How to Make Organic Fertilizer (FOR FREE)

Organic fertilizer that you make yourself is an easy and effective way to add nutrients to your soil. In this complete guide Gardener Scott shows how to select the best plants to make a nutrient-rich fertilizer. (Video #466)
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[@onedazinn998]

I watched a tip from a gardener in Kenya who uses all kinds of plastic containers & she brilliantly came up with composting kitchen scraps and greens in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid and installed spigot at the bottom. (I'm not sure how often she empties old matter and starts over) She doesn't have to mess with stirring the stinky mess she just keeps adding new material and using the liquid & a ratio of water to fertilize her plants. Her channel is called beuriful Nyawe.

[@italianwiseguy4658]

This is the basic fundamentals of JADAM fertilizer that our ancestors used. This takes organic gardening to the next level. I've got barrels that are 2 years old that I use that have been fermenting the whole time. The longer it ferments the better it is.

[@GardeningwithJohnMiller]

I am a gardener and I really like it

[@enna4986]

What’s in them?

[@DFontaine7]

So does this mean I dont need to BUY fertilizer anymore?

[@barbaravanerp4598]

Guess what helps with the smell? Biochar…and then the biochar is also inoculated

[@umiluv]

Thanks for the tip!

[@rangerswife2176]

Yay for biochar! Another blessed surprise!

[@hmmm..2733]

Thank you!!!!

[@vincecallagher7636]

Always more to know.

[@dtroystopper2]

Biochar is a scam, just like this "tea". Absolutely no benefit to using either.

[@aprilbreen9207]

Got this from Huw Richards’ channel: Dock which is abundant in my yard also accumulates minerals. I have a small amount of dandelions and I let them stay to loosen up the soil but cut their leaves for their amazing collection of minerals. I’m in central new jersey so dock is my mineral factory. BTW I got empty gallon milk jugs from a nearby coffee place

[@bseaton2002]

Thank you for sharing your experience with us and for getting right to the details! I hate watching a video and feeling like I just wasted minutes of my life 😢and still getting no knowledge! Love your content!!❤❤👍👍 God Bless

[@TheBhannah]

I also use lots of burdock … but prefer to dry out the plants first then put in your bucket of water then drain it after a day or so because it’s nice and dark and smells great ! I will add more water and leach it again then compost the leftover .

[@ImpatientGardenerOhio]

I do this but I use another 5 gallon bucket with a bunch of holes in it and put the plants in the top holey bucket and then pull the bucket out when I go to use it. It acts as a strainer.

[@Stormymystic]

I recently found you, while looking for information on pumpkins. I am brand new to gardening, and your ease of explaining things hooked me in. I look forward to learning so much more from you!

[@matthawkins4579]

As you keep adding plants to your brew...in my head I am saying..."But wait, there's more. "

[@Yankeesista203]

Yup! I do this and call it Super Juice! It stinks to high heaven, but my container plants leap for joy! I get paint strainers from HD. They come 2 per pack and are not expensive! They fit perfectly in a 5 gal HD bucket! When I'm ready to use it I just pull the strainer bag out and all that's left behind is the solution! I'd love to try a spigot on the bucket and really have it ready made! I also dilute the tea. If I have rain water I will use that also! Thanks Gardener Scott for elaborating on this free fertilizer! My plants respond very well!

[@Oktopia]

I use a blend of Nettles, Comfrey, Dandilions, and Horsetail. It serves me well for all my plants. The material that is left I wring well and put it into my hot compost bin.

[@danlawson3782]

That horse tail is rich in silica. That's good stuff man!

[@Oktopia]

@@danlawson3782 I know right? I had someone on here give me the tip to try it and it's supposed to be extra good on beans :D

[@dtroystopper2]

You're not extracting silica, or anything else from those plants by soaking them in water. You're literally just making them smelly and harder for your compost pile to digest. That water you make has absolutely zero nutritional value. Go ahead and use an NPK test if you don't believe me.

[@AllAboutChris16]

Such a good video, I’m a new gardener starting at a young age (16) and I wanted to find a way to make organic fertilizer for my plants, I just so happened to have stinging nettle and dandelions growing and tossed them into a bucket. Can’t wait to use it. Very informative video subbed.

