Don't Buy Fertilizer! It Is All Around You.
2022-07-05
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1The cost of everything - from fuel to food - seems to be rising around the world.
2So, growing our own food is a good way to save money.
3However, the cost of gardening materials has also been rising.
4Plant expert Jessica Damiano writes about gardening for the Associated Press.
5In her latest story, she writes about saving money on fertilizer.
6She suggests that home gardeners make their own.
7All plants require nutrients.
8Necessary nutrients exist naturally in most soils.
9But over time, they get used up.
10So, nutrients need to be added to the soil from time to time for plants to produce fruits and vegetables for our meals.
11This is where fertilizers come in.
12Most fertilizers contain three primary nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
13(This is often represented by the N-P-K ratio on fertilizer containers.)
14Damiano explains how the three work.
15Nitrogen helps the plant turn its energy into green, leafy growth.
16Phosphorus helps the development of roots, fruits, and flowers.
17And potassium helps the plant's overall health.
18Many fertilizers also have secondary nutrients, like calcium and magnesium.
19They sometimes have micronutrients such as iron, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc.
20All these nutrients are necessary for creating the best growing conditions for a plant.
21Here is some good news:
22There are many ways that home gardeners can save money while providing their plants with high-quality nutrients.
23Consider cut grass.
24If you leave cut grass on the lawn, you may not need fertilizer.
25As grass breaks down, it releases nitrogen into the soil.
26This will help grass to continue to grow.
27However, Damiano gives this warning:
28Do not use fresh cut grass in garden beds.
29It will burn your plants.
30Compost, she says, is the best thing you can add to soil.
31Compost helps to control how much water stays in the soil.
32It keeps dry soil wet.
33It can help thick dirt, or clay, drain water.
34Compost also adds nutrients to the soil.
35Damiano advises to use a lot of compost in plant beds or planting holes.
36She suggests using compost in place of mulch.
37(Mulch is placed on top of the soil.)
38To make your own compost, simply collect fruit and vegetable scraps.
39Do not add meat, dairy, or fats.
40You can keep the food scraps in a bowl in your kitchen.
41Whenever it fills up, bury the material directly in the garden soil.
42As the scraps break down, they add nutrients.
43Just be sure to bury them at least 25 to 30 centimeters deep.
44This will keep hungry wildlife from digging them up.
45And bury the scraps several centimeters from the plants.
46This will avoid damaging roots.
47Many gardeners treat their plants with fish fertilizer.
48It contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and sodium, among other nutrients.
49And it could be costly. So, Damiano suggests burying fish parts deep in the garden soil -- again 25 to 30 centimeters deep.
50You can also make your own fish fertilizer by putting fish scraps in a closed container of water -- about 19 liters.
51Leave it for about a month.
52Then drain the liquid and use it to water plants.
53However, do not use processed fish that has added salt.
54Too much salt can damage the soil and your plants.
55Are you someone who fishes?
56If so, you can use scraps from the fish you catch.
57If not, your local fish seller, called a fishmonger, might give away - or sell at low cost - scraps and heads.
58Are you a fish owner?
59Plants can also be helped from used fish-tank water.
60This water is rich in nitrogen and other nutrients.
61Do you cook vegetables in water? If so, save it!
62The water is filled with vitamins and minerals that could help your garden.
63And water from boiled eggs is full of calcium.
64This is especially useful for tomatoes and peppers.
65Just make sure to let the water cool to room temperature before using on your plants.
66You can even use eggshells instead of buying garden lime.
67Both are made of calcium carbonate.
68Dry out the egg shells thoroughly.
69Then break them up into tiny pieces.
70Add the small pieces to your garden's soil.
71The same can be done with banana peels.
72They are full of potassium and good for plants.
73I'm Anna Matteo.
