What we’ll cover:

• Why Citrus Trees Need Citrus Fertilizer
• When to Fertilize Citrus
• How Much Fertilizer to Apply
• How to Apply Citrus Fertilizer
• Tips for Feeding Citrus
• Supporting Tree Health with Nutrient+
• Feeding Citrus Trees in Containers
• Feed Citrus the Right Way

Why Citrus Trees Need Citrus Fertilizer

Citrus trees are unique. Their nutrient needs are different from most other fruit trees. They especially benefit from fertilizers formulated specifically for citrus, which contain the right blend of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and essential micronutrients like magnesium, manganese, and iron.

Without these extras, you might see pale leaves, poor growth, or fewer (and lower-quality) fruit.

Look for a fertilizer labeled for citrus—these are balanced for what your tree needs most. I use this organic citrus fertilizer from Amazon and have had great results year after year.

When to Fertilize Citrus

In the low desert, it’s easy to remember when to feed your citrus trees: Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day.

This simple schedule helps break up the total yearly fertilizer amount into three feedings—just what citrus trees need to stay healthy and productive.

More specifically, here’s what the University of Arizona Extension recommends:

• Oranges, mandarins, grapefruit:
  Feed one-third in January–February, one-third in March–April, and one-third in May–June. (3 applications before July.)
• Lemons and limes:
  Feed one-third in January–February, one-third in March–April, and one-third in August–September.

Lemons and limes usually need about 10% more fertilizer than other citrus. Grapefruit and pummelo trees often need half as much.

Need help choosing which type of citrus to plant? This article talks about 30 different varieties of citrus. Some oranges are best for juicing, and others are best eaten fresh. Still can’t decide? This article may help you decide which type of citrus tree to plant.  

How Much Fertilizer to Apply

Your tree’s size determines how much fertilizer it needs. Here’s a general guide based on tree height:

• Small (2–3 feet): ¼ to ½ pound nitrogen per year
• Medium (4–8 feet): ¾ to 1 pound nitrogen per year
• Large (10+ feet): 1¼ to 1½ pounds nitrogen per year

Divide the total amount into thirds and apply it according to the seasonal schedule above.

How to Apply Citrus Fertilizer

When it’s time to fertilize, proper application makes a big difference. Follow these simple steps:

1. Pull back any excessive mulch from under the tree to expose the soil, keeping it off the trunk.
2. Sprinkle the fertilizer evenly around the drip line—that’s the outer edge of the tree’s canopy, where the feeder roots are most active.
3. Lightly rake the fertilizer into the top inch or two of soil to help it absorb and prevent runoff.
4. Water deeply to move the nutrients into the root zone.
5. Push the mulch back into place to help retain moisture and protect the soil.

Avoid piling fertilizer near the trunk or using too much at once—both can harm the tree.

For detailed guidelines on watering intervals, consult my monthly blog posts or the University of Arizona Extension Office’s publication, Irrigating Citrus Trees. Looking for more citrus-growing tips? Check out this article for additional insights on how to grow citrus.

Want more detailed recommendations on how to fertilize citrus by tree size and age? Check out the full Citrus Fertilizer Chart for exact amounts and timing.

Tips for Feeding Citrus

• Use an organic citrus-specific fertilizer with added micronutrients.
• Skip fertilizing trees in their first year or two as they establish. Instead, use only Nutrient+ and the worm casting, compost, and mulch method described in this blog post.
• Over-fertilizing can damage roots and lower fruit quality—more isn’t always better.
• Water thoroughly after feeding to help nutrients reach the roots.
• Apply worm castings, compost, and mulch under the tree to build soil health and conserve moisture each season.

Support Tree Health with Nutrient+

In addition to fertilizing, I use Nutrient+ from Arizona Worm Farm during the growing season to help trees thrive and recover from stress. Nutrient+ isn’t a citrus fertilizer—it’s a powerful plant booster made from emulsified Black Soldier Fly larvae.

Nutrient+ supports tree health by promoting root development, enhancing soil biology, and improving plant resilience to stress like heat, frost, and sunburn.

Why I use it:

• Helps trees bounce back from damage
• Boosts microbial life in the soil
• Improves nutrient uptake
• Sustainable alternative to fish-based products

I apply Nutrient+ three times a year—Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day—alongside fertilizer and mulch. For established citrus trees, use 1 cup undiluted for every 3 feet of tree height and water deeply.

You can apply it more often to stressed trees. Apply weekly until the bottle is empty.

Feeding Citrus Trees in Containers

Citrus grown in containers has different needs than in-ground trees. Because nutrients wash out of pots more quickly, container citrus should be fed more frequently but in smaller amounts.

Instead of three large applications per year, break up the total fertilizer amount and apply monthly during the growing season, typically February through October in the low desert. However, it’s best to skip feeding during the hottest months, June and July, when trees are under heat stress and less able to take up nutrients.

Use an organic fertilizer formulated for citrus, and always follow label instructions for container-grown plants.

Tips for feeding citrus in containers:

• Use an organic citrus fertilizer
• Fertilize monthly during the growing season, except June and July
• Water deeply after feeding to help nutrients reach the root zone

Container citrus also benefits from Nutrient+ applications to support root health and recovery, especially during periods of stress from heat or watering fluctuations.

For information about planting citrus in containers, see this guide to growing citrus in containers.

Feed Citrus the Right Way

Healthy citrus trees don’t just happen—they need consistent, seasonal feeding with the right products and proper care.

Use a fertilizer designed for citrus, apply it on schedule, and support your tree with worm castings, compost, mulch, and recovery tools like Nutrient+ when needed.

The result? A vibrant, productive tree that rewards you with fresh, delicious citrus year after year.

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Article Index:

1. Examine Existing Beds
2. Evaluate the Soil
   • Why Not Till?
3. Amend your Soil by Adding Compost
4. Prepare Your Soil for Planting by Adding Worm Castings
5. Add Other Needed Amendments to Prepare Your Soil for Planting

1. Examine Existing Beds

Begin by doing a quick visual assessment of your garden beds:

• Raised Bed Condition
  • Do the sides need any repairs?
  • Are there gaps or signs of rotting wood or weakened materials?
• Irrigation Check
  • Is your watering system functioning correctly?
  • Are there any leaks, clogged emitters, or areas not receiving adequate moisture?
  • Is the coverage sufficient for all plants?

If you need to update or replace your beds, I highly recommend the metal raised beds and watering grids from Garden in Min

utes. I’ve used them in my own garden for years, and they’ve been incredibly durable and easy to maintain. Plus, the watering grids ensure even moisture for your plants. Use code Angela10 to save $10 off $100, or ANGELA to save 7% on any size order.

2. Evaluate the Soil

Once your beds are structurally sound, shift focus to the soil itself:

• Soil Level & Texture
  • Has the soil level dropped significantly? Consider whether you need to top off with fresh raised bed mix or if a layer of compost would suffice.
  • Is the soil still loose and friable? If it feels compacted or you notice a drastic change in texture, supplementing with components like coconut coir, vermiculite, or a raised bed mix that includes those may be necessary. I use the raised bed mix from Arizona Worm Farm. Learn more about this soil mixture here.

• Weeds, Diseases & Pest History
  • Were there major weed issues, diseases, or pest infestations last season? If so, remove any remaining plant debris or weeds to prevent carry-over problems. If Bermuda grass is an issue, read this guide.

Learn more about Kurapia, a low-water lawn alternative that grows well in desert climates, in this guide.