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! Welcome to the channel!

[@dirtcheapgarden22]

I added a cheap air pump and stone from Amazon to my barrel and like magic, no more smell and no more mosquitos. I dilute this with water at about 20-1 and all of my leafy greens and brassicas thrive.

[@umiluv]

Thank you for the tip!

[@ninemoonplanet]

I removed the air stone because it gets clogged with some bacteria that can be toxic. Just the hose as bubbler works great.

[@dirtcheapgarden22]

@@ninemoonplanet That's great news. Be sure to compare the outcome with an isolated plant before using it on everything. Your results might be different than mine.

[@jonisolis9645]

What do you add to the barrel and how often and do you strain the mix before use? How long does it take to break down and stop smelling? thanks

[@dirtcheapgarden22]

@@jonisolis9645 I've been adding green material from any plants as I prune or chop. I've had my barrel for 2 years now and I emptied and cleaned it last fall before shutting the garden down and then refilled it. Keep in mind, if you can get away from using tap water, your results might be better. Use what you have but I did notice a difference in how fast the material breaks down. When I want to fertilize things, I push any floating material down and dip from the top of the barrel. I was told that the results are completely different between aerobic and anaerobic. You might want to experiment but honestly, I didn't notice any difference aside from the smell and the mosquitoes. Good luck.'

[@dustyflats3832]

Nice to know. 😂 I have a bucket that I started over a month ago and I’m afraid to uncover it as it’s strong enough covered😅. I used nettles and some compost and that’s when things were still green here and not dust. There is zero green here and after a short travel today there are many trees that I’m sure will die. We need rain BADLY! It’s too dry here the dew points are way too low and the plants are not transpiring enough to allow rain to move in. Todays News explained how drought feeds itself. So I was thinking of taking a bit of slurry today and diluting it and trying it on the popcorn first to see if it likes it or knocks it dead. Hooray!🎉🎉 I have started irrigation!! Major accomplishment and will save the plants, money, time and alleviate watering frustration with the hose. I will actually have time to Enjoy Gardening😁 Send rain please.😊

[@lisareaume3857]

THIS IS AMAZING. Here we have been putting the dandelions in the compost. Good stuff Gardener Scott!

[@matthewb1386]

I did this to activate my home made biochar. I added chicken poop from my flock as well. After 2 weeks i mixed the liquid and solids into my compost bin.

[@lastchancemonicam3948]

Dear G.S. Peace, and thank you for the video. I do something similar with my compost tea- which I know you don't believe in, but hear me out. Compost naturally decomposes leaving a liquid, and I collect that in a plastic storage bin. When I need a little nutrient help in my garden, I get some, water it down until it's about the color of wheat tea, and it works wonders. Sometimes, if I know it will rain really hard, I won't water it down. It still works.

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks, Monica. Thanks for sharing. It's good to know that works for you.

[@northeasterndirtandpropert7974]

I built a sieve for screening my manure tea using storm door aluminium screen.Does not rust,easily cleaned,and also filters down to a good particulate size.

[@janicejurgensen2122]

Awesome tutorial as always. Thank you I can’t wait to use it! Thank you!!

[@anniecochrane3359]

Great stuff!!! Thanks for sharing your formula!!

[@daleparks6781]

Another plant i feel is great to add called moringa olifera it has 47 vitamins and minerals 👍

[@budgetgardeningvita]

Wonderful video full of great information. I just got some Comfrey plants so I'm very excited to put those plants to good use! 🌷🌿

[@janicejurgensen2122]

BTW I ordered the musik garlic you recommended and am so very happy with the beautiful and large garlic I was able to harvest my first time growing it. Thank you. I will be replanting some of the largest bulb seeds for next year. Thank you.

[@ecologytoday]

Thank you for the informative video. Food for thought.

[@christineelsey3104]

Love it.. also heard this from garden like a viking.. I'm about to use my 1st try on my garden this week.. I'm hoping it works great.. & I'm sure it will, now that I know at least 2 of you very knowledgeable gardeners do it yourselves, very similarly.. Thanks for the advice ... Been enjoying watching Eli.. man, they've been busy.. lol.. Have a great rest of your summer..

