Organic Fertilizer

Types of Organic Fertilizer

Organic fertilizers are soil amendments that come from nature instead of the chemical plant. You may buy fertilizer that is simply meant to improve the nutritional quality of the soil. There are also fertilizers meant to help you with a specific soil problem, to promote blooming, or to make plants more resistant to pests.

Manure and compost are two of the most common choices for organic fertilizer. They build up nutrients in the soil, make it healthier, add organic matter, help aerate the soil, and make it easier for roots to grow.

There are many other different kinds of organic fertilizers or soil amendments; here's a quick rundown of some of the most popular.

Alfalfa Meal

Alfalfa is frequently planted by farmers during the off season to add nitrogen to the soil and improve the quality of the soil. If you don't want to replant your garden with alfalfa, you can add alfalfa meal to the soil instead.

Alfalfa meal has carbohydrates and protein, making it a great soil conditioner that encourages the growth of microbes.

Bat Guano

It sounds kind of scary, but bat guano is actually a great fertilizer. It has a lot of nutrients in it and can be used more sparingly than other fertilizers. It's also odorless, so you don't have to worry about the effects of spreading poo on your garden.

Guano is high in nitrogen, which is vital to the growth of many plants. It includes microbial flora, which enter your soil and improve it while destroying nematodes and fungus. The high organic matter content of guano means it’s great for feeding plants, promoting root growth, and producing large flowers or fruits.

Blood Meal

Another frightening sounding soil amendment is blood meal, which actually is dried, powdered blood. (However, it doesn't really smell like blood!) It is an incredible source of nitrogen and is helpful for all sorts of plants. Blood meal can also be used in your compost pile.

Bone Meal

Made from ground bones, bone meal is a good source of phosphorus, which is important for root health. Adding bone meal to the hole before you plant bulbs is a great way to fertilize them, since the action of bone meal is very slow.

Bone meal is a gentle fertilizer and is fine to use on new plantings and for reducing transplant shock.

Greensand

Greensand is a mineral that contains an iron-potassium silicate known as glauconite. The consistency is similar to sand, but it is able to absorb much more moisture. This makes it easy to keep your garden well-watered even in the summer.

It is a good soil conditioner, especially for pastures, lawns and fields, but also for fruits, vegetables and orchards.

Gypsum

Gypsum, also known as calcium sulfate, is a popular soil amendment. There is some controversy as to whether it is truly helpful, but those who use it say it improves the sulfur and calcium content of the soil.

Others contend that gypsum is only useful if your soil suffers from excess sodium. Even if you don't have excess sodium, the addition of sulfur and calcium is important in many yards.

Phosphate Rock

Phosphate Rock adds phosphorus, calcium, and sulfur to the soil. It helps promote root growth and is a good addition to use when transplanting plants.

Using Organic Fertilizers

Since many specific organic fertilizers are good for specific problems, you really have to get to know your soil before you start applying these or other soil amendments. It is really important to get a soil test for the area you are planning to fertilize so you know what's going on in the soil you already have.

You can purchase a soil test kit from a hardware or garden supply store and test your own soil, or contact your local cooperative extension service for information on getting a soil test done.

Once you know what nutrients are lacking, you can apply organic fertilizers to help improve the soil. Always follow the package directions to make sure you aren't over-applying those nutrients that you need.

Spring is the best time to apply fertilizer. You can also buy general purpose organic fertilizer to take some of the guesswork out of organic gardening. There are organic fertilizers for lawns, trees, vegetables, and other applications.

Fertilizer Sources

• Fertilizer Online
• Clear Air Gardening
• Gardens Alive