Homemade Fertilizer for Weed Guide

Cannabis highly depends on nutrients often found in supplements and commercial fertilizers designed just for them. However, these products can be expensive and even damage the plant if not used correctly or from an imbalanced ratio of chemicals to nutrients. Due to this, most growers are hesitant to try commercially made fertilizers for their price and the side effects they may cause. So, it’s about time to try homemade fertilizer for weed.

Growing your cannabis can be a tough challenge at the start. Being a new plant parent requires lots of time and care for your garden and the right tools and techniques to grow healthy and fruitful. Unlike most home plants, weed has its share of unique needs to develop its foliage to the fullest and bear potent yields. 

The good news is that you can actually make your own fertilizer from scratch with a few organic ingredients that you usually find in your leftovers and kitchen scraps. A homemade fertilizer is a safe and budget-friendly approach for you to see the best plants’ results. Homemade fertilizers for weed can be just as effective as its store-bought counterparts with the right steps and application. Plus, your own fertilizer allows you to make the perfect ratio of nutrients suited to the needs of your choice of cannabis. Here we will show you the easiest homemade weed fertilizer recipe that you can prepare in an instant and bonus tips on how to use it.

The Food Pyramid of Nutrients

When making a rich and effective homemade fertilizer for weed, it has to be packed with the three main nutrients that weed needs to survive. They are commonly seen on the labels of packed fertilizers to guide users with the dosage and strength of the medium. Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) are the holy trinity of components required in weed fertilizers that bless you with that vibrant foliage and big yields. 

They are also written in that particular order, as N-P-K based on the ideal ratio of these nutrients from the highest to lowest amounts of each – Nitrogen should have the most content, followed by Phosphorus, and Potassium with the smallest portion. Of course, this ratio must also match your homemade version of weed fertilizer, which can be easily replicated.

Scavenging Through Your Scraps

Though it might sound like the macronutrients mentioned earlier can only be synthesized in a lab, your waste bin and leftovers can actually provide the nourishment that your pot is looking for. Once you combine them into your compost bin, they will be ready and even more enriched for your plant to benefit from. Mixing in different types of waste and provides all three nutrients with the right ingredients. Look out for these scraps and leftovers that contain the major nutrients below:

 Nitrogen – for photosynthesis and full, healthy foliage:

• Coffee grounds
• Urine (Must be diluted with ten parts water; Pure human urine is too acidic and can burn the roots without adding water)

 Phosphorus – to develop and strengthen the roots, and to encourage flowering:

• Banana peels
• eggshells

Potassium – helps fight diseases:

• Banana peels
• Bean water or broth
• Citrus fruit peels
• eggshells
• Kelp

Others:

• Plant cuttings
• Veggie scraps
• Pruned or trimmed cannabis leaves and branches

Optional:

If you want to go the extra mile with your fertilizer, you may also add some of these natural fertilizers that are also commonly used for growing weed:

• Bat guano
• Chicken Manure
• Crustacean meal
• Fish meal
• Wood Ash
• Worm castings
• Live earthworms

Homemade Fertilizer for Weed: Creating Your Compost

You will need to prepare your scraps for fertilizing by putting them together in a compost first. These scraps and other waste cannot be thrown right onto the soil, or else they will take no effect and will actually just end up rotting. Worse, dumping fresh scraps will invite harmful pests that can make your plant ill and may kill it if left unattended. 

Worry not, composting is a lot easier than most people think. Once you have collected all your scraps, follow this procedure to craft your weed compost:

1. In a compost bin, fill the base with dry ingredients such as soil, plant trimmings, fruit and veggie scraps, eggshells, and any manure or wood ash. Mix for an even combination. It will help absorb any excess moisture from the compost.
2. Next, add all the wet ingredients like your leftovers, used coffee grounds, bean water, cooking broth, and urine if you choose. Do note, however, that your compost should not be swimming in liquid but rather lightly dampened. A compost that is too soaked will cause rotting roots and also invite pests to feed on your cannabis.
3. If you have live worms to add, let them sit at the top of your compost pile. It can help in speeding up the process and add more nutrients to your fertilizer from their casts. You can proceed to step 4 if you will not be using worms.
4. Seal your compost bin with a lid and check on it weekly. Do not let the compost mix dry up completely and pour your wet ingredients to keep it moist. You can keep adding dry ingredients as well, making sure that your compost mix is just damp enough.
5. Continue to check on your compost and add scraps if needed. It can take at least three weeks to 3 months for you to start seeing the compost appear like a dark and earthy mulch. By then, your fertilizer is ready to use.

How to Feed Homemade Fertilizer to Your Weed

Now that you have your fertilizer ready, do not rush to dump a heaping pile of it on your plants. Depending on what growth stage your plant is in, the required amount of fertilizer varies. Even if you are using an organic mix, it is still recommended to use an ample amount at a time to avoid shocking the plant and resulting in adverse reactions from an overdose of nutrients if you apply too much of it.

• As a seedling, weed can survive without any fertilizer yet. Feeding the plant with warmth, sunlight, and water is enough to sustain it.
• Once it reaches the vegetative state, you can start mixing in a few spoonfuls into the soil. If you notice your plant grows healthy and bushy, continue applying the same amount. If you see any discoloration or drying in the leaves, simply lessen the dose.
• In the flowering stage, your plant will require some more fertilizer, but start small. More fertilizer will not make the process any faster, but help the plant grow bigger and more fragrant buds. Only apply once every other week and observe how your plant reacts, similar to the procedure in the vegetative state. Add or reduce as needed.

Adding fertilizer to your weed’s soil helps enhance the results you would usually expect, especially when harvest comes. If you want to stick to a budget or do not want to risk your plant’s health from chemicals that can be harmful from most fertilizers sold in the market, you can make your own fertilizer with scraps you might have been putting in the waste bin.

Conclusion

Now you’re all set to make a homemade fertilizer for weed.  Once your fertilizer is ready, incorporate small amounts of fertilizer at first before you continue to add more. Your plant should get bushier or taller and even bear more flowers, but if you experience any side effects, you can stick to smaller doses or stop in the meanwhile until your plant can apply your fertilizer again.  A compost for weed should be rich in Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium for your plant to grow healthy and produce an abundant and potent harvest.