[@leahkramer9359]

I use this method for liquid fertilizer and love it. My only advice to people who may have neighbors in close proximity is to bury what remains of the plants after you remove them from the "sludge" It smells absolutely horrible. Otherwise, this is great and will continue to do for years to come.

[@enna4986]

What about burning it?

[@leahkramer9359]

@@enna4986 it's a wet, sloppy mess. I don't think it would burn. I hope that answers your question!

[@whiskerfishermantv]

I do this with a lot of weeds. The water kills the seed and I bury the left over material in the fall, The worms seem to love it.!

[@aprilbreen9207]

Comfrey is very hard to find at nurseries but they have it at the wonderful Bountiful Gardens in Hillsborough NJ

[@barrycurran1985]

Thanks for this awesome videos. I do this too and it add dried clay powder from my garden and wood ash from my fire pit as well... I dilute it 5x wit water before I water.

[@hmmm..2733]

Great video! Thank you for helping us keep home gardening more affordable. Costco has plastic frosting buckets they will give away if you ask them. I’m saving some rainwater and waiting now for the dandelions to pop up. I threw a handful of compost in the water and a couple of weeds, but want the dandelions in there too.

[@Joshua-uj8bc]

I like your style. Old fashion work, with an educated explanations. I greatly appreciate the advice for my new endeavors

[@juliaarmato3984]

Excellent! Thank you. God bless

[@angelbmann3531]

I just Love your videos, and how you explain things. Thank you

[@ThriveGarden]

Impressive! Thank you for sharing

[@aprilbreen9207]

Whoa! Stacking functions! I love hoverflies ! Thanks for the tip

[@geme_composter]

Thanks for sharing. I love your garden

[@priayief]

I use my homemade compost supplemented by commercial compost for growing veggies and perennials. I wasn't always this way. Many years ago I added all kinds of soil supplements. I was going through what I call my garden tea stage when I was brewing all kinds of teas. I think it was when I was shopping with my wife and told her I had to visit an aquarium store to pick up a pump. I needed the pump to aerate some kind of mix of materials that included molasses and other ingredients. My wife (who knows nothing about gardening) apparently couldn't take this any more and she started venting. I remember she said that she couldn't stand having all those stinky buckets in the garden and that getting an aquarium pump to make more stinky messes just didn't make sense. I tried to explain to her why these things work but she wasn't in the mood to understand. At the end, she said that I didn't even know if these things worked. Her last comment hit me. She was right. I didn't know, yet I trusted that they did. So I resolved to dedicate two of my four-foot square beds to run trials. I applied only end-of-season compost to both beds and then planted an identical assortment of carrots, radishes, peppers, tomatoes, and lettuce on both beds. In one bed I added comfrey tea about every two or three weeks. At the end of the season (even though I didn't precisely measure my product) I didn't notice any difference. I didn't like this result - it would mean my wife was right. So the next season I went out a bought the aquarium pump and brewed the molasses concoction. I did the same experiment but with this aerated tea. Same result ... no difference. I no longer brew compost teas but I'm still intrigued by the idea. Especially when someone with your credibility endorses it. Maybe I've been doing something wrong?

[@GardenerScott]

I don't think you're doing anything wrong. I've said before that "a good garden grows where a good gardener goes." Often the act of trying something like DIY fertilizer and other "tricks" have minimal if any effect, but the act of doing it and caring for the plants is enough for success. It gets the gardener into the garden and in the process other important gardening takes place, like weeding, watering, pest control, and soil development. There are expert scientists who endorse compost teas and others who show it to be a waste of time. It could be that using a DIY fertilizer adds nutrients, or it could be that it adds few nutrients but does add partially decomposed organic particles to the soil, or it could be that it has no effect other than getting the gardener to be more involved and more knowledgeable.

[@priayief]

@@GardenerScott Well said! Just the act of doing something in one's garden is a reward itself.

[@doomgiver3599]

I have the same grill. Put a jar in the bucket and when it is full just put the cap on the jar and use or discard.

