Phosphorus is an essential macronutrient required for healthy plant growth and flowering. While commercial phosphorus fertilizers are readily available, some growers prefer to make their own DIY versions using inexpensive, natural ingredients. Homemade phosphorus fertilizers allow you to provide this key nutrient to your plants while avoiding harsh synthetic chemicals.
Img: 4 sources of phosphorus for fertilizers at hand at home
Crafting your own fertilizer recipes also gives you full control over the exact ratio of nutrients your plants receive. Phosphorus is necessary for vital processes like photosynthesis, energy transfer, root development, and blooming. Deficiencies can result in stunted plants with poor flower and fruit production.
Luckily, there are many common household and natural items that can be used to easily extract phosphorus for fertilizer. Ingredients like bone meal, rock phosphate, wood ash, and banana peels are all high in this essential P nutrient.
This guide will walk through simple methods for making homemade phosphorus fertilizer using a variety of DIY recipes. Learn how to craft water-soluble mixes, teas, and organic slow-release blends that will provide a steady diet of phosphorus to your garden, houseplants, or cannabis grow. Let’s explore how you can easily utilize homemade phosphorus fertilizer sources for vigorous, productive plants.
Why Should You Add Phosphorus Fertilizer to Soil?
Img: The Phosphorus Cycle in nature detailed scheme
Providing adequate phosphorus to your garden and container plants is essential for optimal growth and fruiting. Phosphorus fertilizer replenishes the phosphorus in soil to ensure your plants have enough of this crucial macronutrient.
Strong, vigorous roots allow plants to better take up water and nutrients from the soil. Phosphorus stimulates root growth right from seedling and clone stages, establishing the foundation for a robust plant.
One of phosphorus’ key roles is facilitating flower and fruit production. The nutrient is directly involved in the metabolic processes that form buds and cause them to bloom. Phosphorus also helps develop seeds and mature fruits after flowering. Adding phosphorus fertilizer provides the boost plants need for bountiful harvests.
Within plants, phosphorus enables the storage and transfer of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This energy powers essential growth activities like photosynthesis and respiration. Phosphorus deficiency can slow or halt plant development.
Phosphorus also plays a part in stimulating plant metabolic processes that increase resilience. Plants properly supplied with phosphorus can better handle environmental stresses like drought, extreme temperatures, and disease pathogens.
The nutrient strengthens plants to overcome challenges. Regularly replenishing phosphorus levels in soil with quality fertilizer gives your plants the optimal amount of this jack-of-all-trades macronutrient.
Img: 3 types of Fertilizer Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium.
Which Plants Require Phosphorus and Why?
All plants need phosphorus to thrive. This essential macronutrient serves critical roles in plant growth, development, and stress resilience. While the exact amount of phosphorus required varies by plant species, providing adequate levels is universally beneficial.
Unlike other immobile nutrients, phosphorus is mobile in plants and can translocate where it is needed most. Often, the highest concentrations accumulate in the metabolically active parts like shoot tips, flowers, fruits, and seeds. This indicates the significance of phosphorus for plant reproduction and food production.
Developing seeds and fruits are strong phosphorus sinks. Crops grown for their edible yields like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans, and peas rely on ample phosphorus for optimum fruit quantity and quality. The nutrient fuels the entire flowering, pollination, and fruiting process from start to finish.
Leafy plants and vegetative growth also capitalize on phosphorus fertilization. Phosphorus contributes to photosynthesis, which is vital for green, leafy plants like lettuce, spinach, and kale. The nutrient also expedites plant regrowth after harvesting leaves.
Even ornamental flowers and houseplants need their share of phosphorus for dazzling blooms year after year. Bulb plants depend on phosphorus to multiply bulblets and stimulate flowering. Phosphorus truly is a jack-of-all-trades plant nutrient, which is why maintaining optimal levels is pivotal to every gardener’s success.