1The cost of everything - from fuel to food - seems to be rising around the world. So, growing our own food is a good way to save money. 2However, the cost of gardening materials has also been rising. 3Plant expert Jessica Damiano writes about gardening for the Associated Press. In her latest story, she writes about saving money on fertilizer. She suggests that home gardeners make their own. 4All plants require nutrients. Necessary nutrients exist naturally in most soils. But over time, they get used up. So, nutrients need to be added to the soil from time to time for plants to produce fruits and vegetables for our meals. 5This is where fertilizers come in. 6Most fertilizers contain three primary nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. (This is often represented by the N-P-K ratio on fertilizer containers.) Damiano explains how the three work. Nitrogen helps the plant turn its energy into green, leafy growth. Phosphorus helps the development of roots, fruits, and flowers. And potassium helps the plant's overall health. 7Many fertilizers also have secondary nutrients, like calcium and magnesium. They sometimes have micronutrients such as iron, copper, boron, manganese, and zinc. 8All these nutrients are necessary for creating the best growing conditions for a plant. 9Here is some good news: There are many ways that home gardeners can save money while providing their plants with high-quality nutrients. 10Cut grass 11Consider cut grass. If you leave cut grass on the lawn, you may not need fertilizer. 12As grass breaks down, it releases nitrogen into the soil. This will help grass to continue to grow. However, Damiano gives this warning: Do not use fresh cut grass in garden beds. It will burn your plants. 13Compost is best for soil 14Compost, she says, is the best thing you can add to soil. 15Compost helps to control how much water stays in the soil. It keeps dry soil wet. It can help thick dirt, or clay, drain water. Compost also adds nutrients to the soil. 16Damiano advises to use a lot of compost in plant beds or planting holes. She suggests using compost in place of mulch. (Mulch is placed on top of the soil.) 17To make your own compost, simply collect fruit and vegetable scraps. Do not add meat, dairy, or fats. You can keep the food scraps in a bowl in your kitchen. Whenever it fills up, bury the material directly in the garden soil. As the scraps break down, they add nutrients. 18Just be sure to bury them at least 25 to 30 centimeters deep. This will keep hungry wildlife from digging them up. And bury the scraps several centimeters from the plants. This will avoid damaging roots. 19Fish fertilizer 20Many gardeners treat their plants with fish fertilizer. It contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and sodium, among other nutrients. And it could be costly. So, Damiano suggests burying fish parts deep in the garden soil -- again 25 to 30 centimeters deep. 21You can also make your own fish fertilizer by putting fish scraps in a closed container of water -- about 19 liters. Leave it for about a month. Then drain the liquid and use it to water plants. However, do not use processed fish that has added salt. Too much salt can damage the soil and your plants. 22Use leftover materials from around your house 23Are you someone who fishes? If so, you can use scraps from the fish you catch. If not, your local fish seller, called a fishmonger, might give away - or sell at low cost - scraps and heads. 24Are you a fish owner? Plants can also be helped from used fish-tank water. This water is rich in nitrogen and other nutrients. 25Do you cook vegetables in water? If so, save it! The water is filled with vitamins and minerals that could help your garden. 26And water from boiled eggs is full of calcium. This is especially useful for tomatoes and peppers. Just make sure to let the water cool to room temperature before using on your plants. 27You can even use eggshells instead of buying garden lime. Both are made of calcium carbonate. Dry out the egg shells thoroughly. Then break them up into tiny pieces. Add the small pieces to your garden's soil. The same can be done with banana peels. They are full of potassium and good for plants. 28I'm Anna Matteo. 29Jessica Damiano reported this story for The Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 30_______________________________________________________________________ 31Words in This Story 32garden - n. a piece of ground in which fruits, flowers, or vegetables are grown 33primary -adj. first in order of time or development 34ratio - n. the relationship in number or quantity between two or more things 35lawn - n. ground (as around a house or in a garden or park) that is covered with grass and is cut regularly 36compost - n. a mixture that consists largely of decayed organic matter and is used for fertilizing and conditioning land 37mulch - n. a material (as straw or bark) spread over the ground especially to protect the roots of plants from heat or cold, to keep soil moist, and to control weeds 38scrap -n. a piece of something that is usually thrown away 39drain - v. to remove liquid from something