Homemade Fertilizer For Money Plant – 7 Easy Recipes From Your Kitchen

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Hello, fellow garden lover! Have you ever looked at your Money Plant (Epipremnum aureum) and wished its leaves were just a bit glossier, a touch more vibrant, or that it would finally start trailing with that lush, unstoppable energy you see in photos? You’re not alone. We all want that picture-perfect plant, but sometimes it just seems to… stall.

I promise you, the secret isn’t in some expensive, chemical-laden bottle from the store. The magic is likely already sitting in your kitchen! In this guide, I’m going to share my favorite tried-and-true recipes for homemade fertilizer for money plant that will transform your plant from lackluster to luxurious.

We’ll walk through why going homemade is a game-changer, dive into seven incredibly simple recipes using everyday items, and cover the best practices to ensure you feed your plant perfectly every time. Get ready to give your Money Plant the natural, nutrient-rich boost it’s been craving!

Why Choose a Sustainable Homemade Fertilizer for Your Money Plant?

Before we get our hands dirty, let’s chat about why skipping the store-bought stuff is such a brilliant move. When you start making your own plant food, you’ll quickly see the benefits of homemade fertilizer for money plant go far beyond just a happier plant.

  • It’s Incredibly Cost-Effective: You’re using kitchen scraps you were going to throw away anyway! Things like banana peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells can be repurposed into powerful plant food, saving you money.
  • You Know Exactly What’s in It: No mysterious chemicals or synthetic salts. You have full control over the ingredients, ensuring a gentle, natural feed that won’t cause harsh chemical burns on your plant’s sensitive roots.
  • It’s an Eco-Friendly Choice: This is a cornerstone of sustainable gardening. By using kitchen waste, you reduce your contribution to landfills and avoid the plastic packaging that comes with commercial fertilizers. It’s a win for your plant and a win for the planet. This is the heart of creating an eco-friendly homemade fertilizer for money plant.
  • It Improves Soil Health: Unlike synthetic fertilizers that can degrade soil over time, organic homemade options add vital microbial life and improve soil structure, creating a healthier long-term environment for your Money Plant to thrive in.

Understanding Your Money Plant’s Basic Needs

Think of fertilizer as a balanced meal for your plant. While Money Plants are wonderfully resilient, they do need a few key nutrients to truly flourish. Don’t worry, you don’t need a degree in botany to understand this!

The three main nutrients plants need are often called N-P-K:

  • Nitrogen (N): This is all about the green! Nitrogen is the single most important nutrient for lush, vibrant, and healthy leaf growth. If your Money Plant leaves are looking pale or yellow, it might be craving a nitrogen boost.
  • Phosphorus (P): This is the root-booster. Phosphorus helps your plant develop a strong, healthy root system, which is the foundation for a robust plant. It also aids in new leaf production.
  • Potassium (K): Think of this as the plant’s immune system. Potassium helps with overall plant vigor, water regulation, and disease resistance. It keeps your Money Plant strong and resilient.

Our homemade recipes will provide a gentle mix of these essential nutrients, plus other wonderful micronutrients that your plant will adore.

Your Ultimate Guide: 7 Simple Homemade Fertilizer Recipes

Alright, let’s get to the fun part! Here is your complete guide on how to homemade fertilizer for money plant using items you probably have right now. Remember, with all of these, moderation is key!

1. The Classic Banana Peel Tea (Potassium Power)

Banana peels are packed with potassium, which is fantastic for your Money Plant’s overall health and strength. This is one of my absolute favorites for giving plants a little pick-me-up.

  1. Chop up the peel of one or two ripe bananas.
  2. Place the pieces in a jar and fill it with about 1 liter (or 4 cups) of water.
  3. Seal the jar and let it sit for 2-3 days. The water will turn a murky brown—that’s the good stuff!
  4. Strain the liquid and dilute it with an equal amount of plain water (a 1:1 ratio).
  5. Use this “tea” to water your Money Plant once every 3-4 weeks during the growing season.

2. Energizing Coffee Ground Mix (Nitrogen Boost)

Don’t throw out those used coffee grounds! They are a fantastic source of nitrogen, perfect for encouraging big, beautiful green leaves. Important: Only use grounds that have been brewed; fresh grounds are too acidic.

  1. Spread your used coffee grounds on a tray to dry out completely. This prevents mold.
  2. Once dry, you can either sprinkle a thin layer (about a teaspoon for a 6-inch pot) on top of the soil and gently mix it in…
  3. …OR, my preferred method, add a tablespoon of dried grounds to a liter of water, let it sit overnight, and use the liquid to water your plant.
  4. Apply this gentle nitrogen feed once every 4-6 weeks.
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3. Eggshell Calcium Crush (For Strong Stems)

Eggshells provide a slow-release source of calcium, which helps build strong cell walls and sturdy stems for your Money Plant. Plus, they can help balance the soil’s pH.

  1. Rinse out a few eggshells and let them air dry completely.
  2. Once they are brittle, crush them into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle, a coffee grinder, or even a rolling pin and a plastic bag.
  3. Sprinkle a small amount of the powder (about half a teaspoon) around the base of your plant once every couple of months.
  4. The calcium will break down slowly each time you water. This is a slow-release method, so don’t overdo it!

4. Rice Water Rinse (Vitamin & Mineral Magic)

The next time you rinse rice before cooking, save that cloudy water! It’s filled with starch, vitamins, and minerals like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that act as a wonderfully gentle fertilizer.

  1. When you rinse uncooked rice, collect the first rinse water in a bowl or jar.
  2. Let the water sit at room temperature for a day to allow it to ferment slightly. This makes the nutrients more available to the plant.
  3. Dilute the fermented rice water with an equal amount of plain water.
  4. Use this to water your Money Plant every two weeks. It’s so gentle, you can use it more frequently than other fertilizers.

