house plant food-cheap substitute for baby bio?

rls1973

hi
does anyone know a cheap and/or home-made substitute for baby bio? what can i put on houseplants as fertiliser/plant food? preferably something i would already have in the cupboard

CM86_2

Baby Bio's half price in Sainsbury's at the mo, £0.60 a bottle.... Just noticed it!

SnowyOwl_2

I read on these forums ages ago that if you swish an empty milk container out with some water and use that to water plants, the little bit of milk acts as a fertiliser. Every little helps, and it has done my plants no harm! Also, during the autumn and winter do plants need fertiliser, it not being growing season? I don't think so - otherwise why would Baby Bio be half price if it's not a seasonal product - but don't quote me on that...

larmy16

The dirty water from a fish tank is supposed to contain all the nutrients a plant needs or so I read somewhere. Helps if you keep fish though!:D

thriftmonster

SnowyOwl wrote:

I read on these forums ages ago that if you swish an empty milk container out with some water and use that to water plants, the little bit of milk acts as a fertiliser. Every little helps, and it has done my plants no harm! Also, during the autumn and winter do plants need fertiliser, it not being growing season? I don't think so - otherwise why would Baby Bio be half price if it's not a seasonal product - but don't quote me on that...

I have done this to my tomatoes this summer and there is a fabulous crop

patchwork_cat

Apparantly my G grandmother always watered her plants with watered down left over cold tea.

adouglasmhor

patchwork_cat wrote:

Apparantly my G grandmother always watered her plants with watered down left over cold tea.

thats a good one, but even better for feeding plants is get a container fill it with nettles and water leave it outside and let it ferment, use the brew one part in ten with water to feed plants. Comfrey is even better if you know where some grows (like nettles it's a weed), just remember this should be made outside because in the early stges it's a bit whiffy, after 4 or 5 days its fine.

Bambywamby

I have heard of cold tea/the tea bags innards left ontop of the soil/cool water left over from boiled eggs and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar dissolved in some water once a month for a super growth and bloom burst.

Lillibet_2

The water from boiling potatos acts as a fertilizer, even better if they are new pots/boiled in their skins. Cold tea only works on acid loving plants like camelias apparently

rls1973

thanks for all your suggestions folks, i'll give 'em all a try! :T