This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

organic fertilizer

Hello:
This is a item that I found this spring. Does it sound like a good orgainc
fertilizer? Is this kind of fertilizer good only in warm weather. Is a
liquid fertilzer better once the plants are up?

 >>Organic fertilizers don't have to be expensive, since you can make your
own. If you buy the components in bulk, you'll save even more!


 Recipe for a complete organic fertilizer

 I've been using this recipe, which to the best of my knowledge was created
by Steve Solomon (founder of Territorial Seed Company), for six years now
with good results. One word of caution: Instead of buying the components in
small boxes, buy bulk bags (40-50 lbs.) at a farm supply or feed store. As
long as you keep them dry, they will last for many years.

          All measurements are in terms of volume, not weight.

                    4 parts seed meal
                    1 part dolomite lime
                    * part bone meal -or- 1 part soft rock phosphate
                    * part kelp meal

 Seed meal

 This component provides nitrogen, with smaller amounts of phosphorus and
potassium. I like to use cottonseed meal, which is cheap (~$13US for a 40
pound bag) and easily available. In some states, though, it is not allowed
in a certified organic operation (not something a home grower needs to be
concerned about). Other options are alfalfa meal, or rape/canola meal.
Cottonseed meal has a NPK value of around 6-2-1.

 In spring I like to substitute blood meal in place of some seed meal,
since blood meal is somewhat faster acting. Try using three parts seed meal
and one part blood meal.

 Lime

 Seed meals tend to be acidic, so lime is included to balance that out.
Dolomite limestone is roughly half Magnesium Carbonate and half Calcium
Carbonate. Calcitic limestone is pure Calcium Carbonate. Plants usually
need more calcium than magnesium; so, if you want to be really tricky, use
1/3 part dolomite lime and 2/3 part calcitic lime.

 If your soil is alkaline, you might experiment with reducing or
eliminating the lime in this mix.

 Bone Meal and Rock Phosphate

 These ingredients make up the bulk of the phosphorus component. Less bone
meal (NPK ~ 0-10-0) is required since it releases its phosphorus more
readily. The advantage of using rock phosphate (NPK ~ 0-3-0) is that it
continues to contribute phosphorus to your soil over many years.

 I like to use bone meal. Not only is it easier to find, but also it is
already being produced as a byproduct of the beef industry. Rock phosphate
is mined. Twenty pounds of bone meal will run about $5US.

 Kelp Meal

 Kelp meal (NPK ~ 0-0-10) contributes potassium, and also many
micronutrients. This tends to be more expensive than the other components:
I recently paid $35US for a 50 pound bag.

 Another possible potassium source is Jersey Greensand. It has the same
advantages and liabilities as rock phosphate (it's very slow release). In
addition, it does not supply micronutrients. <<

Claude M. Boland
cboland@olympus.net


--
To unsubscribe, send a message to: majordomo@lists.umsl.edu
with the single body line: unsubscribe sqft
Contact owner-sqft@lists.umsl.edu with any admin questions.
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index