Geraniums are plants that consume many resources because they have a long blooming period. Therefore, we must constantly provide them food. Their needs vary depending on the development phase they are in. Fertilizers are plant nutrition, and for a potted flower that has no place to find the substances it needs for balanced growth, fertilization is absolutely necessary.
How to fertilize geraniums Geraniums are fertilized twice a month with complex mineral fertilizers especially designed for them. You can find these fertilizers in stores, but it’s important to read the label to know the chemical elements they contain. Yes, this article refers only to chemical geranium fertilizers
Plant care
For young geraniums, I recommend a fertilizer with an NPK 18-14-18 ratio, and as the plant develops, the amount of phosphorus (P) that we administer to the plant will drop to more than half. For geraniums that are in the blooming, administrate a higher dose of potassium (K) that helps to maintain the size flowers. Don’t administrate too much nitrogen (N) for geraniums because the leaves will as much as the flowers.
How to fertilize geraniums with liquid fertilizers Dilute fertilizers in water and the resulting solution feeds the plant. Always follow the recommended doses on the packaging. If the resulting solution is too concentrated you risk killing the plant because you burn its roots. A too diluted solution is ineffective.
Liquid fertilizers have the advantage of acting immediately for the plant development, especially if it has a deficiency. Their retention time in the soil is small, for about 4-5 days. Some liquid fertilizers can also be administered foliar, but it’s not available for geraniums. Never spray liquid fertilizers on geraniums leaves.
High release solid fertilizers are extremely effective. They are more expensive, but for 2-3 months you won’t be concerned about fertilizing geraniums. There are also half a year fertilizers used by producers. They are visible on the soil in pots, in the form of small balls, but can also be placed in pots around the roots. If you bought a geranium directly from the producer, ask him when it’s the last fertilization and which fertilizer he used. It’s great if you use the same formula.
There are several guardian plants that contain some substances, especially aromatic oils, which are the best pest repellents. Moreover, they are also able to protect certain plants around them because of the odors they release in the air.
And don’t even think about a nasty odor. On the contrary, they release a pleasant fragrance, especially lavender.
Plant care and how does the defense mechanism work?
These plants remove active substances that prevent the growth of fungi and bacteria and also drive insects away. Therefore, it’s advisable to plant these flowers among the plants that need pest protection. You can create spectacular mixed ensembles in this way.
Marigolds are among the best repellent plants you can grow in the garden or on the balcony, in pots. And I’m talking about the classic variety, with small flowers and a strong specific perfume, not the big flower hybrids. They release through roots toxic substances for soil nematodes. For this reason they are also used in the green fertilizer mixtures for soil improvement. Specialists recommend planting them next to roses, trees, shrubs and vegetables.
Calendula is in the same plant repellents category. It has the same ability to send nematodes from the soil. As a bonus, they are decorative plants.
Lavender – I think is the best repellent plant you can grow in the garden or in pots. It drives ants and lice away from the surrounding plants.
Also, thyme has the same repellent power as lavender. It sends black aphids away and other pests that attack the leaves.
Indian cress keeps snails away and they also protect the plants around them. Indian cress has the ability to protect the trees around it. Another great superpower of Indian cress is that it repels hairy plant lice.
I was wondering if I really know how to grow bell peppers in the garden. What I know for sure is that in order to cultivate the bell pepper I must first produce seedlings. I don’t want to get tired of producing pepper seedlings basically the seedlings can be bought. However, if we want to grow organic bell peppers in the garden, it is better to produce our own seedlings, because we will have some advantages that I don’t intend to write here…I want to focus on growing bell peppers.
Who wants to produce bell pepper seedlings finds all the details in this article.
Pepper is grown on the well-prepared ground. Land preparation begins in the autumn when about 300 kilos of manure or compost can be incorporated into the soil for every 100 square meters of land before digging. Bell peppers prefer a well-drained soil rich in nutrients. Cultivation of the sweet pepper is done by observing a distance of 70 centimeters and a distance of about 30 centimeters.
Cultivation and maintenance of bell peppers
In order for the strain to grow vigorously, the peppers can grow a centimeter deeper than they were planted in the hedgehog. If we cultivate the bell peppers, we must know that it has claims in terms of water, light and heat. After sowing in the first week the seedlings must be watered daily, later, they can also be wet for 3-4 days. To avoid that the plants to be put to the ground by the first blast of wind, you can add some wooden sticks that bind the stem with a knot in the shape of 8, or two plants can be found in the same nest (they will support each other).