• Soil Testing
  • If your garden is growing well, this step may not be necessary. But if plants have struggled or not grown well a soil test is a good way to see what is going on.
  • Soil pH & Nutrient Levels: A soil test is the best way to know precisely what amendments your garden needs. You’ll learn about nutrient deficiencies (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients) and whether pH adjustments are necessary.
  • Use a reliable, easy-to-read soil test kit or send samples to a local extension office for professional analysis. This is the soil test kit I use.
  • Follow test recommendations to address any imbalances before you plant. Learn more about how to test your soil in this guide.

Tip: Don’t till your soil. Tilling disturbs the good things that are happening in your soil!

Why Not Till?

• Preserves Soil Structure
  Tilling can break apart soil aggregates and damage fragile networks of fungi and microorganisms. Undisturbed soil holds water and nutrients more effectively.
• Protects Beneficial Organisms
  Earthworms, microbes, and other helpful creatures thrive when left undisturbed. These organisms improve soil fertility by breaking down organic matter and making nutrients available to plants.
• Reduces Weed Pressure
  Tilling can expose dormant weed seeds to sunlight, causing them to germinate. Leaving the soil undisturbed helps keep those seeds buried and less likely to sprout.
• Prevents Erosion
  Soil with a stable, undisturbed structure is less prone to wind and water erosion, helping maintain soil depth and quality over time.

By minimizing disturbance and simply layering organic matter (like compost) on top, you enhance your soil’s natural processes—resulting in healthier, more resilient garden beds.

3. Amend your Soil by Adding Compost

One of the most essential steps in amending soil is adding compost. Compost is a cornerstone amendment for any garden.

• Benefits of Compost
  • Improves Soil Structure: Loosens heavy clay and helps sandy soils hold moisture.
  • Adds Nutrients: Contains essential plant nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, plus beneficial micronutrients.
  • Boosts Beneficial Organisms: Feeds microbes and earthworms that help make nutrients more available to plants.
  • Reduces Diseases & Pests: Compost can help suppress some plant diseases and pests.
  • Enhances Moisture Retention: Helps the soil hold water, reducing the need for frequent watering.
• How to Add Compost
  • Layer, Don’t Till: Spread at least one inch (2.54 cm) of compost on top of your soil. Earthworms and microbes will integrate it naturally.
  • Dealing with Mulch: If you have a thick mulch layer, pull it back, add compost, and then replace or refresh the mulch as needed.
• Which Compost to Use
  • Homemade: Homemade compost is best if you can make it. Learn how to make compost in this guide.
  • Locally Sourced: A local, trusted compost supplier is your next-best option.
  • Store-Bought: If using bagged compost, buy multiple brands for a varied nutrient profile.

4. Prepare Your Soil for Planting by Adding Worm Castings

Worm castings are a powerful, natural soil amendment:

• Why Use Worm Castings?
  • Naturally high in beneficial microbes and nutrients.
  • Gentle, slow release of fertility that won’t burn plants if applied correctly.
• How Much to Add
  • For established beds, apply 4 cups per 4×8 bed.
  • In new beds, aim for around 5% worm castings (11 gallons per 4×8 bed).
  • Layer them on top of the soil and lightly water them in.
• In-Bed Vermicomposting
  • Add an in-bed vermicomposting bin for an ongoing supply of worm castings directly in your raised bed. It’s a low-maintenance way of amending soil throughout the growing season. Learn how to add vermicomposting bins to your garden here.

To learn more about the benefits of worm castings, read this guide by Zach Brooks of Arizona Worm Farm.

Tip: Apply 4 cups fresh worm castings to each 4×8 raised bed each season.

5. Add Other Needed Amendments to Prepare Your Soil for Planting

Although I add compost and worm castings each season, I don’t always add other amendments. You can finalize your plan for amending soil based on your soil test results. Consider these common soil amendments:

1. Biochar (link to purchase)
   • Improves soil texture and water retention.
   • It acts like a sponge, holding nutrients until plants need them.
   • It can raise pH, so be mindful if your soil is already alkaline.
2. Azomite (Rock Dust) (link to purchase)
   • Rich in minerals and trace elements that garden soil may lack.
   • Useful for amending soil that has been heavily used or depleted.
3. Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) (link to purchase)
   • Beneficial for clay or compacted soils.
   • Helps loosen particles and improve drainage.
4. Blood Meal (link to purchase)
   • Quick source of nitrogen.
   • Follow label instructions to avoid over-fertilization.
5. Bone Meal (link to purchase)
   • Adds phosphorus for strong root growth and flower/fruit production.
   • Also provides calcium and some nitrogen.
6. Kelp Meal/Seaweed Extract (link to purchase)
   • Offers micronutrients, natural growth hormones, and stress resistance.
   • Great for amending soil to support seed germination and root development.
7. Green Sand or Langbeinite (link to purchase)
   • Green sand supplies potassium and micronutrients.
   • Langbeinite delivers potassium, magnesium, and sulfur—excellent if your test indicates shortages.

Even the best mix will need refreshing over time. My guide on how to fill a raised bed explains what to add initially and how to keep improving soil season after season.

If you’re looking for tools, soil amendments, seed-starting gear, or even supplies for keeping chickens, check out my carefully curated gardening supplies and tools page. It includes everything I rely on in the garden.

Tip: Always adhere to recommended application rates when amending soil, as over-amending can cause nutrient imbalances.

Final Thoughts

Taking the time at the beginning of each season to prepare garden soil before planting pays off by reducing problems later on and boosting plant performance. By layering amendments like compost and worm castings, adding specific nutrients based on a soil test, and avoiding deep tilling, you’ll keep your soil structure healthy and full of beneficial organisms.

Healthy soil is a living ecosystem. With consistent care and careful amending of soil, your garden will become more productive and resilient each season—setting the stage for vigorous plants, fewer pest problems, and delicious, abundant harvests.

If you are gardening in the low desert or another hot, dry climate, the Desert Gardening page is the best place to start. It brings together all my seasonal planting guides, tips for creating shade and managing heatwaves, and advice for protecting plants from frost. Having everything in one place makes it easy to find exactly what you need for each season.

If this post about amending your soil and preparing your garden before planting was helpful, please share it.

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What to Feed Worms Outline:

• What do the worms in your in-bed vermicomposting bins eat?
• Perfect Worm Food
• Feed Worms These in Moderation
• What to Avoid Feeding Worms
• Tips for Feeding Worms
• Composting and Fertilizing Resources on This Website

Check out this helpful video for a visual overview of how to feed worms.

What do the Red Wiggler worms in your in-bed vermicomposting bins eat?

Worms in your vermicomposting bin break down various organic materials, transforming them into nutrient-dense worm castings that benefit your soil. Here’s a breakdown of the best foods for worms, items that should be fed in moderation, and those to avoid.

Perfect In-Bed Vermicomposting Worm Food:

• Fruits and Vegetables: Watermelon, bananas, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, strawberries, apples, beans, pears, carrots, cherries, grapes, peaches, spinach, cucumbers, cabbage, celery, mangoes, tomatoes, and corn.
• Paper Products: Cardboard, shredded paper, and egg cartons.

These items break down easily and provide a balanced diet that worms love. Fruits, vegetables, and cardboard offer essential nutrients, moisture, and bulk that worms need for digestion and healthy composting.

