fertiliser Archives

Anyone for Compost Tea?

by Hannetjie Du Toit | Nov 30, 2020 | Alimandi Tips

Now and then, all of us need a healthy pot of tea, not compost tea, that’s only for the plants! We all can relate to feeling quirky and happy after a good cuppa! Plants need tea though, and you don’t even need to put the kettle on!

Tea as a probiotic

Like us, plants need some healthy probiotics and the easiest way is by making your own compost tea and feeding your plants with this wonderful potion. Compost tea is a fantastic way to feed the roots as it is an organic fertilizer, and by giving your plant’s this tea, you infuse them with a healthy dose of nutrients. You eliminate the need for chemical fertilisers and improve the soils overall health with a beneficial cocktail of bacteria and fungi. This tea gives a feeding directly to plants’ foliage, even though plants can’t absorb all the nutrients through their leaves.

Making Compost Tea

Making your one compost tea is easy and inexpensive. You only need a bucket, water and a bag of well-matured compost. Place 4 cups of compost in the bucket, fill with at least 5 litres of water, and then stir well. It takes time to separate the organism from the compost so let this mixture steep overnight.

Leftover compost tea as mulch

If you use manure-based compost it tends to contain higher nitrogen levels so use sparingly as it can burn your plants. To be on the safe side, you can mix your compost tea with some more water before applying it to your plants. It has a very short shelf-life, so use it within 3 to 4 days. Use the leftover compost in the bucket as a mulch in your garden.

Inexpensive benefits

The bottom line is that this tea is relatively easy and inexpensive to make and use and holds many benefits for your plants.

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FERTILISER BASICS FOR EVERY GARDENER

by Hannetjie Du Toit | Oct 7, 2019 | Alimandi Tips

Even if you are lucky enough to start with great soil, as your plants grow they absorb nutrients and leave the soil less fertile. By applying fertiliser to your garden or vegetable patch you replenish the lost nutrients and ensure that your plants have the food they need to flourish.

Primary (Macro) Nutrients

There are 3 primary nutrients that plants require in fairly large quantities.

These are Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium:

Nitrogen (N) stimulates new tissues and gives plants the green colour and abundant healthy new growth. Lack of nitrogen shows up as general yellowing (also called chlorosis) of the plant’s older leaves
Phosphorus (P) stimulates root and shoot growth. Symptoms of phosphorus deficiency include stunted growth and inhibition of root system development
Potassium (K) stimulates fruiting and flowering of plants and also improves the overall health of plants. Symptoms of potassium deficiency include brown scorching, curling of leaf tips, and yellowing between leaf veins

Apart from the above, plants also need oxygen from water and air, carbon from carbon dioxide in the air, and hydrogen from water and air.

Organic Fertilisers vs. Synthetic Fertilisers

Organic fertilisers are made of naturally occurring mineral deposits and organic material such as manure. It is not water-soluble and is released over a period of weeks, even months. Organic fertilisers stimulate beneficial soil micro-organisms and improve soil structure. Applying organic fertilisers and compost will, in most cases, provide all the secondary and micro-nutrients for a plant’s need.

Synthetic fertilisers are water-soluble and can be taken up by the plant almost immediately. Synthetic fertilisers may be made from petroleum products, rocks or even organic sources. They give plants a quick boost but do little to improve soil texture or improve the soil’s long-term fertility.

How do I choose a fertiliser?

The three numbers that you see on a fertiliser label, such as 3:1:5(26)SR, tells you what portion of each macro-nutrient the fertiliser contains. The first number refers to nitrogen (N), the second to phosphorus (P) and the third to potassium (K). This NPK ratio reflects the available nutrients by weight contained in that fertiliser. The fourth number is always found in brackets and is the percentage value of the whole product that is pure fertiliser in the said ratio – that is, how concentrated the fertiliser is. In this example, 26% are fertiliser with 74% being the filler. The SR letters stand for Slow Release, meaning this fertiliser is not instantly available to the plant. It is released in even, regular doses to the plant, and lasts longer so that means future applications need be further apart.

Fertilisers are a quick and convenient way to add nutrients to your soil, but always remember to use compost together with fertiliser for best results.