Plants placed on poles also have good support when fruits become mature and heavy. Often, to speed up fructification and to create favorable conditions for growing fruits in the cultivation of bell pepper, cut the tip of the plant when it exceeds 60 inches tall. Irrigation in the cultivation of bell pepper is important. When the culture is blooming, you must avoid sprinkling the flowers with water or insecticides; but in this period and in the formation of the fruit the peppers need more water. It grasps the soil more and more, it has many advantages, and it can also be used for the cultivation of the sweet pepper, especially in the garden. Mulching helps to save water from irrigation, protects soil from erosion but I think the most important is that it prevents the growth of weeds. Harvesting of peppers starts in the middle of the summer and continues until late autumn. As a rule, the fruit is harvested at full maturity by cutting the bell pepper with scissors. Autumn harvest can be done shortly before maturity, peppers stored in a dry and cool place mature even after harvesting.
An apartment won’t offer you the same facilities as a house with garden, but it’s not impossible to create your own green corner, where you can easily plant some fresh veggies. So, learn how to grow onions in pots. At least this is my solution to eat some organic vegetables, and onion is an important vegetable and also a great health remedy.
1. Potted onions: selecting the pots
Growing onion in pots doesn’t differ much from the one in the garden, but it comes with an essential distinction: the pots. They should be large to allow you growing more onions on the inside of a single pot.
Depending on the space you have, choose the pots to measure – wide and deep. Whatever your choice, it’s important to make sure that each onion will have about 7 cm of earth for itself.
2. Onions in pots: seeds or saplings?
Growing onions in pots, starting with seeds, is the cheapest option. However, given its growing time, it would be ideal to choose seed growing.
If you have decided to grow onion from seeds, make sure they are planted in the soil with 2-3 months before the last frost. Place the seeds at a depth of about 1-2 cm and keep the pots inside the house until the temperatures are increasing.
In regard for seedlings, they should be placed on the balcony only when the outside temperatures exceed 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant them in stacked pots at a depth of 5 cm and leave a distance of about 7-8 cm.
Whichever method you prefer, make sure that future onions have a nutrient-rich soil, improved with compost, and good drainage.
If you plan to arrange a variety of vegetables on the balcony, learn that onions can be grown with confidence alongside other tasty vegetables such as beets, carrots, lettuce or cabbage.
3. Onions in pots: vegetable care
Onions, whether planted in the garden or in pots, need plenty of light – more precisely, at least 6 hours of direct sunlight on a daily basis. Move their position on the balcony, if necessary, so as to provide them with the necessary light.
Onions also need a relatively large amount of water. Whenever the land at the surface of the pots is dry, it means it’s time to wipe them again. In the middle of the summer, during heat, you may have to wipe them once every 3 days. Avoid, however, excess moisture, which will cause the rotting of the onions.
4. Onion in pots: how to get rid of pests
If you notice the presence of white spots on the onion leaves, you may experience trips, Thysanoptera pests. To avoid any damage, remove them with organic insecticide as soon as you see them.
I always grow vegetables in pots because I live in an apartment without any place for a small garden. This way I have fresh and organic vegetables for the entire family.
Fortunately, zucchini is part of the veggie category that grows slightly in pots and even productive.
This vegetable adapts to the environment and can be planted on the terrace of the block, on the balcony or in pots.
Zucchini pot
You must keep in mind the height of the plant when it grows with its long roots and its fruit weight. Not being a decorative one, a slightly larger pot would be ideal to buy. I can say that ceramic pots would be a good choice given that the possibility of overturning would be a little lower. The pot must have drainage holes.
I put a small piece of net on the bottom of the pot and place pebbles or pieces of broken pottery over it. This will avoid clogging the water drain holes.
Type of soil
In special flower stores you will find special prepared mixes, rich in compost. If you want to use garden soil, be careful because there is a slight chance to get the plant sick.
How to plant zucchini?
Seeds or seedlings are used. I made dredges of about 2-3-5 cm in the soil and I place the seed. You can make these ditches at different depths. The plant can grow even 1 m horizontally. To begin with, I use smaller pots, and once you have your own seedlings, you can move them into others that are appropriate for size.
Usually, after the last frost of the year, I can start sowing the cucumber seeds.
Zucchini loves the sun
I will located the pot near a natural light source, and the plant will be exposed for about 6-8 hours in the sun. I rotate the pot periodically for the entire plant to catch sun on each side. I do this a few days.
Pollination
It can be done naturally if you keep the plant on the balcony, and I shake the flowering plant periodically or I use hygienic sticks to take pollen from the stamens of a flower and put on the stigma of another.
How to water zucchini
Because my plant grows in pots and not in garden, I put less water to avoid the risk of rotting our roots or getting the plant down.
Get ready and harvest!