Some of my favorite things to feed my worms include:

• Bird pecked peaches
• Spent roselle tea after steeping
• Spent okra after making okra water
• Sweet potato peelings
• Leftover pulp from making celery juice
• Amazon boxes. This shredder from Amazon will shred cardboard boxes (remove tape and labels first).

What to Feed Worms in Moderation:

• Starchy Foods: Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, and other starchy foods.

These items can be added occasionally but should be limited. Too much starch can create an unbalanced environment in the bin, leading to odors or slowing down the composting process.

What to Avoid Feeding Worms:

• Citrus fruits: Lemons, oranges, limes, and other citrus can create an overly acidic environment.
• Meat, bones, dairy, and eggs (crushed shells are okay): These items can attract pests and take too long to break down.
• Processed, salty, or greasy foods: They are difficult for worms to digest and can harm the bin’s ecosystem.
• Pet waste: Contains harmful bacteria and pathogens.

Tips for Feeding Red Wiggler Worms in In-Bed Vermicomposting Bins:

To keep your worms happy, follow these best practices:

1. Balance Greens and Browns Each Time You Feed
   For every batch of food you add, aim to add equal amounts of “greens” (moist food scraps) and “browns” (dry carbon-rich materials). This helps maintain the right conditions.
   • Greens: Fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, bread & pasta (small amounts), coffee grounds, and crushed eggshells.
   • Browns: Cardboard, mulch, dry leaves, and shredded paper.
2. Feed Worms Once a Week
   Plan to feed your worms about once per week. Ensure the previous scraps are mostly consumed before adding new food. If you use wood chips to cover your bins, the level will drop, and you’ll know it’s time for more food.
3. Chop or Blend Food Scraps
   Smaller pieces of food break down faster, making it easier for worms to consume.
4. Cover Food Scraps with Browns
   After adding food scraps, cover them with a layer of browns, such as dry leaves, wood chips, or cardboard. This helps prevent odors and keeps fruit flies away.
5. Monitor and Remove Uneaten Food
   Remove any large pieces of uneaten food. Note what your worms are and aren’t eating to adjust future feedings.
6. Maintain Moisture Levels
   The interior of the bin should feel damp but not too wet. If the bin feels dry, lightly spray it with water or a hose to maintain moisture.
7. Cover the Bin Properly After Feeding Worms
   After feeding, cover the bin with a thick layer of wood chips or replace the lid. This helps retain moisture and keeps pests out.

By following these simple guidelines for feeding your worms in your in-bed vermicomposting bins, they will stay healthy and continue producing rich worm castings for your garden.

Composting and Fertilizing Resources on This Website:

• Vermicomposting Made Easy: In-Bed Worm Composting
• Frequently Asked Questions About In-Bed Vermicomposting
• How to Compost: 10 Steps to Make it Simple
• Why Add Worms to Your Garden: The Benefits of Worm Castings
• Worm Casting Tea: How and Why to Make It

Source:

The Squirm Farm: What Can Red Wiggler Worms Eat Infographic

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Most of us garden to have healthy fruits and vegetables to eat. When you add worms to your garden, the benefit of the worm castings those worms produce is that you will have better living soil. Better living soil will produce better fruits and vegetables with less water and other fertilizer.  Healthier for you.  Healthier for the planet.

”Worms literally move the earth in the process of their meanderings. Their passage through the earth aerates the soil, and the natural chemistry of their guts renders soil and plant matter into fertile pellets”¹

Charles Darwin

Article Outline

1. The Benefits of Adding Worms and Worm Castings to Your Garden
2. The Science Behind the Benefits of Worm Castings
3. The Science Behind the Nutrients Plants Need
4. How Microbial Life in Soil Helps Plants Use the Nutrients in the Soil
5. Encouraging Microbial Activity Enables Plants to Help Themselves
6. How to Imitate Nature in Your Garden With Worms and Worm Castings
7. How Many Worm Castings Should I Add to My Garden Beds?
8. Do I need to add worms?
9. About Zach and the Arizona Worm Farm

The Benefits of Adding Worms and Worm Castings to Your Garden

I own the Arizona Worm Farm and want you to buy worm castings for your garden. I want to take the time to explain what worm castings do for your soil, but let’s start with the benefits of worms and worm castings.

The USDA says, “Worm castings are high in plant-available nutrients and help improve soil structure and water holding capacity.”²  PennState³ quotes their studies that tell us worm castings will add beneficial microbes to your soil that will do all of the following:

• They “make” food: Microbes break down organic matter into digestible food for your plants.
• They protect your plants: Microbes can outcompete “bad” microbes, produce toxic compounds, or parasitize them. They can also activate plant immune responses to help them fight disease.
• They encourage plants to grow and heal: Microbes release phytohormones that can regulate plant growth and trigger immunity.
• Microbes help your soil use and retain water better. They also help absorb and recycle water in the soil. They extend the reach of your plants’ roots to help the plants access more water.
• They foster healthy growth: Microbes can help plants tolerate stress

The Science Behind the Benefits of Worm Castings

The science is a long journey into the details, but it begins with a simple idea. Nature grew abundant fruits and vegetables long before we showed up with our NPK tests, Miracle Grow, pH balancers, and mycorrhizal amendments. So, if we can imitate Nature in our yards and gardens and get out of the way, our gardens will thrive.

Soil is made up of five basic building blocks – minerals, organic matter, living organisms, water, and air.

• Minerals are tiny pieces of rock that have broken down over time. 
• Organic matter (what soil scientists call Detritus) is partially broken-down leaves, grass, mulches, and plants.  For most of us, this is the stuff that falls from our trees and plants, plus the compost we add every time we plant.
• Healthy soil is made up of almost 50% water and air.

The Science Behind the Nutrients Plants Need

Plants need Nutrients to Grow. There are three primary macronutrients that all plants need to grow healthy and strong – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). That’s the NPK you see on fertilizer labels. They are the nutrients that plants need most to grow.

• Nitrogen helps plants grow leaves and stems.
• Phosphorus makes flowers bloom, and roots grow.
• Potassium supports the plants’ immunity to disease and affects the fruit’s quality.

There are also many macronutrients—calcium, magnesium, and sulfur—and micronutrients —chlorine, boron, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, molybdenum, and nickel – that plants need to grow.

It is also important to note that the balance of these nutrients is critically important.  Too much or too little of a micronutrient can keep a plant from absorbing macronutrients.  For example, Boron deficiency commonly results in fewer flowers per plant. You might look at your plant and add Phosphorus (because, duh, Phosphorus makes flowers bloom), when your soil has plenty of Phosphorus and not enough Boron. More on that later.

The pH (short for the power of Hydrogen), which measures the acidic/basic level of soil and water, can impact how plants consume these nutrients. Most crops grow best in soils with a pH of 6.5-6.8. Here in the Phoenix area, our water tends to be close to 8, so our plants may have difficulty accessing certain nutrients. Again, more on that later. 

If everything is right and in balance, your plants will grow and be productive, the fruit and vegetables they produce will be of higher quality, and your plants can better resist disease and pest pressure. 

How Microbial Life in Soil Helps Plants Use the Nutrients in the Soil

Let’s get nerdy. Microbes are also present in soil. They are quite small (a teaspoon of worm castings can contain one billion bacteria representing 10,000 species and three to four yards of fungal hyphae), but they play a critical role in feeding our plants.

The organic matter in our soil holds most of the nutrients plants need in complex molecules like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that plants can’t use directly. To make these nutrients available for plants, soil organisms like bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and pill bugs decompose the organic matter. This process converts nutrients into forms that plants can absorb and increases the soil’s ability to retain nutrients like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. 

