What is a natural nitrogen source for my plants?
My potted plant leaves are getting a little yellowish. My Dad told me that they need a nitrogen boost and he gave me the blue ‘Miracle Grow’. It worked but I’m wondering if there is another way. Any suggestions for me? I don’t have a garden, just a balcony.
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There are many organic fertilizers available including fish emulsion, bat guano, chicken manure, etc. They take a little longer to see results, but they do work excellent.
Egg shells contain some nitrogen. Just clean them, let dry and then crush them until it’s almost powder. This adds nitrogen slowly over time. But coffee grounds are best for adding nitrogen. Just don’t add too much at one time to a small house plant. The grounds tend to get kind of moldy if too much is used in a small area. But another suggestion — if you’re overwatering, that will turn leaves yellow also. (Not enough water, and they turn brown.)
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Eggshells don’t add nitrogen, they are pure calcium. All plants need calcium in some amount.
Yellowing leaves can be a sign of overwatering. But if the Miracle Grow helped, you might want to find a good slow release fertilizer. Organic fertilizers don’t have the potential to burn plants if too much is used. They don’t work as fast as chemical fertilizers, but they last longer and contribute to the overall health of the plant and the soil.
Yellowing can be cause by many things.Could be just natural growth cycle. Pale light green leaves are usually a sign of nitrogen deficiency.
http://www.hbci.com/~wenonah/min-def/list.htm
Urine is a good source of nitrogen. Urine is powerful stuff, so it needs to be diluted. 20:1 is a good water to urine ratio to start with. Add more water or urine depending on how well the plant(s) take it.
http://greywateraction.org/content/corn-grown-urine-fertilizer
http://barebonesgardening.blogspot.com/2007/10/free-urea-based-fertilizer.html
Freshwater aquarium water is also a good source or nitrogen.
coffee grounds are a good source of nitrogen
Believe it or not, an excellent source of slow release nitrogen is the alfalfa pellets used for rabbit feed. Try and use one that is strictly alfalfa, no vitamins or minerals. There’s a great book called The Organic Lawncare Manual by Paul Tukey. He gives quite a few organic solutions for fertilizing.
Used Coffee Grounds
Egg shells do have a small amount of nitrogen in them. But coffee grounds are the way to go.
fresh grass clippings are full of nitrogen, easy to get, free, etc.