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The Advantages of Homemade Fertilizers
Creating your own homemade fertilizers offers many benefits compared to buying pre-made products. Homemade mixes provide nutrition from natural sources without chemical additives. Making DIY fertilizer also lets you control the exact formulation your plants receive. Here are some benefits of homemade fertilizers:
- Nutrient control. When you make DIY fertilizer, you can fine tune the recipe to provide your plants with the exact nutrient profile they need. Unlike generic one-size-fits-all commercial mixes, you can adjust the ratios of NPK, secondary macros, and micronutrients based on each plant’s unique requirements for optimal growth.
- No chemicals. Homemade organic fertilizers derive nutrients from natural sources like dried plant matter, compost, manures, fruit and vegetable scraps, and minerals. Avoiding synthetic chemicals means you don’t introduce toxins into your garden soil or indoor growing environment. Plants thrive on organic nutrition.
- Saves money. Pre-mixed and bottled fertilizers sold at garden centers can get expensive, especially for large gardens and constant feeders like tomatoes. Homemade blends utilize common household items you already have on hand like coffee grounds, banana peels, and eggshells. Why spend extra when you can fertilize your plants for free?
- Improves soil. Organic homemade fertilizers act as soil amendments to boost microbial activity and soil health as they release nutrients. Ingredients like compost, worm castings, and wood ash simultaneously condition your soil as they provide nutrition. This creates an optimal growing environment in both outdoor and container gardens.
- Better for plants. The nutrients derived from organic homemade fertilizers are superior plant food compared to synthetic chemical salts. Organic nutrients are chelated, meaning plants can easily absorb them. Chemical salts build up in soil and can burn roots. Homemade fertilizers also enrich soil biology, which is critical for plant health.
- Easy to make. Concocting homemade fertilizer recipes takes just a few simple kitchen tools and ingredients you likely already have on hand. With minimal effort, you can quickly make bulk batches of liquid fertilizer “teas” by steeping materials in water. For longer-lasting mixes, simply combine dry amendments and scratch them into garden beds or container soil.
- Opting for homemade fertilizer means less plastic waste from bottles and packaging. You also avoid the fossil fuels burned manufacturing and transporting commercial fertilizer. Homemade mixes utilize renewable, responsibly sourced ingredients like locally available compost. Making your own sustainable fertilizer lets you garden with ecological principles in mind.
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How to Make DIY Phosphorus Fertilizer?
Creating your own homemade phosphorus fertilizer is simple when you utilize easily accessible natural ingredients. Many common household items or food scraps contain ample amounts of usable phosphorus for plants. With minimal effort and expense, you can extract phosphorus from bones, rock dust, banana peels, and more to concoct plant-feeding fertilizer. This section will detail different methods for making a variety of do-it-yourself phosphorus mixes perfect for nourishing your garden.
Compost
Compost is an excellent source of phosphorus for gardens, along with other essential nutrients. Ensure your compost pile receives plenty of phosphorus-rich materials like bone meal, banana peels, and chicken manure. Then use your finished compost to create a compost tea or mix it directly into soil.
To make compost tea, fill a bucket halfway with finished compost. Top off with water and let sit for 3–7 days, stirring occasionally. The water will extract phosphorus and other nutrients from the compost. Use compost tea as a foliar spray or soil drench, diluting if necessary to avoid burning plants.
Eggshells
Used green tea leaves from brewed tea are rich in phosphorus and make an excellent fertilizer tea. Steep 1 cup used tea leaves in a bucket of water for 24 hours. Dilute the resulting brown liquid up to 10:1 with water and apply the tea as a soil drench or foliar feed every 2–3 weeks. The phosphorus and other nutrients in tea leaves are readily available to plants.
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Green Tea Leaves
Used tea leaves from brewed green tea make an excellent homemade fertilizer thanks to their nutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium. The most direct way to utilize them is by steeping the leaves in water to create a fertilizer tea.