[@jamestyrer6067]

THANKS FOR THIS INFORMATION 😊

[@mandandi]

I guess anther plant to add would be moringa leaves. Moringa has lots of nutrients, plus plant growth hormone.

[@richbattaglia5350]

Thank you!

[@judyrobertson5564]

I always enjoy your videos. God bless you and yours.

[@Randy_Smith]

after watching one of your previous videos about making and using comfrey tea I started growing my own comfrey and this year have been using it's leaves along with various weeds to brew up my own liquid fertilizer. I've used it primarily on potatoes and sweet potatoes that I'm growing in containers. Too early to know what the results will be but if the amount of visible vegetation is any indication then hopefully the potatoes underneath will be plentiful.

[@catherinemurphy873]

Very interesting. Thanks 👍

[@veronicamartinezmedema8273]

Excellent explanation ,thank you.

[@eliandkate]

Hands up - I did not know that about dandelions ❤

[@franksinatra1070]

Great video Scott. We have a lot of dandelions like most people so I may try to do this in the future. Doesn't seem that difficult once you get the technique down. I may try to grow some comfrey if I can find some room to add to the mix.

[@LLAMA-LLAMA]

I’ve been meaning to try this and you made it look so easy. My ultimate goal is to have the garden be as self sufficient as possible so I’ll definitely be trying this soon… I think I need some more buckets 😅. Thank you for the inspiration and helpful nudge!

[@pajcka]

One barrel of 50 gallons, water, grass, weeds, waste from the kitchen and that's fertilizer. I've been using it all season.

[@Dechensangmo]

Thank you 🙏🌻

[@Tanmicmak]

Im experimenting with a mix of seaweed, stinging nettle, comfrey and horsetail te at the minute. Will add some dandelion. Hoping itll be a superfeed 😊

[@GardeningwithJohnMiller]

It's great because it's very useful to me

[@JoyoftheGardenandHome]

I have a 50gal drum (free found) that's been cycling weeds and rain water going on 3 yrs. I fertigate at least once a month, mainly since it takes 2hrs😅

[@georgelay5426]

Short, simple but still thoroughly educative and enjoyable. I’m just wondering if they won’t react to the gallon containers now that they’re plastic.

[@KennyG233]

great idea...

[@pieterbudiarta5973]

Add chopped banana trunks for phospor and some eggs for amino acids will be great 🔥

[@SahibaZaee_plantscare]

Very helpful sharing

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

Not only is this a good way to make fertilizer, the decomposing plant matter in water can also serve as a hoverfly lagoon, as hoverflies are important pollinators.

[@danlawson3782]

This is so cool, natural helping natural. This entire ecosystem working together without all of those dreadful chemicals

[@MercyNchessie]

Beautiful

[@tonyak2446]

I think using brassica plants to make the tea is also good

[@emilnorth-ld9dq]

I've been doing this for a few yrs. now i fill a 5 gal. bucket with water and add two quarts of the smelly stuff and it has all way done very well.

[@dtroystopper2]

It's not the tea, you're just using good soil that doesn't need a lot of additional nutrients

[@rickrhoduscarolefrazier-rh565]

Just started watching your channel. You gotta be around Ft Collins area.?? My friend who still lives there, worked for ARS. I've been to the Seed Storage Lab at CSU, amazing stuff. Even tho my degree is in Chemistry, you've got a LOT of practical info here for gardeners. I used to do this with weeds, by accident, bucket sat out, rain, got nasty. Never correlated using that solution as fertilizer. No longer in Colorado, sadly, but will use this in my new first year garden. Thank you for a really informative channel. Been hit with stinging nettle many times hiking. Not sure if it grows here in Ohio, but this property has TONS of dandelions!!! Grandma in Idaho used to grow Comfry for use as a tea.

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! I'm down near Colorado Springs.

[@LileCremeans]

I use paint strainer bags that fit 5 gallon buckets when making fertilizer or compost tea.

[@GardenerScott]

That's a great idea. Thanks!

[@KPaul7]

QUESTION What about weed seeds and is grass an OK plant to use?

