If you want a garden that's healthy, productive, and chemical-free. The good news is, some of the best soil boosters are already hiding in your kitchen or compost pile. These organic homemade fertilizers are simple to make, budget-friendly, and powerful enough to support everything from juicy tomatoes to flowering fruit trees.
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Why Use Organic Soil Boosters?
Healthy soil is the foundation of strong plants. Organic soil boosters:
- Improve soil texture and drainage
- Add nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium
- Feed beneficial microbes
- Help you reuse food scraps and garden waste
- Are safe for kids, pets, and pollinators
Whether you’re starting seedlings, growing herbs, or tending to fruit trees, these boosters provide the nutrients your plants need to thrive naturally.
Plant-Based Soil Boosters
Banana Peel Fertilizer
Banana peels are naturally rich in potassium and phosphorus, which help flowering and fruiting plants develop strong blooms and produce sweet, juicy fruits.
Great for: Soursop, citrus, tomatoes, peppers
How to Make It:
Chop up banana peels and soak them in a jar of water for 3 to 5 days. Strain and pour the liquid around your plant's base. You can also bury chopped peels directly into the soil.
Vegetable Cooking Water
When you boil or steam vegetables, the water retains trace minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium, which are excellent for general plant health.
Great for: Leafy greens, herbs, young fruit trees like avocado
How to Make It:
After boiling vegetables (no salt added), let the water cool to room temperature. Use it as-is to water your garden. I keep a jug under the sink for straining veggie water.
Eggshell Water
Eggshells are high in calcium, which is essential for preventing blossom-end rot in tomatoes and peppers. It also helps fruit trees build strong cell walls.
Great for: Tomatoes, peppers, citrus trees
How to Make It:
Rinse and crush 6 to 10 eggshells. Soak them in a quart of water overnight. Strain and use the water around your plants. The leftover shells can go right into your compost.
Comfrey Fertilizer
Comfrey is a fast-growing perennial herb known for its deep roots, which draw up minerals from the soil. The leaves are packed with potassium and trace nutrients, making them perfect for a powerful homemade fertilizer.
Great for: Fruiting plants like squash, melons, and young mango or soursop trees
How to Make It:
Comfrey grows wild in many temperate regions and is especially common in parts of the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and the UK. If you don’t already have it growing in your yard, check with local gardening groups or native plant swaps—once you have a patch, it’ll come back year after year.
To make the fertilizer, pack a container with chopped comfrey leaves and cover with water. Let it steep for 3 to 5 weeks, stirring every few days. Fair warning—it does get smelly, so keep it tucked behind the shed or in a far corner of the yard. Strain and dilute the liquid 1:10 before applying to the soil around your plants.
Animal-Based Soil Boosters
Worm Castings
The byproduct of composting worms, worm castings are packed with nutrients and beneficial microbes that support plant growth.
Great for:Seedlings, leafy greens, and container-grown fruit trees like figs or dwarf citrus
How to Make It or Source It:You can raise red wigglers in a simple worm bin or buy worm castings from most garden centers. Mix them directly into soil or use as a top dressing.
Manure Tea
A nutrient-rich liquid made by soaking aged animal manure in water. It's a gentle, effective fertilizer for both vegetables and trees. Perfect for livestock farmers.
Great for:Corn, squash, and larger fruit trees like avocado and guava
How to Make It:If you’re on a homestead, small farm, or know a local farm, well-aged manure from herbivores like cows, horses, or chickens can be gold for your garden. To make manure tea, fill a bucket one-third full with composted manure, then top it off with water. Let it sit for 2 to 3 days, stirring daily. Strain and dilute the liquid 1:5 with clean water before applying to plants.
If you don’t have easy access to manure, skip this one and use compost tea or worm castings instead. They’re just as effective for most home gardens and a lot easier to manage.
Mineral-Based Soil Boosters
Wood Ash
The powdery residue from burned untreated wood. It's rich in potassium and calcium, making it a great soil amendment in small doses.
Great for:Root vegetables and fruit trees that prefer a slightly alkaline soil, like figs
How to Make It:Collect cool ashes from your fireplace or outdoor fire pit. Sprinkle a small amount into the soil and mix thoroughly. Avoid using too much or around acid-loving plants.
Greensand
A natural mineral product made from marine deposits. It contains potassium, iron, and magnesium and improves soil structure and water retention.
Great for:Blueberries, raspberries, and soursop trees during dry spells
How to Make It or Source It:Available at most organic garden stores. Mix it into soil at planting time or broadcast around mature plants and water in.
Epsom Salt
Magnesium sulfate, which helps with chlorophyll production and improves nutrient uptake.
Great for:Tomatoes, peppers, roses, and newly planted fruit trees
How to Make It or Source It:Dissolve 1 to 2 tablespoons in a gallon of water. Apply around the base of plants every 3 to 4 weeks during the growing season.
DIY Liquid Fertilizer Recipes
Compost Tea
A brew made by steeping mature compost in water. It boosts microbial activity and delivers a mild, balanced nutrient feed.
Great for:Just about everything, from lettuce to fruit trees
How to Make It:Place a few shovels of finished compost in a 5-gallon bucket. Fill with water and stir daily for 3 to 5 days. Strain and use the liquid to water your garden beds or as a foliar spray.
Dandelion Tea
What it is:A homemade liquid fertilizer made by soaking nutrient-rich weeds in water. Plants like dandelion, nettle, and chickweed are loaded with minerals that leach into the water as they break down.
Great for:Fast-growing crops like zucchini and leafy greens, and a wonderful tonic for fruit trees during their active growth phase
How to Make It:Fill a bucket with chopped fresh weeds (make sure they haven’t gone to seed). Cover with water and let sit for 1 to 2 weeks, stirring occasionally. Strain and dilute the liquid 1:10 before using. Be warned—it has a strong smell, so use it outdoors and store it away from the house.
Rice Water
Rice water is the starchy liquid left over after cooking rice. It contains trace minerals, B vitamins, and small amounts of nitrogen that support root growth and healthy leaf development. It’s one of the easiest, most low-waste soil boosters you can use.
Great for:Young seedlings, houseplants, herbs, and sapling fruit trees like citrus or soursop
How to Make It:After boiling rice (without salt), let the water cool to room temperature. You can also use water from rinsing rice before cooking. Use the cooled water as a gentle root drench once a week. It’s especially helpful for young or stressed plants that need a boost without overwhelming their roots.
When and How Often to Apply Boosters
Here’s how I like to schedule it in my own garden:
- Spring: Compost tea and worm castings to kick things off
- Summer: Banana water and Epsom salt for fruiting plants
- Fall: Greensand and compost to build winter soil health
Most liquid boosters can be applied every 1 to 2 weeks. Soil amendments like worm castings or wood ash can be added monthly or as needed.
Making Your Own Soil Boosters is Easy
Making your own soil boosters is easy, affordable, and surprisingly fun. You don’t need fancy products or complicated steps. It just takes a little time, some kitchen scraps, and a willingness to get your hands dirty.
Whether you're planting tomatoes, tending to herbs, or nurturing young soursop trees, these organic fertilizers will keep your soil rich, your plants strong, and your harvests beautiful.
So go ahead and save those banana peels, mix up a little compost tea, and give your garden a homemade dose of love.