Add 1 cup of used green tea leaves to a 5-gallon bucket of water. Allow the leaves to steep for 24–48 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer they steep, the more nutrients will leach into the water. Strain out the leaves and compost them. Dilute the resulting brown fertilizer tea at a ratio of 10:1 before applying.
The nutrients in the green tea fertilizer will be readily accessible to plants. Use the tea to water plants every 2–3 weeks. The tea will also help acidify soil. Dried, powdered green tea leaves can also be directly worked into potting mixes as a slow-release nutrition source. Take advantage of this free household ingredient!
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Wood Ash
Wood ash contains a highly soluble form of phosphorus from burned plant matter. Save wood ash from your fireplace or outdoor pit. Use no more than 1/4 cup wood ash per large plant and mix into soil once a month. Avoid fresh ash that is caustic. For a liquid fertilizer, steep 1/2 cup ash in a gallon of water for 1–2 days, then strain. Dilute the resulting solution 5:1 before applying.
Only use hardwood ash like oak, maple, beech, and fruit trees. Soft wood ash can be too high in salts. Always test soil pH after applying wood ash, as it raises pH. Add citric acid or sulfur to lower pH if needed. Wood ash works quickly to provide an initial phosphorus boost.
Green Manure
Green manure fertilizes soil with nutrients including phosphorus after you turn over cover crops. Good green manure choices high in phosphorus are buckwheat, lupines, and red clover. Cut down the green manure once flowering, then dig it into beds to decompose. The phosphorus is released over time. Mix in additional phosphorus amendments like rock phosphate when planting your next crop to replenish nutrients.
For best results, allow 2–3 weeks before planting the next crop to give green manure time to break down. This ensures sufficient phosphorus and other nutrients are available. Combining green manures with a balanced compost works well. Grass clippings, hay, and straw make good activators to speed up the decomposition process and nutrient release.
Banana peels
Banana peels are a potassium goldmine, but they also contain phosphorus. Add peels directly to compost, but for faster access to phosphorus, steep peels to make fertilizer tea. Add 15 peeled bananas to a 5-gallon bucket of water. After 2 weeks, strain the peels and dilute the brown fertilizer water 1:1 before pouring around plants. The phosphorus will be readily available.
Chop or mash peels thoroughly before steeping to extract the most nutrients. Aerated tea works best, so stir the bucket daily. The banana tea will also provide potassium, magnesium, calcium and micronutrients. Spent peels can still be composted after steeping. Banana tea gives plants a nutritional boost.
Bone meal
Crushed, powdered bones are an excellent slow-release source of calcium and phosphorus. Use bone meal derived from livestock animals, not fish. Apply 1-2 tablespoons bone meal per large plant by digging it into soil or mixing with potting blends. It can take 2–3 months for bone meal to fully break down and release its phosphorus to plants.
Look for untreated, raw bone meal to avoid chemical contamination. Bone meal is generally safe for pets, unlike burned bones. The coarse texture also improves soil structure and aeration as it decomposes. Bone meal is especially helpful for long-season plants like tomatoes that need a steady phosphorus supply. Use it at planting time and as a side dressing during the growing season.
Epsom Salts
Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) can be dissolved in water to create a liquid fertilizer containing phosphorus, magnesium, and sulfur. Add 2 tablespoons Epsom salts per gallon of warm water and stir to dissolve.
Cool before using. For foliar application, dilute 1:1 with water and spray plants. Use undiluted for soil drenching around plant bases. Epsom salt solutions work quickly to correct phosphorus and magnesium deficiencies.
Epsom salt fertilizer can be used on vegetables, flowers, and other plants. It is safe for plants when directions are followed properly regarding concentration and application method. Epsom salts improve phosphorus uptake and aid flowering and fruiting. Regular use can help maintain optimal phosphorus levels for robust growth.
