homemade watering can for fertiliser
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Here’s a free watering jug, specifically designed for mixing and pouring fertiliser.
While watering cans are cheap to buy, as the little fella plays with them, I prefer to have a separate one for fertiliser.
This jug can be used whether you make your own fertiliser or whether you use the store-bought stuff. At the moment, we apply a little seaweed fertiliser to the lettuce every now and then, when the sad looking things need a little feed.
The requirements this jug had to fill were: needed to be free, quick and easy to make, easy to measure, easy to mix, easy to pour (particularly on tender seedlings).
What you need:
- a plastic milk or juice jug or similar – I used a 3 litre milk jug
- two lids that fit the jug
- a measuring jug
- a permanent marker
- a hammer and nail or sharp knife to make the holes
To make:
- Using a measuring jug, pour 500mls of water into your milk jug at a time and mark the increments with a permanent marker.
- In one lid, punch some holes using the hammer and nail or knife so that it resembles a watering spout. Start with just a few holes (4 or so) and add more as needed (In the picture I went overboard with the holes). If your lid has a little insert in it, it will probably fall out as you punch the holes, saving you having to pry it out first.
To use:
- Measure the appropriate amount of water into your jug, then add the appropriate amount of fertiliser either according to your homemade recipe or the directions on the bottle.
- Secure the lid without the holes and give the bottle a good shake to mix.
- Swap to the lid with the holes to pour.
- Store in a safe spot.
Now all my lettuces need is some sunlight…
Do you make your own fertilizer? If so I would love to hear your recipe if you don’t mind. If you buy which one do you buy?
Thanks again for the tip. I hate lugging a watering can around so this will be helpful :D
I don’t make my own fertiliser yet. We have started a compost and I was thinking of making compost and cow or chook poo fertiliser later down the track. I’ve been reading Jackie Frenches’ gardening books again and there’s lots of great ideas in her books for fertiliser.
At the moment we just use a seaweed fertiliser from the hardware store. Not sure the brand…
A great idea, I use these jugs all the time for storage ( my home made cleaning products )and freezing, now I will add this use to my ever growing collection, thanks …..
Thank Maureen! Great idea to use them for freezing, I’m going to keep that in mind!!