Types of Organic Fertilizers and Compost

Fertilizing your plants may not be quite as simple as it would be if you used chemicals in your garden. Chemical fertilizers are certainly convenient.

Most of them come in a form that only needs to be mixed with water and sprayed onto plants.

But organic gardeners need a good, organic way of fertilizing their plants.

You need to pay careful attention to the package if you're going to purchase a pre-made organic fertilizer.

Some of them are high in one of the major plant nutrients, but low in the other two.

Plants generally need nitrogen, phosphorous, and potash.

You should research which of these nutrients your particular plants need, so you can purchase the correct type.

Some common types of organic fertilizers include blood meal, fish emulsion, cottonseed meal, compost, manure, and seaweed fertilizer.

Many of these can be purchased, but a lot of them can also be made at home.

You must be careful to fertilize when the ground is warm enough. Organic fertilizers need organisms in the soil to break them down and release the nutrients they contain.

So the soil needs to be warm and moist so the organisms in the soil will be active.

Cottonseed meal is one common organic fertilizer. It's a byproduct of the cotton manufacturing process.

It is great for acid-loving plants, because it has an acidic reaction in the soil. It generally contains about 7% nitrogen, 3% phosphorous, and 2% potash.

Cottonseed meal is usually used for flowering plants like azaleas and rhododendrons.

Fish emulsion is a very popular organic fertilizer. It is made of a blend of decomposed fish.

It is a high-nitrogen fertilizer, and also contains a lot of trace elements than can be very beneficial for plants. Fish emulsion is a nice, balanced fertilizer.

Blood meal is the blood of cattle that is collected from slaughterhouses and then dried and powdered.

It is high in nitrogen, and care must be taken to ensure it doesn't burn plants.

You should be very careful not to exceed the recommended dose, because this could really harm your plants.

Blood meal is also high in several trace elements like iron.

Manure is a well-balanced fertilizer, but it is relatively low in the nutrients it contains.

It's a very popular fertilizer, but it just isn't high enough in these important nutrients to make it a viable choice for home gardeners.

Seaweed fertilizer in the form of a seaweed tea is often used by organic gardeners.

Dried seaweed is added to water and steeped like tea, then applied to plants like other liquid fertilizers.

This can be a very good fertilizer, and won't burn plants. It is very high in nutrients.

Use a dried seaweed, and be sure it's not roasted or seasoned.

Some people use sewer sludge for their fertilizer. It's made from recycled material from sewage treatment plants.

You can purchase activated sludge, which is higher in nutrients, and you can buy composted sludge, which isn't quite as good.

It is generally found in a granular form.

There is some concern over the safety of sewage sludge, because it can contain buildups of heavy metals like cadmium.

This can build up in the soil in potentially harmful levels.

Jobe's 09526 Organic All Purpose Granular Fertilizer 4-Pound Bag

Earthworm Castings, 15 lb

Jobe's 09926 Organic Compost Starter 4-Pound Bag

The Complete Compost Gardening Guide: Banner batches, grow heaps, comforter compost, and other amazing techniques for saving time and money, and ... most flavorful, nutritous vegetables ever.

Organics Rx Sea-Kelp 100, 32 fl. oz.

Espoma Organic Traditions Compost Starter- 3.5 lb Bag BE4

Ringer 3050 Compost Plus 2 Pound Box

Neptune's Harvest Organic Hydrolized Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer 36 0z

Learn more here in our online Guide for Choosing the Right Type of Gardening for You and Your Home Garden.: Gardening Tips For Beginners.

You can also learn here about lawn care for beginners to help you grow a beautiful grass lawn.

P.S. Liked this how to do it guide? Be a sharer and spread the word on FaceBook or Twitter or G+.

And I'd love to hear your reviews or suggestions too! Just click the Comments link below and tell us your story - Thanks!

"Power Tips" magazine is back!
You Get A Free Complete Self Help Report delivered to your email box every edition, plus you get a free PLR article and other great gifts!

SUBSCRIBE BELOW ...  I promise you will want to USE what you learn!

I really want to know what you think of this site, this page, and to hear your tips or suggestions about it.

So please share your story or simply add a Comment in the comment box.

If you feel that the information on this page has been useful to you please give it a Like or share it with your friends - thanks!!

"You are a life Saver!!

I recently discovered this site and I can tell you that my life has not been the same. I now come here EVERYDAY and spend at least 1 hour.

I used to spend that time browsing online fashion and beauty magazine which just means that I spend more. Now I have replaced that habit with coming here.

In future I will think about contributing articles as well. Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!! and God bless"

Contact Us | About Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | FAQ | Testimonials

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.