BBC Gardeners' World

Feeding plants the natural way

Did you know there’s a whole garden centre right by your back door? No, this isn’t a shopping-deprived gardener’s fantasy brought on by too long in lockdown. All over your house and garden you’ll find everyday items you can upcycle into gardening staples, from cardboard box plant pots to hazel rod beanpoles.

Easiest of all, though, are home-made fertilisers and pesticides, made from just about anything as long as it’s organic. It’s a planet-friendly way to garden, big on recycling, plastic-free, and with none of the high carbon footprint involved in making and transporting chemicals.

Over the next two issues we’re sharing our favourite easy, home-made recipes for products that keep plants healthy, banish pests and boost harvests – all using materials you already have to

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from BBC Gardeners' World

BBC Gardeners' World21 min read
Fruit
These super sweet treats might not make it back into the kitchen at all because once you start snacking it’s hard to stop! Grow as many as space allows, so that some can make it into a pudding or cake. As autumn sets in, so the pear season starts and
BBC Gardeners' World1 min read
Growing In Containers
These are colourful, attractive and trouble-free. Choose your favourite variety for heat and flavour and grow three plants in a large tub on the patio with a cane for support. They’ll provide ample crops, with enough left over to store over winter. S
BBC Gardeners' World13 min read
Brassicas
This quick-growing crop is usually called broccoli in the shops and is easy to grow, especially if bought as plug plants, which can be ready to harvest in just three months. Few crops are as varied, versatile and long cropping as cabbages. Summer one

Related Books & Audiobooks