[@homermtz]

grass = lots of nitrogen seeds = will die out but i wait about 3months on my concoction to make sure weeds wont survive

[@KPaul7]

@homermtz thank you so much ❤️ Nitrogen is what I thought and I'm am at the 3 mouth mark so perfect. It was grass cuttings but I know there were weed seeds like dandelion. 👍 now I know more. I will be digging up dandelions next year and the next year and the next. Who am I kidding, I will be digging them up forever but that is perfect. I'll just make fertilizer.

[@topsail86]

i woudent use dandelion to make fertilizer,because i eat dandelion.😊😊

[@Horse237]

Alfalfa has roots 20 feet long. Alfalfa also contains the minerals Phosphorus, Calcium, Potassium, Sodium, Chlorine, Sulfur, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese, Iron, Cobalt, Boron, Molybdenum and trace elements such as Nickel, Lead, Strontium and Palladium. Comfrey has 80 inch deep roots.

[@mrf5347]

How about sweet clover??? I only have a few alfalfa plants. I am saving to propagate with the seeds, as these plants survived our unusually harsh winters of recent.

[@richbattaglia5350]

Strontium? That’s a radioactive isotope found in some fallout. Can Alfalfa work as a bio-remediator for fallout?

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, alfalfa is another good plant.

[@danlawson3782]

​@richbattaglia5350 This is scary stuff my friend. You just gave me a great idea, what if I build an underground fallout shelter and plant a heavy crop of alfalfa over top of it. The Lead and Strontium content should help filter out of the radiation!

[@Horse237]

@@mrf5347 I looked it up online for you. Its roots are 5 feet deep in year one, 8 feet in year two. It also a nitrogen fixer and does pull up minerals.

[@brianseybert2189]

You got me hooked growing comfrey the 2nd year in the garden. Now I have comfrey coming up all over the garden, which is fine, I use it as a mulch and feed to the worms. All ready on my second batch of comfrey extract. Trying it out on my lawn this year. How do you like your Rec Tec pellet grill? Bought one 3 years ago and just love it. I went for the additional smoke box. I can cold smoke salmon and cheese in the winter, simply marvelous. I also got the insulated cover, use mine 12 months out of the year. Best Thanksgiving turkey ever. Stay Well!!!

[@GardenerScott]

I love my RecTec. I don't use it much in the winter, but want to more. You may have motivated me to do it.

[@michaelesimukoko837]

❤ It's true feed😂the soil before you feed the plant.

[@agrohome5344]

Nice friend

[@sejalpatel2422]

Hello sir, I did it with rhubarb , mine last year veg. With root. I don’t know what to use so I did it like this in may. But I didn’t stir it.

[@stephenluna7932]

Fantastic video. Where did you get the stinging nettle seeds?

[@GardenerScott]

I believe I got them from Mountain Rose Herbs.

[@kaittemurry4740]

I can't seem to grow stinging nettle or comfrey

[@rickthelian2215]

I tried this process but in a Large Brute Garbage Bin using a semi permeable bag dipping it into the bin which is normal full of rain water. Once finished I let the semi permeable bag in two boards to drip dry the put the contents into my compost bin. I did ask Charles Downing on this only a few weeks ago, his answer was it was a waste of time just composting it would be better.😊

[@roottrackerzbyyaira]

Thank you for this valuable video!! Can moringa olifera leaves be used?

[@GardenerScott]

Sure. They have a lot of nutrients.

[@novampires223]

If you pump air into your buckets, it won’t stink. Use a decorative pump or aquarium bubbler. Then it has the better bacteria in it and won’t smell bad.

[@tessamoland797]

Oh wow!!!! Now I know what I can do with all of the dandelions plaguing my yard. ❤❤❤❤❤ How long can a gallon of fertilizer last? Is there a shelf life?

[@GardenerScott]

It will degrade in time, but I use it withing a couple months.

[@DonnyPlunkett]

Hi @Gardener Scott , Excellent video! Is this fertilzier blend you make in the video similar to compost tea? How comparable is it to commercial liquid fertilizers (the ones that gardeners often feed to plants once or twice a week)? In the video you said that you only apply it twice to plants during the growing season. But would such a blend be suitable for weekly feedling for container plants? For instance if it was duluted with more than 90% water like you do in the video?