Microbes take the food in the organic material and convert it into forms our plants can eat.  We call that “Nutrient Cycling“.

“A nutrient cycle is the cyclic pathway by which nutrients pass through to be recycled and reutilized. The pathway comprises cells, organisms, community, and ecosystem.”⁴

In this process, nutrients get absorbed, transferred, released, and reabsorbed. It is a natural recycling system of mineral nutrients. Nutrients consumed by plants and animals are returned to the environment after they fall off trees or die (or, in the case of animals, when they poop) and decomposition, and the cycle continues.

“Soil microbes decompose organic matter to release nutrients. They also trap and transform nutrients into the soil, which plant roots can take up.”⁵

Encouraging Microbial Activity Enables Plants to Help Themselves

So, soil microbes convert what is in the organic matter into food the plants can eat.  But Nature takes it to an even better place.  Plants and microbes have “conversations” – plants produce exudates (sugars) that feed the microbes that make the nutrients plants need.  For example, while many microbes fix atmospheric nitrogen, some provide specific nutrient availability to your plants. Rhizobia-legumes provide N2-fixation. Plant-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi assist with phosphorus availability, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi forage soil phosphorus through their hyphae root system. 

Plants can foster the growth of the microbes that produce the specific nutrients they need. When we talked about a need for balance in macronutrients and micronutrients (a couple of paragraphs above) – we now see the brilliance of Nature (and the importance of microbially active soils). Your plants will tell your microbes when they are out of balance, and the microbes will help retrieve and supply the nutrients your plants lack.

With many micronutrients, too much is as bad as too little.  Getting your soil balanced by adding micronutrients is the process soil scientists with advanced degrees get right at giant agricultural companies with labs, tests, and expensive machines.  I have always found it impossible to get right in my backyard.  Conversely, using worm castings to add microbes that talk to plants to balance naturally is demonstrably easier – and has never failed me.

But wait, there’s more!

The National Institute of Health reports many studies that show microbes can increase or decrease the pH and thus produce a more or less suitable environment for themselves.  Microbes like 6.8 to 7.0 can modify their environments to be closer to 7.  They will drive the pH to be what your plants prefer.

How to Imitate Nature in Your Garden With Worms and Worm Castings

We don’t need to understand soil science to get this right. We just need to make sure our gardens and yards have the basics:

• Organic matter (decomposed material (plants, insects, food scraps) or compost you make yourself or get from The Arizona Worm Farm). 
• Microbes (from worms or worm castings)
• Water and Air

If you continuously build up the organic matter in your garden by adding compost to your garden beds regularly, using mulch, growing cover crops, and adding manure, you will have the building blocks in place. By adding worms or worm castings, you add the life you need to transform that material into exactly the nutrients your plants need to thrive.

The bottom line is that microbially active soil with lots of organic matter will fine-tune itself to produce abundant growth.  The National Center for Biotechnology put it this way: 

“Vermicompost enhances soil biodiversity by promoting the beneficial microbes which in turn enhances plant growth directly by production of plant growth-regulating hormones and enzymes and indirectly by controlling plant pathogens, nematodes, and other pests, thereby enhancing plant health and minimizing the yield loss.”

The benefits of worm castings can be summarized in this way: worms grow helpful microbes in their guts that end up in their castings.  When moved promptly, those microbes flourish in gardens with rich organic materials.

How many worm castings should I add to my garden beds?

• For established beds, apply 4 cups per 4×8 bed.
• In new beds, aim for around 5% worm castings (11 gallons per 4×8 bed).
• Layer them on top of the soil and lightly water them in.

Worm castings provide long-lasting nutrients and help build healthy soil biology, making them one of my favorite steps when filling a raised bed. Want more details? Check out my guide on how to amend your garden soil.

Do I need to add worms?

I am often asked if I need to add worms to my garden.  In many geographies, creating a welcoming environment (lots of organic matter and regular water) will attract worms.  They will “show up”.  If you live in an area with moist, loamy soil (like, for example, Minnesota or New Jersey – even Central Phoenix in the irrigated sections), you will almost certainly attract worms – and there is no reason to buy them to add.  If, on the other hand, you live in a desert where the native soil is dry, lacking in organic matter, sandy, or just very hard – you will have a hard time attracting enough worms to have a positive impact on your garden.

And, as I move from Soil Nerd to Worm Nerd, I will tell you that there are hundreds of species of worms. The worms fit into three general categories: 

• Deep burrowing worms (Anecic)
• Shallow-burrowing earthworms (Endogeic)
• Surface-dwelling (Epigeic)

The worms you will attract to your gardens tend to be Anecic or Endogeic and move quite deep in your soils.  They don’t stay where you put them, and you can’t control their movements. Because they only breed in very deep burrows, they can’t be bred in normal worm farms like ours.  The worms we raise and sell at the Arizona Worm Farm are Epigeic – they operate in the top three or four inches of soil and don’t burrow (which means they also don’t wander to your neighbors or fields).

Red Wigglers are perfect worms for worm bins and in-garden worm composting. We recommend adding these worms to your garden. If you feed them regularly and keep them properly watered, you will never have to buy them again.

Sources used for this article about why to add worms and the benefits of worm castings:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Power_of_Movement_in_Plants
2. https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2023/04/13/want-compost-your-garden-bed-let-worms-do-it
3. https://extension.psu.edu/earthworms
4. https://collegedunia.com/exams/nutrient-cycle-biology-articleid-7558
5. https://extension.umn.edu/soil-management-and-health/soil-organic-matter-cropping-systems

Additional information about adding worms and the benefits of worm castings:

• Organic Fruit Tree Fertilizing: Four Simple Steps
• How and Why to Make Worm Castings Tea
• Vermicomposting Made Easy: In-Bed Vermicomposting
• How to Prepare Your Soil for Planting

About Zach and the Arizona Worm Farm

Zach Brooks owns and founded The Arizona Worm Farm in Phoenix, Arizona. This 10-acre, fully sustainable, off-the-grid farm uses waste by-products to grow food and produce castings, worm castings, tea, and compost. Zach has an MBA and completed extensive Sustainability coursework from ASU’s School of Sustainability. 

The Arizona Worm Farm is your place in Phoenix to get worms, worm castings, compost, soils and tea.  They are working to produce the most powerful, live, active natural fertilizer on the planet!

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Guest Post by Zach Brooks, Owner of Arizona Worm Farm

​​One of our goals at the Arizona Worm Farm is to create a “forest of fruit trees” where there is something bearing fruit every day of the year. If you plant the right trees, having something from your fruit trees to harvest year-round is very possible. This post will help you find ideas about what to plant for year-round fruit tree harvests.

Some of the most dense, healthy plant growth on the planet is in forests. Who fertilizes those plants? Mother Nature! What we try to do here on our farm and in our yards is (as much as we possibly can) mimic the aspects of the forest that promote healthy, hearty growth and produce an abundance of fruit.

How do we create a forest environment in the desert?

Let’s start with a definition: In soil biology, detritus is dead organic material. Detritus in the forest typically includes the bodies or fragments of dead organisms and plants and their waste. Detritus typically hosts communities of microorganisms that colonize and decompose it. 

Most of us don’t have animals roaming our properties that will poop or die, and few of us have enough trees to shed enough leaves to mimic a forest. In an urban environment, detritus is replaced quite nicely with compost.

