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Homemade Acidic Fertilizer
Homemade Acidic Fertilizer. Your home may already contain several items that could save you money on fertilizer for your acid-loving plants. For instance, eggshells are almost 100 percent calcium carbonate, one of the main ingredients in agricultural lime; vinegar has acetic acid; and coffee not only lowers your soil's pH, it also enriches it with...
Your home may already contain several items that could save you money on fertilizer for your acid-loving plants. For instance, eggshells are almost 100 percent calcium carbonate, one of the main ingredients in agricultural lime; vinegar has acetic acid; and coffee not only lowers your soil's pH, it also enriches it with nitrogen, magnesium and potassium. In fact, azaleas, roses, rhododendrons, blueberries and other acid-loving plants will thrive on a shot of coffee every two weeks or so during the growing season.
Things You'll Need
Used coffee grounds
Cookie sheet
Newspaper
Teaspoon
Line a cookie sheet with newspaper.
Put the coffee grounds on the newspaper-lined cookie sheet and spread them evenly. Put them in a well-ventilated place to dry.
Apply the coffee grounds to the base of your plants. Start with as little as 1 tsp., as too much might make the soil too acidic. If you don't notice a difference in the plant's development, slowly increase the amount of coffee grounds with every application.
Water the soil to push your homemade fertilizer into the ground.
Tips & Warnings
You can apply wet coffee grounds to your plants. Drying keeps them from getting moldy and lets you store any leftovers.
