Grass Clipping Fertilizer Tea

Grass clipping fertilizer tea is high in nitrogen and potassium and a fast-acting and free way to give your plants a boost.

Garden plants are very much like us in many ways – they have dietary needs that need to be met. If they aren’t met they show disdain… leaves can yellow, curl up, or even shrivel. The plant can wither and turn brown or garden pests can start to invade.

Kind of like us — if we don’t take care of our nutritional needs, we can feel the effects as well. We might get tired, run down, cold sores, or even the common cold or flu.

A quick spot of tea can help us even on our worst days. Likewise, it can help our garden plants too. Thankfully you don’t have to spend a hefty fortune buying fertilizer, especially if you have a yard full of grass (or even weeds).  Instead, make a free fertilizer tea from weeds and grass that your garden plants will love.

Compost tea is one of the mainstays of organic gardening.  

Grass Clipping Fertilizer Tea

These garden teas made from grass clippings or plants are simple. Gather the grass clippings from the bag on your mower or throw all your weeds into a bucket, filling at least 1/2 – 2/3 full. Fill it with water (avoid chlorinated water).

Stir daily or pour from one bucket to another to keep it aerated.  A long broom flipped handle down works well. Soak the mixture for at least 3 days but up to 2 weeks. 

I usually strain mine and funnel the strained liquid into clean, empty milk jugs and then cap off, then dilute in a sprayer when needed.

Foliar Spray or Soil Drench

Plant leaves absorb nutrients much faster than the roots, so foliar feeding is a viable option. Dilute the mixture on new plants or use full strength on plants that are more established. 

(Use your judgement  – test on a small area and spray in the early morning hours. Avoid foliar spray in the middle of the day or when the sun is at its highest point).

Certain plants (like stinging nettle) are especially good for fertilizer tea. High in nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and a natural insect repellent, it is great used as a foliar spray against insects and fungal attacks.

(Make sure you wear gloves though when working with nettles!)

Comfrey is another great option for fertilizer tea.. it’s rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.   If you grow comfrey, add a few leaves to the fertilizer tea.

If you don’t have these plants, regular class clippings work incredible too. They are high in nitrogen and potassium.

Fertilizer teas are free (or close to!) and great to throw on those plants that are blossoming or setting fruit. So next time you get the  urge to toss the grass clippings,  brew up a batch of grass clipping fertilizer tea and have a party in  your garden.