To mimic nature and fertilize fruit trees organically, we need:

• The detritus that falls from the trees and plants and animals.
• The living micro and macro-organisms in the soil that convert that detritus to food for our trees.
• A dense covering on the ground to prevent evaporation and erosion while providing a habitat for the living organisms that make this all work.

Before you begin:

A pre-step: first, create a berm (about 6 inches high) at the dripline of your tree. That’s the line where if you sprayed water on your tree, the water would drip. If it is a very young tree, go to where you guess the dripline will be in three years.

4 Simple steps to fertilize fruit trees organically

How do we achieve forest-level success in our desert environment? It is surprisingly easy and consists of four steps.

Step One: Add microbes to feed your fruit trees organically

How to add microbes:

Worm castings or worm castings tea is the best way to add microbes in large numbers. Worm castings (or aerated tea made from the castings) create or join a soil ecosystem already full of bacteria, protozoa, amoeba, fungi, and nematodes.

A teaspoon of good, active garden soil, according to microbial geneticists, contains a billion bacteria, several yards of fungal hyphae, several thousand protozoa, and a few dozen nematodes. By adding worm casts to this equation, you boost the soil ecosystem and help it flourish.

Microbes (which you boost by adding worm castings) are the ultimate organic fertilizer. These microbes are the opposite of chemical pesticides that poison and kill everything in the soil in the name of abundant yields. 

How many worm castings to add:

Scientifically, the perfect amount of castings is 5% – too little, and you won’t get the abundance of microbes we are looking for; too much, and you are just wasting money. It is easy to measure 5% when we mix a raised bed mix, but it is harder for a tree.

Our “rule of thumb” is about a cup of worm castings per three feet of tree height. My personal favorite advice is “toss a couple of handfuls.” 

How to add the castings:

Spread castings around the base of the tree, right on top of the soil. 

If you have access to good aerated worm castings tea (either from someplace like The Arizona Worm Farm that makes it or from your own tea brewer), it can be used instead of castings. 

Step Two: Add lots of compost to fertilize fruit trees organically

In urban areas where we don’t get natural detritus, we add compost. 

What kind of compost is best for fertilizing fruit trees?

The best compost is the compost you make yourself in your own yard using your own yard waste – it will have the nutrients your trees used to grow initially. The second best is to get a diverse combination of composts from companies that make good compost. Generally, the easiest way to do that is to buy most of your compost from someplace you trust and then add a bag or two of different composts. 

How much compost should I use to fertilize my fruit trees?

We recommend one cubic foot of compost per three feet of tree height – but there’s not really such a thing as too much compost. It is safe to fill the water well (that area you created with your berm) with an inch or two of compost all the way out to the dripline.

Step Three: Cover with a thick layer of mulch

Why should I add mulch when feeding my fruit trees?

Mulch is your tree’s best friend, especially in our hot, dry climate. Most importantly, mulch is an awesome habitat for microbes. 

Some other benefits of mulch:

• Conserves and extends available water.
• Protects the soil from erosion.
• Suppresses weeds.
• Moderates temperature extremes.
• As mulch slowly decomposes, it adds carbon to your soil. 

How much mulch should I use?

We recommend you fill the rest of the water well with mulch. There is almost no such thing as “too much” mulch. Generally, aim to use at least 3-6 inches (7-15cm) of mulch. One foot of mulch is not too much.

Step Four: Water trees deeply to encourage deep roots

For healthy tree growth, we want deep, healthy roots. Shallow watering (usually the result of a tree in a lawn that gets watered a couple of minutes several times a day) will encourage shallow roots. Trees that fall over or have no ability to pull water from deep underground in the summer are the result of shallow roots.  

How much water does a fruit tree need?

There is a standard rule arborists like to use: “About 10 gallons per 1 inch of trunk diameter per week”. Trial and observation will help you get it right. 

How to water fruit trees:

After fertilizing your fruit trees, fill the water well with water (the mulch will float, but it will stay in place). Water slowly, allowing the water to seep into the soil rather than run off. Aim to water to a depth of at least 2 feet.

Watch your tree. After watering, the tree’s leaves should look healthy and green for anywhere from 7 to 21 days, depending on the outside temperatures and humidity.

When you see a bit of a leaf droop, it is time to water again. If you are uncertain, dig down 10-12 inches and see if the ground is still moist. Water only when it is dry to that depth. This will encourage deep roots, which help stabilize the tree.

How often should you fertilize fruit trees?

The basic rule is three times a year: Valentine’s Day, Labor Day, and Memorial Day. These days are usually recommended because they are the start of the three growing seasons in most places. They are also easy to remember.

The best answer is “when your trees need it.”  If you observe your trees, you will start to see the compost and the mulch disappearing. This means it has been converted into food by the microbes. It is time to add more food for the microbes when what was there is mostly gone.

You can add worm castings more frequently and aerated teas as often as monthly. We find more than quarterly is probably not needed. Learn how to make worm castings tea in this blog post.

Do I need to pull back the mulch before I feed the trees again?

No. When you repeat these steps, don’t remove anything (don’t push the mulch aside or move compost). Add the same layers on top of the previous layers. Water and the natural cycles will get the levels straight, and we don’t want to disturb micro or macro-organisms.

Some other things matter – like appropriate placement, proper pruning (less is usually better), monitoring for pests, and adding shade when trees are young. But, if you get the four steps for organically feeding fruit trees consistently correct, you will have happy, healthy trees that reward you with lots of fruit.

Feeding your tree at the right time makes a big difference. Learn how to fertilize citrus trees for the healthiest growth and best harvests.

Arizona Worm Farm is an excellent place to get all the products needed to feed your fruit tree forest organically. They have worm castings, compost, mulch, and worm castings tea available for purchase and delivery.

If you would like to see the Arizona Worm Farm fruit tree forest in person, they offer free public, guided, and VIP tours during regular business hours. See their website for more information.

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In-bed vermicomposting solves the problem of what to do with the worms during extremes of hot and cold. For example, vermicomposting in hot weather places (like the low desert of Arizona) is difficult unless you bring the worms inside during the summer months. With in-bed vermicomposting, the worms simply burrow deeper in the beds during the heat of an Arizona summer and then emerge again in the fall. 

Article Index:

• How does vermicomposting work?
• What are the benefits of worm composting (vermicomposting)?
• What is the easiest way to make and maintain a vermicomposting (worm composting) bin?
• When should I add in-bed vermicomposting bins to my garden beds?
• Which type of worms should I use for in-bed vermicomposting?
• How many in-bed vermicomposting bins should you have?
• What do worms eat?
• How do I make an in-bed vermicomposter (worm composter)?

For FAQ and more details about how to implement in-bed vermicomposting, read this blog post.

How does vermicomposting work?

Worm composting – also called vermicomposting (‘vermi’ = worm) – is the process of using worms for composting food scraps into vermicompost. Worms eat up to half their weight daily in kitchen scraps, and worm castings are the byproduct of all that eating. Worm castings = GARDEN GOLD!

During digestion, the worms secrete chemicals that break organic matter into nutrition readily available for plants. Worm castings and the chemicals secreted during digestion make up vermicompost.

What are the benefits of worm composting (vermicomposting)?

• Vermicompost improves soil texture and structure and aerates the soil. 
• Vermicompost increases the water-holding capacity of soil. 
• The nutrients in vermicompost are immediately available to plants. 
• Worm castings contribute to faster plant growth and higher production.
• Worm castings are dense in microorganisms and nutrients.
• The chemicals in worm castings help prevent “damping off” and other diseases.

