has a typical NPK ratio of 4.3 – 3.2 – 3.2 but it also feeds the soil with magnesium and other trace elements. It can be used in your vegetable garden also on flower beds and shrubs. It’s a very cost effective way to fertilize your garden.
• Calcified Seaweed – is very good for your soil. Calcium seaweed has all the natural trace elements to make sure your soil is a healthy organism. Calcified seaweed improves your soil structure and also gives the soil the correct ph, which is important to grow healthy vegetables.
• Growmore– Is a general fertilizer and has a NPK ratio of 7 – 7 – 7 which means it has an equal amount of Nitrogen (N)  Phospherous (P) and Potassium (K) this is a good general fertilizer but it doesn’t feed the soil like some of the other fertilizers.

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But her results were still very impressive.

Then she dropped her bombshell.

She revealed she uses a secret natural fertilizer. A fertilizer she makes herself. It’s so simple and easy to make. Best bit?

It’s absolutely free.

Turns out she makes a liquid fertilizer from…. Comfrey.

As you may know, comfrey is a plant that grows to around 3’ – 4’ tall. It has a widish stem. And large succulent leaves with a purple flower.

Comfrey has deep roots. This means it takes in nutrients unavailable to more shallow roots. And these nutrients are stored in the leaves.  The nutrients it’s high in are nitrogen and potassium.

So when you harvest the comfrey leaves then you can make a potent liquid feed.

We make comfrey feed in two ways.

1. Cut the comfrey and put it in a 45-gallon water butt. Let the leaves and stems break down over a two week period. We then dip our watering can in and feed our plants.

Or…

2. Make a concentrated comfrey feed. For this, you’ll need a 5-gallon plastic drum. Cut the top 100mm off. This way you have a handle on what will be the lid. Drill a 1” hole in the centre of the bottom of the drum. Make a wooden frame for this drum to sit on. You’ll need to be able to fit a small plastic collecting bowl underneath the plastic drum. As this is were the comfrey will drip into.

Next, collect your comfrey. Don’t worry about cutting too much. Any excess can go into your compost bin. Cut the comfrey into 6” lengths. Put these in the drum.

Then you’ll need a flat piece of wood that fits inside the drum. Put this on top of the comfrey. Put a brick or small rock on top of the wood, as this will press the comfrey down and extract the goodness from the plant.  Then put your lid back on top of the drum. The idea is to make your comfrey weatherproof.

What you’ve just done is made your own comfrey press. The weight of the brick will push down on the comfrey. And over the coming weeks you’ll start to see a dark liquid collecting in your bowl. Neat comfrey juice. Highly nutritious that your plants will suck up.

You’ll need to dilute this liquid. Say a ratio of 1;10. One part comfrey. 10 parts of water.

If you cut enough comfrey over the season you can store the liquid in bottles. And save on expensive fertilizers.

Try making your own comfrey feed. Your plants will love it!

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1. Grass cuttings from your lawn

Grass is a great conditioner. It adds humus to your soil. It adds compost to your soil. It massively increases your worm population. Also, you can mulch with grass and reduce weeding and retain your soil’s moisture levels. What’s more grass cuttings are FREE.

However, if you treat your lawn with herbicides it’s probably a good idea to NOT put it on your vegetables.

2. Composted household waste

If you have a compost bin then adding your rotted down compost to your garden makes perfect sense. You’re adding valuable nutrients, minerals and organic matter to your soil. Plus there’s the influx of worms you’re giving your soil.

3. Beach Seaweed

Seaweed contains over 60 nutrients and micro-nutrients. All critical for optimum plant growth. As the seaweed dries it breaks down and improves a soil’s structure.

4. Garden topsoil

If you have heavy clay soil it would make sense to buy in topsoil…. As long as this soil is sandier soil. Mixing your existing heavy soil with a more sandy soil with help improve its structure.

5. Horse manure or Farmyard manure

Have you got a horse stable nearby? If so see if you can get some stable manure from them. This will make a dramatic difference to your soil. Farmyard manure will contain straw and dung. And makes a great soil conditioner that improves soil structure.

6. Lime

Adding lime to your garden soil can turn an acid soil (usually a heavier clay-type soil) into a more alkaline soil. As most plants need an alkaline soil to thrive, lime is a great addition to any soil.

7. Growing mustard

Mustard can be grown like a green manure, it’s very handy to grow if you have nothing in your garden soil.  You sow it and before it starts to flower you dig the mustard back into the soil, this builds up the soil’s organic matter, this will greatly benefit your next vegetable crop. The time to sow mustard is September.

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