Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gardening

How to make plant food that’s better than store-bought

Cayla Leonard
By

Plants use a lot of nutrients when they’re growing, putting out flowers, or producing fruit. For many gardeners, the solution is to get a bag or bottle of plant food from the local garden store, but is that really the best option? In this simple guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about making your own plant food, including a simple recipe, why making your own plant food is a good idea, and when it’s a better option to use store-bought plant food.

What do you need for homemade plant food?

For the best plant food, you’ll need to cover a few key nutritional needs. Plants use a range of nutrients in a myriad of different ways. If you know your soil is deficient in something, or that the plants you’re going to be feeding use a particular nutrient more than others, then this is a good place to customize your plant food. You may want to test your soil before starting, especially if you plan on adding any micronutrients to your food.

Recommended Videos

Plant food is typically used to help developing and maturing plants, which means you’ll need nitrogen, magnesium, and sulfur. The easiest way to make plant food is to use sources of these nutrients that are either liquids or water-soluble solids. Solids that can’t be dissolved in water are much harder to dilute, meaning you have to be really careful when using your food. Liquids and water-soluble solids, however, can be mixed with and stored in water for easier and safer use.

Related

The best way to get water-soluble magnesium and sulfur is Epsom salt. Epsom salt sees a fair amount of garden use in fertilizers and pest control home remedies, and it’s useful for this, as well. Be sure your Epsom salt is unscented. Although lavender scented Epsom salt is great for soothing baths, your plants will find it less relaxing.

Nitrogen is a little more difficult to find in a water-soluble form. Coffee grounds, grass clippings, and manure are all great sources of nitrogen but don’t dissolve in water very well. One easy way to add nitrogen to your plant food is plain, unscented, household ammonia.

Soil with small green sprout and little signs labeling the nutrients in the soil

Making sure your food is balanced

There are variations of the same recipe found across the internet, but here are the key facts. It takes only a very small amount of each ingredient to make a safe and effective plant food. Having too much of any nutrient is just as bad as having a deficiency, and, in some cases, worse. You can always add more, but it’s difficult to remove excess from the soil. This is especially true of ammonia. Here’s the basic recipe:

  • 1 gallon of water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Epsom salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ammonia

Some variations of the recipe also include 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda, which can help keep fungal infections at bay. Be careful when measuring your ammonia; it’s far better to add slightly less than 1/2 teaspoon than it is to add slightly more. Pay close attention to the difference between tablespoons and teaspoons, as well.

Mix your carefully measured ingredients into the gallon of water and let it sit. Once everything is fully dissolved, it’s ready for use. Mix your plant food in a sealable container and store it as is. Be sure to keep your plant food away from children and pets, as ammonia is not safe for consumption. Simply water your plants with the solution once every two to three weeks or as needed.

sprinkler watering garden seedlings

What are the benefits of homemade plant food?

Homemade plant food contains all the nutrients your plants need, but so do store-bought ones. So what does homemade plant food offer that store-bought doesn’t? In short, control. You can tailor your plant food to your garden’s specific needs. You know with 100 percent certainty what is in it and what isn’t — meaning no harsh chemicals or fillers — and it can be made fully organic if you so choose. Additionally, you control the size, and large portions can be made quickly and inexpensively.

Is store-bought ever better?

Sometimes, yes, store-bought is a better option. If you have plants that are particularly delicate or sensitive to changes in the soil, or plants that are sickly and may need a special food blend, then getting plant food that is professionally made is a good idea. Store-bought plant food has the added bonus of consistency and guaranteed safety. Plant food made at home has a slight risk of user error when measuring ingredients, which can lead to an incorrect ratio of nutrients.

Using this simple recipe and the instruction we’ve provided, any gardener can make their own plant food at home. You may already have the ingredients you need! If not, they’re fairly easy to find. Remember to use unscented ingredients, measure carefully, and keep it away from children. If your plants are delicate or sick, it’s safer to use store-bought plant food. Otherwise, enjoy your control and the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly what you’re giving your plants!

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard
Contributor
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
Could Kalanchoe blossfeldiana be the perfect addition to your outdoor succulent garden? Here’s how to grow it
Caring for kalanchoe blossfeldiana outdoors
Light orange kalanchoe blossfeldiana flowers

Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is a popular houseplant -- and for good reason! With bright flowers and easy care requirements, these succulents will brighten up any room. But did you know you can grow them outdoors as well? The care is a bit trickier, but they really stand out in a sandy outdoor succulent garden. Just follow this simple guide to care for Kalanchoe blossfeldiana outdoors.
Planting Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Like other succulents, drainage is important. Make sure you use sandy and well-draining soil before you begin planting. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana plants don't like to be crowded, so it’s important to space them correctly. They need at least 8 to 10 inches of room in order to grow properly. Choose a location that gets plenty of morning sun. However, they can burn under intense, direct light, so provide them with shade in the afternoon.

Caring for your Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
If you’ve kept Kalanchoe blossfeldiana as a houseplant before, then there are some care aspects you’ll be familiar with. They are sensitive to overwatering, so make sure to only water them when the top few inches of soil are dry. If overwatered, they can develop fungal infections, such as root rot.

Read more
Your guide to growing the gorgeous ornamental allium flower – yes, it’s related to onions
How to care for allium flowers in your garden
Purple allium blooms

Ornamental allium flowers can be a lovely fixture in everything from lush cottage gardens to space-friendly container ones. Known for their globular bloom clusters, they come up between spring and summer, making them perfect as transitional flowers when you wait for your summer blooms to emerge. These unassuming flowers are also incredibly easy to care for, so there's no need to fuss over them once you've planted them. If you're wondering how to incorporate allium flowers into your home garden, here's a comprehensive guide to help you get started.

What are allium flowers?
Perennial in many areas, ornamental alliums belong to Allium genus, which features over 500 species and includes plants such as onions, shallots, leeks, and garlic. They have either compact or loose clusters of flowers, but many gardeners associate them with globular blooms in colors like white, pink, yellow, and purple.

Read more
Loofah plants are unique and interesting vegetables – here’s how to add them to your garden
How to grow and care for your own loofah plants
A ripe loofah gourd on a vine

Summer vegetable gardens are often filled with tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans, but there are other options for more adventurous gardeners. The loofah plant, sometimes also spelled luffa, is a prime example. Loofahs are tasty, useful, a great conversation starter, and even make wonderful gifts. Want to know more about growing this unusual vegetable? Here’s your simple guide to growing loofahs.
What are loofah plants?
When you hear the word loofah, your first thought is likely the sponges — and you’d be right! Loofahs are a member of the cucumber family native to South and Southeast Asia. When the vegetables are young, they’re edible and have a flavor similar to zucchini. If the vegetables are left to mature and dry, then they can be harvested and turned into sponges.

Loofahs are warm-weather vegetables, and they don't tolerate the cold. Additionally, they are annuals. If you want to keep growing them, you’ll need to plant more each spring.

Read more