For more information about the amazing things worm castings do for your garden, read “Why Add Worms to Your Garden: The Benefits of Worm Castings.”

What is the easiest way to make and maintain a vermicomposting (worm composting) bin?

A vermicomposting bin built into your raised beds, containers, or in-ground garden bed is the easiest way to make a worm composting bin. Gardening with kids? This is a fun project to do with them. Get more tips for gardening with kids in this article.

There is no need to harvest the worm castings or move the worms inside for extremes of hot and cold temperatures. The worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed right where they are needed. 

When should I add in-bed vermicomposting bins to my garden beds?

If you live in a hot summer climate, do not add worms during the hottest months of the year. In the low desert of Arizona, the best time to add in-bed vermicomposting bins to your garden is from mid-September through May.

Which type of worms should I use for in-bed vermicomposting?

Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of the hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level.

That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you buy nightcrawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.

Purchasing red wiggler worms locally is the best choice. I get my worms from Arizona Worm Farm here in Phoenix. You can also buy them online.

How many in-bed vermicomposting bins should you have?

I have one worm habitat in each bed. One habitat per bed is enough to get a continuous flow of microbes.

You can add as many bins as you need to process your food scraps and waste, but you don’t need a high density of worms for a successful garden.

Add at least 300 worms for each habitat. 600-800 is better, if possible.

Worms multiply to fit the space and available food. In a big garden, worms will breed faster.

What do worms eat?

Perfect worm food: Watermelon, bananas, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, strawberries, apples, beans, pears, carrots, cherries, grapes, peaches, spinach, cucumbers, cabbage, celery, mangoes, tomatoes, corn, cardboard, shredded paper and egg cartons.

Feed worms in moderation: Bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and other starchy foods

Avoid feeding worms: Citrus, meats, bones, eggs (crushed shells are ok), dairy products, processed foods, salty or greasy food, and pet waste.

For more details and information about feeding worms, read this guide.

How do I make an in-bed vermicomposter (worm composter)?

Supplies needed for in-bed vermicomposting:

• Bin (see options below).
• Shredded cardboard – This shredder from Amazon will shred cardboard boxes (remove tape and labels first).
• Kitchen scraps – Perfect worm food includes bananas, watermelon, pumpkin, strawberries, apples, and more. I keep them on the counter in this container until I add them to the bins.
• Worms – Red wigglers are preferred. I get mine from Arizona Worm Farm. Look for a local supplier if possible. If you can’t find one you can get them online here. The earthworms typically found in the garden aren’t suitable for vermicomposting.

Bin options for in-bed vermicomposting:

The bin helps designate a place in your garden for the worms. Choose one slightly smaller than the depth of your garden bed. There are several options:

• These plant protectors provide a large, deep area in the bed.
• They come ready to use and are the right size to use underneath my watering grids.
• This is my favorite way to create a cavity in my beds for the worms’ habitat.

• A wire garbage can with wide openings is the simplest way to add bins to your beds. They are available at Dollar Tree or Amazon.
• Lifting the bin out of the bed is simple when it’s time to collect the finished worm castings.

• Shape hardware cloth into a cylinder slightly shorter than the depth of your garden bed.
• Wire the ends of the hardware cloth together.

Directions for installing and using an in-bed vermicomposting bin:

1. Dig a hole in the garden bed the bin size.

2. Place the bin in the hole.

3. Fill the habitat with shredded cardboard (or wood chips) and wet it down. Allow cardboard to absorb moisture overnight.

4. Add 300-600 red wiggler worms. Red wigglers are preferred. I get mine from Arizona Worm Farm. Look for a local supplier if possible. If you can’t find one you can get them online here.

5. Begin feeding worms – see worm feeding details.

6. Cover the food scraps with a layer of “brown” materials—examples: wood chips, dried leaves, soil, and shredded cardboard.

7. Cover the worm habitat. Use a thick layer of wood chips. You could also use a piece of wood or a tile.

8. Check back occasionally and add more food scraps. (Always top with browns). Remove any large pieces of uneaten food.

9. When food scraps are gone, and the bucket is empty, you can harvest the castings. (The worms will leave the bucket and migrate to other areas of the bed). Spread the castings around the garden bed. You can also leave the castings in place.

10. Begin the process over again, starting with fresh shredded cardboard (or wood chips), food scraps, and browns—no need to add additional worms.

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Learn how to make nutrient-rich organic worm castings tea for bigger harvests, healthier trees & pest-free gardens. Zach from Arizona Worm Farm shares his recipe.

Article Outline:

• What is worm castings tea?
• How & Why to Make Worm Castings Tea: Zach’s Recipe for a Pest Free Garden
• Why bother making it?
• What are the benefits of worm castings tea?
• Worm castings tea recipe development
• Use fresh and varied inputs for the best tea
• Gather the supplies
• Zach’s Worm Casting Tea Recipe
• How to apply worm castings tea
• When to apply worm castings tea

What is worm castings tea?

Worm castings tea, also known as vermicompost tea, worm compost tea, or worm casting tea, is a nutrient-rich, organic fertilizer brewed by soaking worm castings (and other ingredients), in aerated water. It’s a natural way to feed your plants and boost soil health, teeming with beneficial microbes and minerals.

Zach from Arizona Worm Farm has spent the last five years perfecting his recipe, and now he’s sharing it with us so we can learn how to make worm castings tea at home.

How & Why to Make Worm Castings Tea: Zach’s Recipe for a Pest Free Garden

Guest post by Zach Brooks, Owner of Arizona Worm Farm

Why bother making it?

It’s a lot of trouble – so let’s start with why. Quite simply: Your vegetable yield will increase. Your trees will be healthier. Your flowers will be bug-free.

What are the benefits of worm castings tea?

There’s a lot of soil science – pure academic research and decades of field testing that backs up this basic concept: if you suspend microbes in clean water and add air, the microbes will multiply dramatically. When you then transfer that microbe-laden brew into your soils and onto your plants, the microbes thrive and do what they do almost immediately.

Here’s what all those microbes do:

• Help produce thicker leaves so your plants protect themselves against frost, sunburn, and pests. 
• Rapidly convert organic matter from the soil into food for your plants.  
• Tell your plants there are pests present before those pests arrive, so your plant protects itself from the inside out.  
• Extend the reach of your plant’s roots so your plants grow better with less water. 
• Eat harmful microbes.  
• Improve soil structure through the formation of soil aggregates. 
• Increase soil porosity, resulting in better aeration and water retention. 
• Stop the degradation of soil pollutants and provide pH buffering.

Convinced about the benefits of worm castings tea? Let’s talk about how to make it.

Worm castings tea recipe development

Over the last five years, I have run more than 125 experiments where a standard recipe was compared to variations of ingredients or procedures.

We then looked for and counted microbes under a microscope.

Worm castings experiment findings:

• The 27-hour brewing time increased protozoa activity.
• Humic acid stimulated fungi activity.
• Kelp stimulated protozoa activity.
• Fish fertilizer stimulated fungi activity and increased nutrient content.
• Worm castings resulted in increased fungi content.

I am going to share our recipe and approach – although I will reiterate, that this is a bit of a bother, and you need the correct inputs to get this right. 

We sell it fresh every Saturday morning here at the Worm Farm. An easier option is to just come by a gallon or two.

