Gardening Things with Friends’ Ashley (@gardeningwithfriends) showed her viewers how to make DIY fertilizer in a TikTok video. Her method involves using a pesky element that may already be in your yard, along with a bucket.
The scoop
Picking weeds can be time-consuming, but it’s a must to protect your yard and native plants. Luckily, Ashley showed her viewers how to make the most of them after removal.
@gardenthingswithfriends Turn yard weeds into wonders for your Vegetable Garden! 🌿 Learn how to whip up your own garden fertilizer using those pesky yard weeds. ♻️ This DIY Garden Project is eco-friendly, budget-friendly, and your plants will thank you! 🌱 Say goodbye to expensive store-bought fertilizers and hello to natural, homemade goodness! #DIYGardening #gardening #gardenprojects #GreenThumb ♬ original sound – Ashley | Gardening Tips & UGC
Instead of throwing them away, Ashley filled a bucket with the weeds until it’s 90% full. “I like to chop the plants up to increase the surface area and the amount I can get into the bucket,” she said.
Next, she used bricks to weigh the weeds down and filled the bucket with water. Cover, and let the weed solution brew for a couple of weeks or more. The final result is a liquid feed you can spread as needed.
She strained the weeds out and used ½ cup of the fertilizer per gallon of water.
How it’s helping
Gardening is an easy way to reduce grocery expenses by growing your own food. Luckily, DIY fertilizer further reduces those expenses by foregoing the need for a store-bought option and can increase your yield. Gardening is also known to offer great mental and physical health benefits. It’s a good exercise and helps lower stress and anxiety levels.
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Have peace of mind as you pick and eat clean produce after using organic fertilizer free from chemicals. You’ll know what’s in your plant feed and can cheaply reduce reliance on globally shipped and mass-produced produce from afar.
According to Farmerline, inorganic fertilizer production often involves combusting dirty fuels at high temperatures, which pollutes and overheats the atmosphere with the release of CO2. With some DIY fertilizer, you can reduce your carbon footprint and help enable a cooler planet.
One TikToker’s “hippie dad” proclaimed, “Weeds have a lot of nutrients in them,” as he promoted this method. The nutrient profile, which can include micronutrients like boron, iron, or selenium, or macronutrients like potassium and nitrogen, depends on the types of weed you use.
Another hack can prevent food waste — a major problem in the United States, as discarded food makes up to 30% to 40% of items in landfills, according to Feeding America. Instead of trashing scraps, copy one gardener who uses eggshells, which add calcium to the soil. Just remember to crush them finely before using.
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If you’re tired of cute rabbits eating your leafy greens, remember they may reward you when they poop it out. One gardener saves the bunny poop in a jar, which can be applied directly to the soil without the need for composting first.
What everyone’s saying
There were lots of positive reactions in the comments, with one person saying, “This is so helpful!!!” Others said they plan to try this method.
However, users should be aware of the smell of this DIY solution. Ashley agreed with a commenter who remarked, “It smelled awfully raw… I had to take frequent vomit breaks. [It] works though.”
The person who stated, “I have been pulling weeds for decades and throwing them in the trash!” can now put them to good use and reduce that landfill waste.
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