Coffee Grounds
Used coffee grounds are rich sources of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus ideal for plants. Spread grounds thinly as mulch around plants, mix into potting soil, or brew into fertilizer tea. For tea, steep grounds overnight at a ratio of 1/2 pound grounds per gallon of water. Dilute 1:1 before using to prevent burning plants. The nutrients in coffee grounds are released as they break down.
While fresh grounds can also be applied directly around acid-loving plants like azaleas, it’s best to compost grounds first. Composting grounds for 2–4 weeks ensures the nutrients are readily available without lowering soil pH too drastically. Coffee grounds energize plants and soil life as they release phosphorus, nitrogen, and organic matter.
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Rock phosphate
Rock phosphate is a mineral directly mined from phosphate rock deposits. It contains calcium phosphate, which gradually becomes available to plants as it dissolves. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon soft rock phosphate per plant around roots and till into soil. It can take 6 months or longer to fully dissolve. Hard rock varieties may take years to become available.
Look for powdered rock phosphate, which breaks down faster than gravel forms. Soft rock phosphate dissolves best in acidic soils below pH 7. It won’t burn plants, allowing you to apply it anytime. Rock phosphate is an excellent source of long-term phosphorus for permanent plantings. Reapply annually. Avoid letting it contact leaves.
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Burned Cucumber Skins
Charring cucumber skins adds phosphorus and makes it easily absorbed by plants. Place skins in a metal pan and bake at 200°F for 2 hours. The skins will burn and crumble. Steep 1 cup burned skins in a 5-gallon bucket of water for 2 weeks. Strain, dilute the brown liquid 2:1, and used to feed plants. Repeat applications every 2–3 weeks.
You can also till charred skins directly into soil as you would biochar. This slow-release method steadily provides phosphorus as the skins decompose. Either way, the charring transforms the phosphorus into a highly bioavailable form that plants can readily take up through their roots and leaves.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do homemade phosphorus fertilizers expire or go bad?
Most homemade phosphorus fertilizers have a relatively long shelf life and do not expire quickly. Dry amendments like bone meal, rock phosphate, and wood ash can remain effective for 2–3 years if stored in sealed containers in a cool, dry place. Liquid fertilizers and teas may last 6–12 months if kept refrigerated and in airtight bottles. Over time, they lose potency as the nutrients break down. Compost has the shortest viability, lasting about 3–6 months once finished.
What household ingredients contain phosphorus I can use?
Many common food scraps and household items contain phosphorus that can be used for homemade fertilizer, including: egg shells, banana peels, meat and fish bones, dairy products, nutshells, green tea leaves, coffee grounds, cucumber peelings, and stale beer or wine. Animal manures also provide phosphorus. Burning plant matter like tree trimmings creates phosphorus-rich wood ash.
Are there any risks to using homemade phosphorus fertilizers?
When applied properly, the only risk is possible phytotoxicity or fertilizer burn if too high of a concentration is used. This can be avoided by following recommended dilution ratios. Otherwise, organic, homemade phosphorus amendments are very safe for plants, soil, pets, and the environment compared to chemical sources. Always test new mixes on a small number of plants first.
What are signs of phosphorus overload or toxicity?
Applying excess phosphorus can impair plant growth. Signs of too much phosphorus include dark foliage, red tints on stems or undersides of leaves, necrotic spotting, limp leaves, stunted growth, and reduced flowering and fruiting. Overabundance of phosphorus can also cause micronutrient deficiencies by blocking uptake. Routinely get soil tests to ensure optimum phosphorus levels.
Can too much phosphorus hurt my plants?
Yes, excessive phosphorus fertilization can be detrimental to plant health. In addition to direct toxicity symptoms, over-application of phosphorus fertilizers can raise soil salinity, deplete calcium and iron, reduce mycorrhizal colonization, and cause zinc, copper and manganese deficiencies. It also pollutes groundwater if it leaches from soil. Use soil testing and plant indications to guide proper phosphorus amounts.
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