Use fresh and varied inputs for the best tea

Start with as varied and healthy a collection of microbes as possible. Use your castings, fresh from your worm bin, and your compost, fresh from your piles. Use other sources of microbes like hydrated mulch that is breaking down or mushroom compost.  

If you don’t have your own, buy them from a local farm where you can get fresh. The big box compost and worm castings sealed in plastic do not have much microbial life. If you come here to my farm and want inputs for your tea, tell us so we can sell you unscreened material.

We don’t screen any of the inputs before we use them to make our tea here. The compost and castings will have larger chunks of wood than our typical commercial product. This mostly serves to reduce microbe exposure to heat and dryness and to avoid breaking fungal hyphae strands.  

The other ingredients are humic extract, kelp meal, fish hydrolysate, and Arizona Worm Farm’s BSFL Nutrient +. How many of these you use is up to you. The extra additives will improve the tea but are not essential.

Gather the supplies

• A seven-gallon bucket (This size allows you to make 5 gallons of tea.)
• A “tea bag” (You can add the material to the water and aerate it, but the bag makes it easier to spray and use in our gardens.)
• A pump that can produce a “rolling boil” – bubbles that make the water look like it is boiling hard – with no heat. We recommend this home brewing kit from Compost Tea Lab. It contains a pump, a bubble snake, and a tea bag.
• Hose end sprayer
• Fresh worm castings
• Unscreened compost
• Decomposed hydrated wood chip mulch
• Humic extract
• Commercial kelp meal 
• Fish hydrolysate
• Arizona Worm Farm’s BSFL Nutrient + 

Zach’s Worm Casting Tea Recipe

Serving Size:

5 gallons

Time:

24-27 hours

Difficulty:

Medium

Ingredients

• 5 Gallons (19 liters) of pure well water, collected rainwater, or city water allowed to sit out overnight. *see note
• 12 oz (340g) worm castings 
• 4 oz (113g) of unscreened handmade compost
• 4 oz (113g) decomposed wood chip mulch (hydrated)
• 2 Tablespoons (30g) humic acid
• 2 Tablespoons (30g)  kelp meal
• 2 Tablespoons (30g) fish hydrolysate
• 2 Tablespoons (30g)  AZWF BSFL Nutrient+

Directions

1. Place the bubble snake in the bucket.
2. Add 5 gallons of water to the bucket. (see temperature note below)
3. Fill the compost tea bag with castings, compost, and mulch.
4. Tie the tea bag to the snake.
5. Add liquid and powdered ingredients to the bucket.
6. Turn on the pump.
7. Replace ingredients in the tea bag with fresh castings, compost, and mulch after 1 hour and again after 2 hours. After the 3rd hour of aeration, take the tea bag out of the bucket. (Add spent ingredients to garden beds or containers.)
8. Continue aerating the tea for 21-24 hours, but not longer.
9. Use tea within 2-3 hours. The microbes begin dying when you take the tea off the bubbler. After 4 hours, the numbers return to where you started. 

* A note about water: Most city water has chlorine to kill parasites, bacteria, and viruses. It kills the bad stuff but also kills the good stuff. If you only have access to city water, add water to the bucket and let it sit overnight. The chlorine will dissipate. If you are in a hurry, boiling for 15 minutes will have the same effect. Allow to cool before use.

Temperature: Keep water temperature between 60-70°F (15.5-21°C)–above 85°F-90°F (29-32°C) is too hot.

Recipe courtesy of Zach Brooks, owner of Arizona Worm Farm

Printable copy of the worm castings recipe:

How to apply worm castings tea

There are many ways to apply tea – and they are all easy. 

As a soil drench: Pour it on the soil around your plants. Add 2 gallons of water to each gallon of tea for a soil drench. Or use it at full strength and then water the soil well.

Foliar feed: Add it to a hose-end sprayer and spray it as a foliar feed.

• Strain the tea through an extra fine mesh strainer before use.
• Put the dial on the “most product” level and fill the jar with undiluted tea.
• Rinse the filter in the hose end sprayer frequently. The hose end sprayer should empty quickly. If it is not emptying, the filter may be clogged.

Irrigation injection system: Follow system instructions for use.

 When to apply worm castings tea

1. At the beginning of each season

• In the fall to get your plants ready for frost.
• In the spring for a harvest boost.
• Just before summer to get plants ready for the heat. 
• Use it as often as weekly; it only does good. However, more than four times a year is probably not worth the time and money.

2. When setting up new garden beds or adding fresh soil

Apply tea when you set up a new bed (to get the soil ready). For best results, apply it a week or two before you plant, and then keep the soil watered like you had plants in it.

3. When planting new trees

Using worm castings tea when you plant new trees has been shown to dramatically reduce transplant shock and help new trees establish roots.

4. To add microbes when fertilizing your fruit trees

Adding microbes in the form of worm castings or worm castings tea is the first of four steps to fertilizing fruit trees. Learn the additional steps in this blog post.

Arizona Worm Farm offers fresh worm castings tea most Saturdays. They also offer mobile tea sprays. See their website for availability.

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Self-sufficient gardening is developing skills and implementing systems to help your garden thrive with less dependence upon other sources and less influence from outside forces.

A self-sufficient garden means you don’t have to run to the store whenever you need seeds, compost, or fertilizer. Learn more about how to make your garden (and you!) self-sufficient with these 10 tips. 

10 Tips for Having a More Self-Sufficient Garden

These ten tips aren’t in any particular order, but the more of these suggestions you implement, the more self-sufficient your garden will become. 

1. Learn how to save seeds

Saving seeds is not complicated; it is often straightforward. Learn about the crops you are growing and see if it is possible to save seeds from them. Learn the best time to harvest seeds, and store them properly. (This blog post tells you how.) Properly-saved seeds will last for years.

An added advantage to saving seeds is that seeds you save from crops that grow well in your garden are adapted to your garden’s unique growing conditions. 

I go into detail in this blog post and in this video about the specifics of saving seeds, but the bottom line is that YOU CAN LEARN TO DO IT! 

2. Plan and grow your own “seed” crops

When you think of seed saving – think outside the box a little. There are many crops that, if you save bulbs or learn how they propagate, you can grow enough to consume and set aside some to replant the following season. 

For example, save your best cloves of garlic to plant the following season. Because I have two planting windows for potatoes, I can save some of my spring potatoes to plant out in the fall. Save a couple of sweet potatoes and grow slips to plant next spring. This blog post tells you how.

3. Learn how to start from seeds (indoors and out) 

Learning how to grow crops from seeds successfully is a valuable skill. It can require practice and the right equipment if growing indoors. However, the initial outlay in time and money will be well-paid over and over in the number of transplants you don’t have to purchase from the garden center. 

Although prices have gone up, the price of a packet of seeds is usually a few dollars (free if you save your own), and within that seed packet, there are usually dozens of seeds. If stored properly, seeds will last many years and give you more transplants than you probably need.

On the other hand, a six-pack of vegetable transplants (the price for these has also gone up!) is usually considerably more than the price of a package of seeds. 

The added benefit of learning how to start from seed is the wide variety of fruits and vegetables, flowers, and herbs that are now accessible for you to add to your garden. 

4. Learn which perennial crops grow well in your zone and area

Perennials are a sure way to become more self-sufficient in the garden.

Perennial crops come back season after season, with just a little seasonal upkeep or maintenance needed from you. Good examples of perennial crops to consider adding to your garden are asparagus, strawberries, artichokes, rhubarb, perennial kale, Jerusalem artichoke, I’itoi onions, longevity spinach, and peppers. 