Once their flowers appeared it won’t take long until the fruits will start to appear
Gardening time is almost here! Are you ready to get outside and begin planting and watching those veggies grow? I love gardening and cannot wait until I get to put that first seed in the ground. Since it’s nearly time to get started on our gardens, I thought I would share some great gardening recipes with you – that will help you to avoid chemical fertilizers.
I have never been a fan of chemicals in the environment. In fact, I do organic whenever I can, and that includes the fertilizers that I use on my vegetable and flower gardens. The great thing about organic fertilizers is you don’t have to worry about your vegetables containing harmful chemicals – plus, it saves you money.
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So, I realize it’s not quite time to go planting those spring gardens, but the time is coming quickly and it’s always better to be prepared, right? Whether you are planting potatoes, tomatoes, or any and all other veggies, I’ve got some great organic fertilizer recipes for you that will help you to save money and provide your family with only the very best in organic vegetables. Oh, and be sure to check out these other gardening Hacks that will save you time and money.
Plants need three things to survive and thrive: Potassium, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen. While store bought chemical fertilizers typically have these nutrients, you can also provide them to your plants without the harsh chemicals by just making them yourself, and most of them can be made with things that you already have on hand, and will probably just throw out. DIYing your fertilizer is a great idea, and we all love to DIY, right?
So, these recipes have been gathered to help you to protect your family and the environment. I can’t wait to try some of them, and I hope you use them as well. Also, check out these 100 Expert Gardening Tips that are sure to give you even more ideas on how you can save time and money on your garden this year. I’m ready to get planting…are you?
1. Coffee Grounds Fertilizer
Let’s start with coffee because well, you really need coffee, right? Most of us have coffee grounds leftover every day…I know I do. So, you’ll use those grounds, which by the way are filled with nitrogen and helps to increase the acidity in the soil. This is an especially good fertilizer for roses, hydrangeas, and magnolias, but you can also use it on your veggies to help them grow. This is also a really simple recipe – it just takes coffee grounds. You just work your grounds into the soil at the base of your plants, and the coffee will perk those plants right up!
2. DIY Molasses Fertilizer
Molasses, when you create a compost tea, helps to increase the microbes and beneficial bacteria that those microbes feed on. This helps all of your plants to grow big and healthy. To make molasses tea, you just mix one to three tablespoons of preferably organic molasses into a gallon of water. Then just add this tea to your plants once a week or so and watch them grow!
3. Organic Tea Fertilizer
For centuries, gardeners have been mixing this simple tea fertilizer to provide nutrient to plants, and it’s really easy to make. Mix 1/4 cup of Epsom salt with two cups of urine – this may seem like an odd step but it really does work. Mix this with two cups of ash from your wood stove or fireplace and then fill the five gallon bucket up with grass clippings or even weeds that you pull from your garden. Fill to the top of the bucket with water and allow the tea to steep for three days. Strain the tea after three days and dilute it by half with water. You can do this in a two liter bottle. Just add directly to the soil around your plants.
4. Straight Epsom Salt Fertilizer
If you prefer something a bit more simple, you can mix Epsom salt with water for good fertilizer, too. You can find Epsom salt on Amazon, and it’s really inexpensive. It’s also a great source of magnesium and sulfur and is especially good for roses and tomatoes. This is a no-fail fertilizer. You just can’t get this one wrong. Just add a tablespoon of salt to a gallon of water and use this to feed your indoor and outdoor plants.
5. Seaweed Fertilizer
Okay, this one is better if you actually live near the sea…woulddon’t we all love to live near the sea. It’s another recipe that has been used for centuries. Seaweed contains mannitol that helps to increase the ability of your plants to absorb the nutrients that are naturally found in soil. You can use fresh or dried seaweed – for those of us not lucky enough to live near a beach, you can purchase dried seaweed at most organic stores. You’ll need eight cups of chopped seaweed. Fill a five-gallon bucket halfway with water – use rainwater if you can, and then add the seaweed. Let it steep for three weeks and then strain. It stores well for up to three weeks. Then just mix half seaweed tea and half water in a two-liter bottle and water your plants.
6. Grass Clippings Tea
Put those grass clippings to work the next time you mow your lawn. Place fresh grass clippings in a five gallon bucket and then cover with water. You’ll need to let this sit for about five days. Then dilute the fertilizer tea by adding 10 cups of fresh water to one cup of tea and pour on soil. The grass clippings help to add essential nutrients back into the soil.
