Do you purchase potting soil and various chemicals for your garden? While I try being as organic as possible with my garden, it doesn’t mean we aren’t buying organic soil and other things for my potted plants. This can get very expensive, especially when you are purchasing organic mixtures, which are usually about three times the cost of the non-organic varieties. Even before the pandemic hit, we were looking for ways to cut costs without giving up on organic gardening. Once everything started shutting down, however, we went to look into how we can make our own equivalents. Luckily, as I was researching various options for our garden, we were asked to review a new book perfect for gardeners like me- Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More by Stephanie Rose.
Garden Alchemy: What Is It
Do you want to learn how to make your own compost, fertilizer, and more for your organic garden? If so, we think you will love Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More. Here is what the publisher has to say about this new book:
Garden Alchemy is a hands-on guide for do-it-yourself gardeners who want to turn their garden into gold using natural recipes and herbal concoctions (while saving both time and money!).
This gardening recipe and project book is packed with over 80 ideas to naturally beautify your garden, using organic methods that regenerate your soil and revitalize your plants. By following the processes that are closest to nature, it brings the gardener in sync with the garden, allowing plants to thrive with less effort and less cost.
Recipes for mixing your own potting soils and homemadeorganic fertilizers give you the freedom to choose what ingredients make their way into your garden. Step-by-step instructions for building a compost pile, concocting soil tests, and constructing inexpensive DIY seed-starting equipment are accompanied by gorgeous, full-color, step-by-step photography. You’ll also find recipes for natural pest deterrents and traps, garden teas, and growth-boosting foliar sprays to help your garden grow strong all season long.
Garden Alchemy starts with home experiments to help you get to know your soil and customize recipes for your individual needs. The rest of the chapters share how to decipher and combine natural ingredients to make the best quality amendments and elixirs. Detailed descriptions of earth-based materials demystify common ingredients, such as mycorrhizae, biochar, and greensand, and help you learn how to fix common garden problems with minimal effort. The simple method of making use of what you have available supports plants better than brand-name products.
Dozens of recipes and projects include:
- Homemade seed bombs, disks, and tapes
- Granular and liquid natural fertilizer recipes
- DIY rooting hormone
- Herbal anti-fungal spray
- Plant propagation instructions
- Soil care recipes to adjust the pH and manage fertility
- 13 specialty potting mixes
- 7 clever traps for common garden pests
Written by Stephanie Rose, the creative gardener, permaculturist, and herbalist behind the popular website Garden Therapy, this fun and beautifully illustrated book is packed with great ideas and inspiration for DIY gardeners who want to embrace their creativity and have more control of the garden’s care.
Garden Alchemy: Our Thoughts
Okay, I will freely admit, this book is amazing. It has recipes for just about everything you need to gardening, including the best mixes for propagating plants and making sure you have the right potting mixture for your various plants. There is also very little ‘fluffy ‘ to this book, getting straight to the point of how to test your soil and the various recipes you want for doing your own plant ‘alchemy.’ Honestly, I see this being a book I am likely going to be referencing a lot in the future for my own garden!
Garden Alchemy: Where to Purchase
Would you like to purchase this gardening recipe book for yourself or someone you know? You can find Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More on Amazon.com for under $15. Who knew taking care of your garden could be so easy?
About Susan Bewley
Susan Bewley is a professional writer who has been writing content online & in print format for over 10 years. As well, she is an alumni of the University of Louisville with a Masters Degree in Special Education. When not working as an online business consultant or ghost writing, she can be found writing on Budget Earth, on her own novel, or working with various entities in the pet industry.
Good for gardeners of all types.