Mustard Cake Fertilizer: Benefits, Uses & Common Mistakes

Sudeepti Bajpai

5 months ago

Did you know that some organic fertilizers can provide better nutrition to your plants than chemical fertilizers – if used correctly?

Mustard cake fertilizer is one of the best and most effective organic fertilizers, used by many gardeners to promote healthy plant growth. However, improper use of mustard cake fertilizer can harm or even kill your plants.

If you are practicing organic gardening and want a natural, safe and effective way to enhance plant growth, this complete guide on mustard cake will help you understand:

What mustard cake is,
How to use it correctly,
Which plants benefit the most,
And the common mistakes you must avoid.

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What is Mustard Cake?

The mustard cake liquid fertilizer is an excellent, eco-friendly organic fertilizer that offers numerous benefits for plant growth and soil nutrition. You can easily prepare this fertilizer at home with little cost and effort.

In the process of making mustard oil, mustard seeds are crushed in the machine.

After extracting the oil from the seeds, the remaining solid material is referred to as a ‘Khali’ or ‘Khal’ or ‘cake.’ This Khali, also known as “mustard cake,” is rich in nutrients and organic matter.

This natural mustard cake is a high-protein supplement and can be used as a powerful organic fertilizer for plants.

It is a natural source of NPK for your plants

nitrogen (N), – promotes leaves growth
phosphorus (P), – encourages root and flowers growth and
potassium (K) – boost overall plant growth.
Approximate NPK ratio of 4:1:1.

Benefits of Mustard Cake Fertilizer in gardening

1. Rich Source of Nitrogen

It helps in the production of chlorophyll and the formation of protein in plants.

Nitrogen deficiency in plants often causes

yellowing leaves,
slow or stunted growth.

Here, mustard cake fertilizer can help plants overcome nitrogen deficiency and promote their health and growth.

2. Boost plant energy

Mustard cake fertilizer promotes photosynthesis, helps plants to produce more energy for better growth.

3. Improves soil fertility:

Mustard cake fertilizer improves

soil structure,
water-holding capacity, thereby increasing soil fertility.
It also helps address nutrient deficiencies in the soil.

4. Enhanced plant growth:

Mustard cake fertilizer has proven to be very beneficial for many plants such as

outdoor plants,
indoor plants,
flowering and
vegetable plants.

How to Make Mustard Cake Fertilizer at home? (2 Easy Methods)

Mustard cake is easily available in the market and can be purchased once and lasts for a longer period of time.

I have made fertilizers from mustard cake in two ways. It’s very simple and very effective. When used correctly, it promotes plant growth.

1. Use mustard cake fertilizer in liquid form

This method is most popular and safe for all types of plants.

Below I have shared step by step guide to make Mustard Cake Liquid fertilizer:

Step 1: Take a 100 gm of mustard cake, break the big pieces into small pieces and dilute it with 1 litre of water.

Adding 1 litre water to dilute mustard cake

Step 2: Cover the vessel and keep it undisturbed for 24 hours.

Note:

If it is too cold, then you can keep it for one to two days (up to 48 hours in winter), but it should not be left for more than two days in water to decompose.

After 24 hours, the cake will have dissolved completely. There will be some smell of mustard cake in this liquid fertilizer.

Step 3: Dilute the mixture with 10 times more water, which means mixing 1 part of mustard cake liquid fertilizer with 10 parts of water.

Step 4: After mixing very well with a mug or jug, you can give this fertilizer directly into the soil around your plants.

Pro Tip:

As per my expereince never give undiluted mustard cake liquid fertilizer to plants, as it is very strong and can burn the roots.

Did you know?

Mustard Cake liquid fertilizer show results after 4-5 days on the plants and would last for a longer duration.

2. Use of Mustard Cake in powder form

This method is simple – below I have shared step by step guide to make mustard cake powder:

Step 1: Grind the mustard cake into a fine powder.

Step 2: In the pot, remove the top layer of soil,

Step 3: Sprinkle the small handful of mustard cake powder on the soil surface.

Step 4: Mix it well and water the soil.

Also, you can mix this mustard cake powder into soil mixture before planting to enhance soil fertility.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Using Mustard Cake Fertilizer

My Experience with Mustard Cake Fertilizer – Below I am sharing my expereince which I have noticed while using it on my plants.

1. Do not spray mustard cake liquid fertilizer on the leaves, always apply only to soil.

2. Apply mustard cake liquid fertilizer to the plants only when the soil is dry.

4. Do not overuse it. Apply mustard cake fertilizer to plants every 20-25 days.

5. Do not use high amount of mustard cake fertilizer on young seedlings.

6. Avoid using mustard cake liquid on small succulents, and indoor plants, as it may be too strong for them.

Mustard Cake Fertilizer Seasonal Usage Guide

Avoid using in extreme summer and dry weather as it can burn the plants.
Do not give in afternoon, always give during morning or in the evening.
Avoid using in large quantities.
Before giving, always dilute more in water.

How to store Mustard Cake Fertilizer

Mustard cake should be stored in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
This will preserve the nutrients and prevent the cake from spoiling.

Final advice:

Mustard cake fertilizer is not a magic fertilizer which can instantly boost plant growth but it boost plant growth if used correctly: