Fertiliser can make or break your harvest — and if you’re growing herbs, fruits, or vegetables at home, going organic is the best choice. It’s safer for your plants, better for your soil, and doesn’t risk burning your pokok. Whether you’re a balcony gardener or tending a full backyard kebun, these 5 organic fertilisers are proven to boost plant health in the Malaysian climate.
🌿 1. Compost from Kitchen Waste
Best for: Herbs, leafy greens, fruit trees
Homemade compost is black gold for your garden. Use banana peels, veggie scraps, tea leaves, and eggshells. Avoid meat, dairy, or oily food waste.
How to use:
- Mix 1 part compost with 3 parts garden soil
- Apply as top-dressing every 3–4 weeks
Bonus tip: Keep a small compost bin under the sink for easy waste collection.
🥚 2. Crushed Eggshells
Best for: Tomatoes, chilies, pandan, lime trees
Eggshells are packed with calcium, which strengthens cell walls and helps prevent blossom-end rot in fruiting plants.
How to use:
- Rinse, dry, and crush into small pieces
- Mix into the soil or sprinkle around the base of the plant
Extra tip: Soak crushed shells in water overnight to make a calcium “tea” for your plants.
🐔 3. Chicken Manure Pellets
Best for: Heavy feeders like banana trees, lemongrass, cassava
Available at most garden centers or online (Shopee/Lazada). These pellets break down slowly and enrich soil with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
How to use:
- Use 1 tablespoon per medium pot
- Apply every 3 weeks, water thoroughly
Warning: Avoid fresh manure — it’s too strong and can burn roots.
🧄 4. Used Coffee Grounds
Best for: Acid-loving plants like chili, curry leaf, and hibiscus
Coffee grounds boost nitrogen and improve soil texture. They’re also great at deterring snails and slugs.
How to use:
- Mix into compost or sprinkle lightly on soil surface
- Avoid piling too much — it can block water flow
Sourcing tip: Ask your local café — they often give it away free!
🪵 5. Coconut Husk Compost (Sabut Kelapa)
Best for: Mulching around fruit trees and herbs
Sabut kelapa improves soil aeration, moisture retention, and weed suppression.
How to use:
- Break up and mix with compost or apply directly as mulch
- Great for Malaysia’s rainy season — keeps soil from compacting
🧪 BONUS: How to Know If Your Plants Are Getting Enough Nutrients
Watch for these signs:
| Sign | Nutrient Deficiency |
|---|---|
| Yellowing Leaves | Nitrogen |
| Purple Leaves | Phosphorus |
| Weak stems | Potassium |
| Leaf curl or small leaves | Calcium/Magnesium |
Feed accordingly and observe results within 1–2 weeks.
🌱 Where to Buy Organic Fertilisers in Malaysia
- Online: Shopee, Lazada (keywords: “organik baja”, “chicken manure pellets”, “compost soil”)
- Physical shops: Nurseries, agro shops, pasar tani stalls
.
🙌 Wrap-Up
Organic fertilisers are easy, affordable, and powerful. Best of all? Most of them are already in your kitchen. Try one (or all) of these and watch your kebun thrive.
Have your own baja recipe or secret? Share it with us at @ProjectHarvestMY — we love learning from fellow Malaysian growers!