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! Compost tea is often made to promote bacteria, but the nutrients will be similar. Most commercial fertilizers just have N-P-K and these has other nutrients. If soil is deficient and plants need more, more can be used.

[@robinstephens6889]

I used collard greens

[@sekhem313]

What NOT to use in the tea? Assuming Allium/onion etc bad correct?

[@GardenerScott]

They can be used. They're not high in nutrients though.

[@alicias9928]

Last summer I bought a lot of perennials in one gallon pots, and planted them in 3 gallon pots. I thought that much potting soil would protect them in the winter, it did not. Lesson learned. I plan to put up a 30" tall metal bed and put asparagus in in, and 17" tall metal beds with blueberries. I want them to make it through the winter, and I have a winter similar to yours. This fall will you do a video on how to protect perennial plants in raised beds through winter? If it doesn't snow much, should I water or is that worse? So many questions, and these plants are expensive so I would like them to live. :)

[@GardenerScott]

I've planned a video for years to discuss winter watering and weather protection. We'll see if I can get to it this year.

[@enna4986]

@@GardenerScottyes PLEASE! Last winter our temps were sustained 5-10 degrees lower than normal and I lost things I shouldn’t have despite a bunch of straw and coverings. Even tarps🥺

[@vansgardens2304]

I do this with in a barrel with all the weeds from my garden. I call it revenge juice.

[@alicias9928]

Hi! Did you plant blueberries in the soil you made last year?

[@GardenerScott]

I did, but deer ate them. One is slowly recovering this year.

[@lilycardoso4679]

Can I do this with chicken poop and bedding cleaned from the coop?

[@bobbybusche2716]

Yes and you don't have to wait. Pretty much use it right away, just make sure it's diluted enough since chicken manure can be hot(potent)

[@stevefromthegarden1135]

How would the resulting mixture differ is you aerated the bucket during the brewing process? It shouldn't smell when aerated. Maybe have more of the plant matter break down?? Adding bokashi would be another option that you mentioned wanting to experiment with.

[@GardenerScott]

Aerating it is an option and promotes different bacteria. It does add more effort to the process and I like easy.

[@JogoShugh]

Thanks, @GardenerScott It is our second year gardening in raised beds. Last year I used miraclegro a few times, and definitely had much bigger grape and cherry tomato production. This year I ammended with compost, but have no used miraclegro. In your videos you have discussed the harmful impact of synthetic fertilizers to soil life. I am assuming that applying this tea from weeds does not have that negative impact, is that correct? I suppose it could still have a negative impact if you did not dilute the mixture because you might still end up with too high concentrations of certain compounds? Thanks! By the way, our four-year-old son has seen me watching so many of your videos that he now asks to listen sometimes. The other day in the car he asked, "Can we listen to Gatdener Scott? I want to learn about growing onions." After watching he asked me what I learned and when I asked him he said, "I learned that if you live where the Sun is shorter like where Gardener Scott lives in Colorado you need to plant short day onions and if you live where we do you use long day onions." ❤❤❤

[@GardenerScott]

The organic particles are different than synthetic chemicals and shouldn't have the same effect. I so glad to hear you and your son are doing this together. Thanks!

[@brandyjaques6865]

Thank you for explaining this process! We don’t have or keep dandelions. I just pulled a bunch of peas and beans( cut off at base heard it’s the best way to do that. Also have squash leaves, tomato leaves flower buds and greens, would this work to make a slurry?

[@brandyjaques6865]

Also have a ton of borage. Thanks so much for answer!

[@brandyjaques6865]

Doesn’t it gather mosquitos and their Larvae Gardener Scott? Thank you

[@GardenerScott]

Any plant material can be used. The nutrients will vary depending on what you use. An open bucket can encourage mosquitoes, so a lid is a good idea if you have that problem.

[@mwGoosman]

Is biochar necessary in gardening? What regions need it, or do I get a soil test to see if it is needed?

[@GardenerScott]

It's not necessary. It works best in poor soils so if you have good soil it doesn't make much difference.

