LifestyleReviving grandmother's eco-friendly tomato farming: The penny-wise secret fertilizer

Reviving grandmother's eco‑friendly tomato farming: The penny-wise secret fertilizer

What should you fertilise tomatoes with to enjoy abundant crops?
What should you fertilise tomatoes with to enjoy abundant crops?
Images source: © Adobe Stock | Marcin Slodczyk

7 February 2024 01:33, updated: 7 March 2024 09:00

Our grandmothers had to learn everything by themselves. Through trial and error, they devised various gardening techniques. They utilised only what they had at their disposal. It was our grandmothers who initiated the less waste movement. Some of grandma's methods, like methods of fertilising plants in the garden, are still in use today.

Natural fertiliser for tomatoes; costs pennies but yields fantastic results

In grandma's pantry, yeast was always in stock. It's this baking yeast that forms a key ingredient of an exceptional plant fertiliser. Wondering how to make this fertiliser? You need around 50 grams (half a block) of fresh yeast, half a cup of sugar, and 6 litres of water. Douse the yeast with sugar and leave it for two hours in a dry spot. After two hours, pour six litres of water over the yeast-sugar blend. Store this prepared mixture in a dry, dark place for a week.

After a week, the fertiliser is fully potent and ready for application. Take note, before use, you need to dilute the fertiliser with water at a ratio of 1:6, meaning, a cup of fertiliser to six cups of water. This should be applied no more frequently than once every fortnight. Thanks to this regular fertilisation, your tomatoes will quicken in growth and yield generous harvests like never before. This method of fertilisation is entirely safe and eco-friendly. Your tomatoes will thrive without a trace of chemicals.

Why is this fertiliser so effective?

Yeast fortifies plants, promoting faster growth and larger yields. Yeast is abundant in many vitamins and minerals, including phosphorus and potassium, both of which are essential components for proper plant growth.

This yeast fertiliser is also beneficial for other plants, including orchids, hydrangeas, lavender, spathiphyllum, and ferns. With its assistance, they will become more resistant to pests and will grow much faster. Just as with tomatoes, fertilisation should not occur more frequently than once every fortnight, and the fertiliser must be mixed with water.

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