Not Coffee Grounds: Turn This Pantry Staple Into A Nutritious DIY Liquid Fertilizer

Coffee grounds, egg shells, banana peels, and vegetable scraps easily come to mind when you think of homemade fertilizers and composting ingredients, but what if there's another nutrient-rich plant food hiding in your pantry, just waiting for its chance to shine? Let's just say you'll never see oats the same way once you know about this DIY fertilizer tea. There's a reason oats are such a coveted and nutritious breakfast. They have a concentration of beneficial micro- and macronutrients, including iron, potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. Not only are these necessary for humans, but they could also be paramount to the health and growth of a wide range of plants.

As a result, people are looking to oat water as supplemental liquid plant feed, particularly for vegetable plants like tomatoes and leafy greens, which require nitrogen to produce bountiful foliage. However, the mixture may also be beneficial for houseplants and general soil health. If you're looking to experiment with natural alternatives to commercial fertilizers, make sure you monitor your plants throughout the process. If leaves start to turn yellow, it could be a sign that the plants aren't receiving enough nutritional value from the oat water. Balance using this method with other organic options on the market, such as worm castings or fish and seaweed blends to prevent deficiencies and stagnant growth. 

If you plan to use oat water on your crops and in other areas of your garden, consider whether or not the product you have in your pantry is organic. You can also check the packaging for certifications that verify it was grown without the use of herbicides. This will ensure you create a safe fertilizer for healthy plants and soil. Pre-flavored oats are also not recommended since the sugars and other ingredients could be harmful to your plants. You can buy steel-cut or rolled oats in bulk online or at retailers like Costco if you plan to use oat water as a regular fertilizer.

The most basic formula is made using a cup of raw oats and approximately a gallon of water. Allow the mixture to rest overnight or for a few days for a stronger plant feed. If you have too large of a quantity of oats and too little water, you'll essentially just make overnight breakfast oats, which although delicious, won't be able to serve as a liquid feed. To enhance the nitrogen levels of the fertilizer, consider adding black tea to the container with the oats with hot water instead. After a few hours, you can strain this mixture of tea and your breakfast staple for composting. Finally, use the liquid to both water and fertilize your plants.