Fertilization

Just like humans, plants need nutrition to grow and become good, nutritious food for us. Below are some suggestions for different types of fertilizer.

  • Garden fertilizer/complete fertilizer/artificial fertilizer/NKP: Fertilizes the plants, but does not build up the carbon stock and does not support micro-life. Is not compatible with organic cultivation and should be supplemented with organic fertilizer. Fertilize with the amount stated on the bag.
  • Compost from food waste or garden waste. Educational and free. Compost has no maximum limit. And can be used at any time of the season. Composted food waste contains more nutrients than garden waste compost.
  • Livestock manure: horse, cow, goat, sheep, chicken or rabbit. Chicken manure is strong and should be used carefully. Horse manure in particular should be composted first, and this applies to all livestock manure with the exception of rabbit manure, which is great right away. Use a maximum of 3 kg per square meter. Fresh manure should not come into contact with food, so the fresh manure must be used long before you harvest. If the manure has been composted, you don't need to worry about this. Cow compost bought in bags is composted and contains a lot of peat, so you can use much more than 3 kg here. You don't need to be afraid of using too much. With chicken manure, you use a maximum of 2 dl per square meter. Chicken manure from a garden center is heat-treated and no longer contains infection from animals, but it is strong and should not come into direct contact with plant parts.
  • Fresh grass clippings are a great fertilizer. Add 5-10 cm at a time from spring. Add a new layer when the previous one has broken down. After the end of July, there is not much point in adding more.
  • Seaweed (rinse it to remove salt residue or leave it in the rain before use) A 10 cm thick layer of seaweed also works as a ground cover and prevents weeds. Seaweed is not very nutritious so it can be supplemented with other types of fertilizer, especially for nutrient-demanding plants and if you use seaweed as fertilizer for many years in a row.
  • Bone meal or blood meal (can be purchased at a garden center) Use the amount recommended on the package.
  • Nettle water. Gather a bunch of nettles and soak them in water for 14 days. Dilute 1 to 10 and water the plants with the nettle water once a week.