| Feed the soil, and the soil will feed your plants. That's | | | | micronutrients, plant growth hormones, soil |
| one of the basic tenets of organic gardening. In most | | | | conditioners, and even disease and insect fighters. |
| cases, an annual application of rich compost or | | | | Some of these time-tested fertilizer formulas include |
| well-aged manure will provide enough nutrients and | | | | traditional, easy-to-find materials, like fish emulsion |
| organic matter to sustain your plants all through the | | | | and manure. Others make use of more unusual |
| growing season. Even so, your garden will probably | | | | ingredients, like Epsom salts and vinegar. Still others |
| need a quick pick-me-up from time to time. That | | | | make the most of kitchen and garden wastes, |
| doesn't mean that you have to run out the garden | | | | including coffee grounds and weeds. |
| center and drop some cash on an expensive fertilizer. | | | | We hope these gardener-to-gardener formulas will |
| Chances are you have the ingredients for making | | | | inspire you to cook up some of your own creative |
| your own inexpensive, earth-friendly plant food right | | | | mixes by making use of locally available materials for |
| at hand. | | | | fertilizer. Collect wastes from local breweries, manure |
| We've polled garden experts from around the | | | | from zoos or local farms, leaves from curbsides, and |
| country for their favorite fertilizer formulas. Many of | | | | kitchen scraps from restaurants or grocery stores. |
| these fertilizer mixes, blends, and solutions provide | | | | Many establishments will be glad to have your haul |
| more than the big three nutrients of nitrogen, | | | | away their wastes for free. |
| phosphorus, and potassium. They also include vital | | | | |