- More and more gardeners are choosing organic fertilizers, and borage is a real hit among plants!
- This inconspicuous plant will not only beautify your garden, but also provide valuable nutrients to your hydrangeas.
- Borage is rich in potassium and nitrogen – perfect for preparing homemade slurry that will nourish your plants.
- Learn how to prepare a natural fertilizer step by step that will make your hydrangeas bloom like never before!
Why is it worth having borage in your garden? Methods for natural fertilization of hydrangeas
Natural fertilizers are gaining popularity. Allotment gardeners and gardeners are more willing to choose ecological and home-made methods of fertilizing plants. Many gardens are filled with coffee grounds, banana peels and ecological composters. One of the plants that is worth having in the garden to use as a fertilizer component is borage (Borago officinalis). It is an annual plant that is characterized by a fast growth rate. In the garden, it forms dense clumps that reach up to over half a meter high. It turns the garden into a flower meadow and is also the basic ingredient of hydrangea fertilizer. Borage gives off a cucumber scent and blooms from May to August. Its scent attracts pollinating insects to the garden. It can be either an ornamental plant or grown for fertilizer. It contains large amounts of potassium and nitrogen, which makes it an ideal ingredient for preparing plant slurry.
How to prepare manure for fertilizing hydrangeas?
Gnojówka is a great turbo. It will have a positive effect on growth processes, protect root systems and nourish the plant well. Prepare 1 kg of fresh nettle leaves, 1 kg of borage and mix them with 10 liters of water. Cover the whole thing with gauze and set aside for 2 weeks. Stir the prepared slurry every day. After 2 weeks, the fertilizer is ready for use. Dilute it with water and water the hydrangeas with it once every three weeks. Nettle slurry will acidify the soil well and make the bush grow magnificently and the flowers will be lush.
Sowing borage seeds
The best time for this is from mid-April to the end of May, directly into the ground, after the risk of frost has passed. Autumn sowing (September-October) is also possible for an early harvest the following year, but this requires protecting young seedlings against frost. Borage prefers sunny or slightly shaded positions. The soil should be permeable, fertile and moderately moist, with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. It grows well on sandy and clay soils. Avoid places where water remains for a long time. Before sowing, loosen the soil to a depth of about 20-30 cm and remove weeds. You can enrich it with compost to give the plants a better start. Borage seeds are quite large, which makes sowing easier. Sow them in rows 30-40 cm apart, at a depth of about 2-3 cm. Keep the spaces between the seeds in the row approximately 10-15 cm. After sowing, water the substrate gently, preferably with a fine stream, so as not to wash out the seeds. Maintain constant soil moisture until emergence. Borage usually germinates in 7-14 days, depending on temperature and humidity.
Should you fertilize hydrangeas during the flowering season?
. Professional gardeners indicate that the pH of the soil for growing hydrangeas should be from 5.5 to 6. You should also regularly check the acidity and use appropriate fertilizers if necessary. Professional gardeners indicate that homemade nutrients are effective, but may be insufficient. Biohumus is most often recommended for fertilizing hydrangeas. it is an organic fertilizer intended for many plants. It is made from processed plant residues, manure, peat and food waste. It is rich in microorganisms, nutrients, enzymes and humus. They have a positive effect on the development and growth of hydrangeas, and also protect against diseases and many pests. Biohumus enriches the substrate and improves soil resistance. Biohumus is considered one of the richest fertilizers. In gardening stores you can buy liquid nutrients with biohumus intended for watering hydrangeas. This type of conditioner is most often mixed with water and this solution is used to water hydrangea bushes. Biohumus can be used throughout the entire flowering season.