5. Vegetable Scrap “Green” Tea (All-Rounder)

This is the ultimate sustainable homemade fertilizer for money plant. It uses the odds and ends from your cooking to create a nutrient-rich brew.

  1. Collect uncooked vegetable scraps like potato peels, carrot ends, and lettuce cores. Avoid using oily or salty scraps, or anything from the onion/garlic family.
  2. Boil the scraps in a pot of water for about 15-20 minutes.
  3. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down and steep for several hours, or even overnight.
  4. Strain the liquid, discarding the solids into your compost bin.
  5. Use this nutrient-packed “tea” to water your Money Plant once a month.

6. Used Tea Leaves (Gentle Nutrient Release)

Just like coffee grounds, used tea leaves (from tea bags or loose-leaf) contain nitrogen and tannic acid, which can improve soil structure.

  1. After brewing a cup of tea, open the tea bag and spread the leaves on a plate to dry.
  2. Once dry, you can mix them directly into the top layer of your Money Plant’s soil.
  3. The nutrients will be released slowly every time you water. This is a very gentle method, perfect for adding a little boost without any risk of burning the roots.

7. Epsom Salt Solution (Magnesium for Greener Leaves)

If your Money Plant’s leaves are starting to yellow but the veins are still green, it might be a sign of a magnesium deficiency. Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) is the perfect fix!

  1. Dissolve one teaspoon of Epsom salt in one liter (4 cups) of water.
  2. Mix thoroughly until all the salt crystals are gone.
  3. Use this solution to water your plant. Only use this once every 2-3 months, as too much can build up in the soil. It’s a targeted treatment, not a regular fertilizer.

Homemade Fertilizer for Money Plant: Best Practices for Application

Making the fertilizer is only half the battle! Applying it correctly is crucial for a happy plant. This section of our homemade fertilizer for money plant care guide will ensure you get it right.

  • Less is More: This is the golden rule. It’s always better to under-fertilize than over-fertilize. Homemade fertilizers are gentle, but you can still have too much of a good thing.
  • Water First, Feed Later: Never apply fertilizer to dry soil. This can scorch the roots. Give your plant a regular watering first, wait an hour or so, and then apply your diluted liquid fertilizer.
  • Know When to Feed: Money Plants do most of their growing in the spring and summer. This is the best time to fertilize (e.g., once every 3-4 weeks). In the fall and winter, the plant goes dormant and needs a rest, so reduce feeding to once every 6-8 weeks, or stop altogether.
  • Watch Your Plant: Your Money Plant will give you clues. Are the leaves pale? It might need nitrogen. Is growth slow? It might just need a balanced feed. Pay attention, and you’ll learn its rhythm.
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Avoiding Common Problems with Homemade Fertilizer for Money Plant

Creating your own fertilizer is a rewarding process, but it’s helpful to be aware of a few potential hiccups. Here are some common problems with homemade fertilizer for money plant and how to easily solve them.

The Problem: Foul Smells and Pests

If your fertilizer tea starts to smell rotten or attract fruit flies, it’s likely fermenting for too long or you’ve used the wrong scraps.
The Fix: Only let your liquid fertilizers steep for 2-3 days. Always use fresh, uncooked scraps and avoid anything greasy or meaty. Ensure any solid mix-ins like coffee grounds are fully dry before adding them to the soil.

The Problem: Over-fertilizing (Leaf Burn)

If you notice brown, crispy leaf edges or sudden leaf drop after feeding, you may have used a fertilizer that was too strong or applied it too frequently.
The Fix: Always dilute your liquid fertilizers as recommended (a 1:1 ratio with water is a safe bet). If you suspect over-fertilizing, flush the soil by watering the plant thoroughly and letting the water drain out completely. Hold off on feeding for at least a month.

The Problem: Mold Growth

Sometimes, adding damp solids like coffee grounds or tea leaves directly to the soil surface can encourage mold.
The Fix: Always let solid materials dry out completely before mixing them into the top inch of soil rather than just leaving them on the surface. This also helps the nutrients break down more effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Fertilizer for Money Plant

Can I use these fertilizers for my Money Plant growing in water?

Yes, but with extreme caution! For a Money Plant in water, you must use a highly diluted liquid fertilizer. Use only about a quarter of the recommended strength (e.g., a few drops of banana peel tea in its vase) and change the water completely every week to prevent rot and nutrient buildup.

How do I know if my Money Plant needs fertilizing?

Look for signs like slow or stunted growth during the growing season, pale or yellowing leaves (especially older ones), or a general lack of vigor. If the plant looks healthy and is growing steadily, you don’t need to rush to fertilize it.

Can I combine different homemade fertilizers?

It’s best to rotate them rather than combine them. For example, use rice water for one feeding, then banana peel tea a few weeks later. This provides a broader range of nutrients over time without overwhelming the plant with any single one.

Is it better to use liquid or dry homemade fertilizer?

Both are great! Liquid fertilizers (like the “teas”) provide a quick nutrient boost that is immediately available to the plant’s roots. Dry or solid fertilizers (like crushed eggshells or coffee grounds) are slow-release, providing a gentle, steady supply of nutrients over a longer period. A combination of both throughout the year is an excellent strategy.

Your Journey to a Thriving Money Plant Starts Now!

There you have it—a complete set of homemade fertilizer for money plant tips that are easy, effective, and kind to the Earth. You don’t need to be an expert to give your Money Plant the best care possible.

By using the simple ingredients from your own kitchen, you’re not just feeding your plant; you’re creating a more sustainable and connected gardening practice. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch your plant thrive knowing you provided for it naturally.

So go ahead, save that banana peel, collect that rice water, and start brewing some magic for your green friend. Happy growing!

Rimon Chowdhury
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