As an old time remedy, milk used as a fertilizer have been used with generations to help plant growth.
It alleviates calcium deficiencies and viruses from plants while also eradicating powdery mildew!
Keep on reading below to see what else this amazing liquid has gone through before ending up onto our plates:
Milk Fertilizer Benefits
Milk is a good source of calcium and has many benefits that can help humans as well as plants. When your plant doesn’t grow to its full potential it means they lack in calcium, and milk provides them the nutrients needed for growth.
Milk contains beneficial proteins, vitamin B and sugars that are great for fertilizing soil when used on crops such as squash or tomatoes that commonly have blossom end rot issues due to their deficiency in Calcium.
Milk has the ability to act as an antifungal agent, making it especially effective at preventing the spread of powdery mildew on plants like grapes and pumpkins.
Disadvantages of Feeding Plants with Milk
While there are many benefits of using milk as a fertilizer, you must think about its disadvantages. These include:
- You don’t want to use too much milk on your plants, because it contains a bacteria that will spoil and result in an unpleasant odor. The fat from the milk can produce bad smells as it breaks down.
- Milk also makes leaves colonized by fungi which is aesthetically unattractive.
- Dried skimmed milk may induce black rot or soft rot disease, or leaf spot called Alternaria leaf spot infection on treated crops.
Even though there are some disadvantages, the benefits of using milk as a fertilizer outnumber its downsides.
Milk is an effective and all-natural way to enrich the soil, so long as you use it in moderation.
Using Milk Fertilizer on Plants
There are several types of milk that can be used as a fertilizer. I like to use milk past its date because it is more sustainable, but you can also use fresh or powdered milk.
To make the solution, mix 50% water and 50% diluted (milk). When using this solution on plants leaves they will absorb it into their system.
Be sure not to over apply though; if left too long on plant’s leaves fungal diseases may develop.
If you want to feed your plants with milk, use a hose sprayer for large gardens.
Dilute the diluted mixture by adding about 5 gallons of milk per acre or 1 quart in 20-by-20 foot patches and let it soak into the ground before repeating every two months.
An innovative way to water plants is filling a 2 liter bottle with milk and placing it next to the plant. When using this method, don’t add any chemicals or pesticides because they can negatively affect both bacteria in the milk and your main fertilizer supply.
While you may notice an odd odor from decaying bacteria at first, it dissipates quickly after a couple of uses!