Organic Fertilizer Recipe

From LoveToKnow Organic

For many gardeners, developing an organic fertilizer recipe is a matter of pride. There is personal satisfaction in being able to create a custom fertilizer that is created specifically for your growing conditions.

Organic Fertilizer Ingredients

One of the main benefits of making your own organic fertilizer is the cost. While organic fertilizers can be difficult to find and very expensive, the materials that go into them are not.

Before mixing your organic blend, it is important to understand how this organic fertilizer recipe works. In this way you can choose the best ingredients for your particular garden. Since organic fertilizers release their nutrients as they decompose, they provide a consistent source of nutrition for your plants.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to use too much. Chemical-based mixtures, on the other hand, can be over-applied, which will result in burning of the plants. Chemical fertilizers can also run off and pollute local water supplies.

Remember that in order for your fertilizer to be organic the ingredients must also be organic. When in doubt ask the supplier if the material is certified organic. Ingredients that may go into organic fertilizers are:

Seed meal, which provides growing plants with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Seed meal that can be used includes:
- Cottonseed
- Alfalfa
- Canola
Blood meal, which is quicker-acting than seed meal and provides the same basic nutrients.
Lime is included to balance the acidity of the seed and blood meals. A good rule of thumb is to use one part dolomite lime to two parts calcite lime in your lime mixture. If you have an alkaline soil, you may not need lime at all. Your local agricultural extension agent can help you decide what is best for your area.
Bone meal adds phosphorus.
Kelp meal gives your plants the potassium and micronutrients that they need to be healthy.

All Purpose Organic Fertilizer Recipe

This recipe is measured by volume not by weight. Cutting a gallon milk jug to create a scoop with a handle is a great way to measure these ingredients.

3 parts seed meal
1 part blood meal
1 part dolomite/calcite lime mixture
half part part bone meal
half part kelp meal

Adding a third part of diatomaceous earth will help to keep pests from your plants as well. Do not use the kind formulated for pools but only the kind made specifically for food and garden use.

How to Apply Organic Fertilizer

In the spring, before you plant your garden, spread the mixture over the entire growing area in an even layer. Cover it with a layer of compost.

For vegetables and plants that require a lot of nutrients, apply the mix at a rate of six quarts of fertilizer and a half inch of compost per one hundred square feet. For plants that don't need as many nutrients to do well, apply four quarts of fertilizer and about a quarter inch or so of the compost per one hundred square feet. For heavy clay soils apply about fifty percent more fertilizer and a little extra compost.

Over the course of the growing season you will need to side dress the plants with small amounts of the fertilizer once a month. This will ensure that they get enough nutrients to flourish.

Your Best Garden Ever

Don’t be afraid to experiment with this organic fertilizer recipe. Each garden will have different nutritional needs. Take a soil sample to your agricultural extension agent and have it analyzed.

In this way you can have the information you need to adjust the amounts of the ingredients specifically to your garden. Experiment with different ratios until you are happy with the results. Understanding the nutritional needs of your plants, the type of soil you have, and how to enrich it is an important step in creating your best garden ever.

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