7. Gelatin Fertilizer
Did I say that you can make organic fertilizer out of nearly anything? This gelatin fertilizer is proof of that. Gelatin is a great source of nitrogen, which your soil needs to produce big, healthy plants. Just dissolve a package of plain gelatin into a cup of hot water and then add three cups of cold water. Pour this onto the soil surrounding your plants about once per month. It’s also a great recipe for houseplants.
8. Banana Peel Fertilizer
Okay, so you’ve probably heard of using banana peels to help plants grow, right? We all know that bananas are rich in potassium. They also contain calcium and phosphorous and are perfect for fertilizing flowering plants and fruit trees and plants. You can just bury banana peels in the soil at the base of your plants and allow them to decompose. You could also freeze your overripe bananas (if you aren’t planning to make banana nut bread, that is) and then bury those next to your plants. Or, make a spray by soaking banana peels in water for three days and then spray your plants or seedlings to add the needed nutrients. This is also a great recipe for houseplants.
9. DIY Fish Emulsion Fertilizer
Fish waste, including fish parts and the water that fish are swimming in, is really good for your plants. This is another century old recipe and it’s one that takes a bit more effort to make and longer to create. The results though are astounding. Note that you’re using fish waste, so the smell is going to be less than pleasant. So, you’ll want to fill a 55 gallon drum about a third of the way with two parts water and one part fish waste. Let this steep for about 24 hours. Once that time is up, fill the drum to the top with water and cover loosely. You’ll want to let this ferment for a few weeks, normally around three weeks for best results. Add this to your soil around plants. The ratio is three gallons of liquid per 100 square feet of garden space. If you can get past the smell, this is a great fertilizer that adds tons of nutrients to the soil. It’s also a good way to dispose of fish waste and water if you have a freshwater aquarium.
10. Egg Shell Fertilizer
Egg shells are something else that you probably have tons of throughout the week and typically just throw out. The shells contain a lot of calcium which helps with cellular growth in your plants. Calcium deficient soil can lead to blossom end rot on tomatoes and various other garden catastrophes. This eggshell fertilizer will help to end that. Just crush up used egg shells and then bury them in the soil. Or, you can make a spray with 20 egg shells and a gallon of water. Boil the shells in the water for just a few minutes and then leave overnight. Strain the shells and add the water to a spray bottle to spray directly onto your soil.
11. Quick Fix Fertilizer Tea
Sometimes you just don’t have time to wait for days or weeks for a fertilizer tea to steep. If that’s the case, you can make this quick fix fertilizer tea that actually uses real tea. In an empty gallon jug, just add a teaspoon of baking powder, a teaspoon of ammonia, three teaspoons of instant iced tea, and three teaspoons of molasses. You also need three tablespoons of molasses and three tablespoons of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide with 1/4 cup of crushed bone scraps, one crushed egg shell, and half of a dried banana peel. The ammonia adds nitrogen while the tea has tannic acid to help plants absorb nutrients. Hydrogen peroxide feeds oxygen to plants and of course, bananas add potassium. Once you’ve added these ingredients, fill your jug with water and let it sit for an hour, then water your plants.
12. Fireplace Ash Fertilizer
Fireplace ash provides calcium carbonate and potassium to plants. All you need to do is add the ash to the garden bed and then massage it into the soil. It may be best to do this right before planting so that you don’t risk knocking your plants over or harming them while massing the ash into the soil.
13. Manure Tea
Manure has been used for centuries as well for fertilizing and you can use manure from any farm animal that you may have. If you don’t have farm animals, your neighbors will probably be glad to give you some manure from their animals. You’ll want a shovel full and the manure should be pretty well aged, so nothing from the same day that you plan to make the tea. Put the manure in a pillowcase or burlap sack and then soak the bag in a five gallon bucket of water for about two weeks. Just dilute the tea with water by half and use it to water your plants. Not only does this help to add essential nutrients, you also get the benefits of manure without actually having to smell fresh manure on your plants.
14. Vinegar Fertilizer
Vinegar has acetic acid that is great for certain plaints. You can use this on roses and various other houseplants as well as vegetables in your garden. To make vinegar fertilizer, just combine a tablespoon of white vinegar (only white vinegar as apple cider vinegar doesn’t have the same nutrient properties) with a gallon of water. Use this solution to water your plants about once every three months for best results.
15. DIY Bone Meal Fertilizer
Bone meal is a great organic fertilizer and another way to use up things that you would probably throw out otherwise. You can make your own bone meal by boiling chicken bones. Be sure that the bones are completely clean before starting. Boil the bones for two days – be sure to turn the stove off at night and just let them sit. They’ll get soft after a couple of days of boiling and then you can grind them up with water in a blender. Add this solution to your soil under plants. This is great for tomatoes and many other blooming plants.