5. Plant fruit trees suited to your climate zone

Learn which types of fruit trees grow well in your zone and add them to your garden. Learn how many chill hours your area receives and pick fruit trees that require that number (or less). For example, where I live, citrus grows well and thrives in our native soil, as do varieties of peaches, figs, and pomegranates.  

Fruit trees not only provide an abundance of fruit, but many are deciduous, and their leaves are valuable additions to the soil and compost pile.

Don’t forget other fruits like blackberries, raspberries, grapes, goji berries, etc. Learn what grows well in your area and plant it! 

6. Learn how to propagate plants

Adding perennials can be a substantial investment, but there is another way to add perennials. Learn how to propagate and multiply your existing plants (or others’ plants). There are many methods: 

• Cuttings 
• Division
• Air or ground layering
• Grafting

7. Learn how to compost 

Compost is a mixture of ingredients that would otherwise be in the landfill used to fertilize and improve the soil. Adding compost to your garden at the beginning of each season is the best way to prepare your soil for spring, summer, and fall planting.

Compost:

• Adds organic matter to the soil to improve the texture.
• Fresh compost contains billions of living microorganisms.
• Improves plant health and production.
• Protects plants from certain diseases.
• Helps moderate soil pH. 
• Supports the beneficial microbes already in the soil.  

With so many reasons to add compost, learning how to compost should be high on your list of ways to become more self-sufficient in the garden. 

I compost my garden waste using traditional composting methods and my kitchen scraps using in-bed vermicomposting. I have articles and videos on YouTube about both processes. 

8. Create your own fertilizer for self-sufficient gardening

Feeding your soil with compost is essential, but you may sometimes want added fertilizer boosts. There are a couple of ways you can produce some of your own: 

Chickens or other livestock produce waste that is high in nitrogen that can be added to compost and then fed to your plants.

Grow comfrey. Comfrey leaves are high in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and many trace elements. Comfrey leaves decompose into a liquid rather quickly and make an excellent liquid fertilizer.

Gow cover crops. Some cover crops can help increase the nitrogen in the soil or be used as green manure.

In this article, learn more about using cover crops during summer to improve garden soil.

9. Learn how to collect and use rainwater

Collecting and saving rainwater for use in the garden makes sense and was a common practice by our ancestors. 

Benefits of saving rainwater include:

• Water conservation.
• Saves money on utility bills.
• Access to water during a drought.
• Rainwater contains fewer concentrations of dissolved minerals like magnesium and calcium.
• Unlike tap water, rainwater isn’t treated with chlorine, minerals, and salts.

Before collecting rainwater, check your local laws and regulations to make sure it is legal in your area. 

10. Maximize your garden space for self-sufficient gardening

There never seems to be enough room in our gardens (no matter how large they are) to grow everything we want. Using your area efficiently will help you become more self-sufficient in the garden. Methods that maximize garden space include: 

Vertical gardening is better for plants and gives you more room to plant! Read this blog post to learn more.

Extend the seasons with shade, hoop houses, crop covers, etc. Read this blog post to learn more.

Succession planting. Don’t leave empty areas in the garden. When a spot opens up, plant something! Learn more about succession planting in this guide.

Find creative ways to use your garden harvests around the house. Try growing loofah, a plant that not only thrives in the heat but also helps create a more sustainable kitchen with natural scrubbers.

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The organic fertilizer mix recommended by garden guru Edward C. Smith (recipe below) is often thought of as the best organic garden fertilizer. It provides all of the essential macronutrients and many of the micronutrients garden soil needs. 

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Before adding any fertilizer, it’s important to have a basic understanding of soil fertility

Plants need several nutrients to grow well​. These nutrients are normally divided into two groups: macronutrients and micronutrients. 

The macronutrients needed by plants are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur. 

Some common micronutrients needed by plants are boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. Micronutrients are just as important as macronutrients, just needed in smaller amounts. 

Which nutrients do I need to provide for my garden?

Although all the macronutrients are important, there are a few that aren’t readily provided by air and water – these are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. 

These 3 elements are often used up by growing plants and may need to be replenished. These are the nutrients listed as 3 numbers on fertilization labels N – P – K. 

Nitrogen is an important part of the best organic fertilizer

Nitrogen is crucial for healthy leafy growth. Plants use more nitrogen than any other nutrient. Nitrogen is also a key element of chlorophyll.

Plants grown in soil deficient in nitrogen have overall poor plant health. The leaves on nitrogen deficient plants are often light green or yellow. 

Too much nitrogen in the soil is also not good for plants. Excess nitrogen may result in excess vegetation without blossoms or fruit. Greens may be bitter when too much nitrogen is present.

Organic sources of nitrogen include: blood meal and fish emulsion.  

Phosphorus is an important part of the best organic garden fertilizer

Phosphorus encourages strong root growth. Adequate phosphorus in the soil encourages the development of flowers, fruits, and seeds. Phosphorus also helps plants with photosynthesis. Phosphorus is essential for the plant’s general health and overall vigor. 

Plants grown in soil deficient in phosphorus may have purple leaves. A lack of phosphorus is also a cause of poor root growth and poor overall plant growth.

Too much phosphorus can inhibit the growth of mycorrhizal fungi – an important soil organism.

Organic sources of phosphorus include rock phosphate, bone meal, and guano.

Potassium is an important part of the best organic garden fertilizer

Potassium increases the yield and quality of plants. This essential macronutrient also helps plants resist disease and stress. Sufficient potassium strengthens root systems and helps prevent wilt. Potassium also helps regulate photosynthesis and aids in the formation of starch. Adequate potassium is crucial for good soil health. 

Plants grown in soil deficient in potassium may seem small, weak, or thinner than normal. A lack of potassium is not always easy to spot. Potassium deficient fruits may be small or lack flavor.

Organic sources of potassium include greensand and kelp meal.

The best organic garden fertilizer recipe:

Each batch makes enough to amend 2-3 cubic foot of new soil mix.

1/3 cup blood meal (nitrogen)

1 tablespoons azomite (trace elements)

1/3 cup rock phosphate (phosphorus)

1/3 cup greensand (potassium & trace elements)

Adding a balanced organic fertilizer to your soil mixture for raised beds helps give plants the food they need to grow and thrive in your garden. You are feeding the soil that feeds your plants. 

For square foot gardens: add approximately 1 cup per 7 square feet, or 1/7 cup per square. 

When to use this organic fertilizer mix in your garden

• Mix in when first mixing and adding soil to raised beds. 
• Use if needed as an additional feeding for long-season plants (artichokes, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, squash). Apply and work into the top inch or so of soil; water well. 
• Mix into soil before planting each season if needed. 

Test soil before adding fertilizer to existing garden beds

A soil test is invaluable for discovering which nutrients your soil is lacking.

It’s important to have your soil tested at least once a year. A soil test can determine the health of your soil. This is the soil test kit I use. It’s very simple to use. 

Rather than indiscriminately adding fertilizer, it’s important to fertilize responsibly. Too much of any one element can be harmful to plants or make other nutrients unavailable to plants. Having your soil tested lets you know exactly what is going on in the soil. 

Soil testing will also help you be aware of your soil pH. Soil pH is a measure of how alkaline or acidic the soil is. The pH scale is from 1-14; 7 is neutral. Values above 7 are alkaline, and below 7 are acidic. One reason pH is important is because if the soil is too acidic or alkaline, some nutrients become unavailable for plants.

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