[@tinykaiju4907]

If we have an old immersion blender and blitzed up this mixture, would that quicken the process or make more nutrients available?

[@GardenerScott]

It takes time for the bacteria to work. Smaller particles should decompose faster.

[@vickyvanvliet]

I would love to try this, but can you suggest an alternate plant for those of us who live in hot climates? Several of us in Florida have tried growing dandelions, but they just can’t tolerate the heat. I’m in South Florida.

[@GardenerScott]

I'm not familiar with Florida plants. Identify your local native plants and weeds and choose some that hold varied nutrients in their leaves and stems.

[@onestar1017]

I don't know why you didn't set

[@Snowy-vn1ez]

Nice information. Do you know how the plastic bottle what you use does not affect. Bad way? ❓ I am not scientist but I hear a lot about plastic containers tell us what you know thank you. Sorry for my English grammar. You got the idea.

[@GardenerScott]

It is plastic used for food and drink. I think it is okay for fertilizer on plants.

[@MultiTerryWhite]

Can you put weeds into your composter?

[@GardenerScott]

Sure. It's best to use them before they set seeds.

[@christineedwards4865]

I would try this if it didn't involve storing so much smelly liquid. I wonder if there would be a way to cheaply evaporate the solution into a highly concentrated or even solid form, and how long it would take in a humid environment. Maybe I missed you saying it, but it might also be good idea not to apply this stuff to any vegetables that are going to be harvested soon, because anaerobic solutions can have some nasty microorganisms like e. coli and salmonella.

[@dorisdaylight8415]

Do you think I could use chayote (choko) leaves for such a type of fertilizer? There were not enough bees this season in my area and not many fruit, and it is sad not to use the leaves to some benefit, after all of my efforts.

[@GardenerScott]

Sure. Consider adding them to your compost pile first, but they appear to have nitrogen, copper and manganese, among other nutrients for a liquid fertilizer.

[@susanjordan2130]

Chlorine dissipates but the fluoride from tap water doesn't. I think.

[@enna4986]

True. Let the water sit a couple days open Befire starting anything and stir it. Floride stays smh

[@scholarlyreader383]

Hi how and what do you text your soil with

[@GardenerScott]

If you're asking about soil testing, I use RXSoil. rxsoil.com/nutrients?source=gardenerscott Use code "GARDENERSCOTT" for 10% off

[@Hiker1987]

Good to know how to do this. Will the smell of open bucket attract pests and wildlife in the mountains (rodents, deer, bears, bobcats, etc)? What about the smell when it's finished and capped?

[@GardenerScott]

Yes, it might attract mountain wildlife. My dog Mala was very interested in it but one sniff and she went elsewhere. When it's capped it's less likely, but I don't know if bears would be interested or not.

[@Hiker1987]

@@GardenerScott Thanks for the reply and all of the awesome videos. Very helpful as a new gardener, and much appreciated!

[@danaprahl9748]

Gardener Scott, Can we put the dandelions in our compost so the nutrients can go in the soil. Or are they only good for the tea?

[@GardenerScott]

I usually put the dandelions I pull in my compost. They're a great ingredient if you can do it before they set seed.

[@danaprahl9748]

@@GardenerScott Smart. Thanks for the tip Scott.

[@travisstauffer8321]

Ive done this hundreds of times dilution is not necessary stronger the better id bet 10 to one ratio has almost no benefit

[@enna4986]

In your “green stock” which I don’t know what that means, youSaID there’s a reservoir. Can you tell me what that is & what it looks like? I just got a tower and I have no idea what to do. Tia!

[@GardenerScott]

Water for the GreenStalk tower fills from a reservoir on the top. That drains water to each level and each level has a small reservoir that holds water that drips to the soil. I show it in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pInckmVurryhgsU

[@JoyJoyJoi]

I have seen people poke holes in their bucket lids. Which is the better way? Holes or no holes

[@GardenerScott]

Holes allow oxygen in and some of the odor out. Because the fermentation is primarily anaerobic, the holes aren't necessary.

[@JoyJoyJoi]

@@GardenerScott thank you!!