Organic Fertilizers

By Lee Reich

Sooner or later, every gardener discovers that for good results -- whether in the vegetable garden, perennial border, or lawn -- replenishing soil nutrients is necessary. And one of the key choices is whether to use organic or synthetic fertilizers.

Synthetic fertilizers are manufactured. Organic fertilizers are derived from plants and animals, and from naturally occurring mineral fertilizers.

Why Use Organic Fertilizers?

One advantage of organic fertilizers is that their nutrients are doled out as a steady diet in synch with plant needs. Because the nutrients come from natural sources, a portion of them may be temporarily unavailable to plants until released by a combination of warmth and moisture -- the same conditions plants need to grow. Released slowly, the nutrients from organic fertilizers are unlikely to burn plant roots or be leached away by water. And a single application may last a whole growing season.

You also might choose organic fertilizers for philosophical or environmental reasons. Organic fertilizers generally place fewer demands on energy resources, and they offer opportunities to recycle "garbage."

The more concentrated a fertilizer (even an organic one), the less organic matter it contains. Fertilizers containing high concentrations of nitrogen, when used alone, can actually deplete soil organic matter, so if you use any such fertilizer, apply plenty of bulky organic matter, too. Dig materials such as straw, peat, compost, and leaves into the soil, or lay them on as mulch.

Naturally occurring mineral fertilizers are organic in the "not-synthetic" sense, but because they don''t contain organic matter, they''re not included in this list. Among them are Chilean nitrate, rock phosphate, greensand, and sulfate of potash magnesia.

Synthetic fertilizers do have some advantages. They cost less, are easier to transport, and more uniform in nutrient content. All but slrelease types are more quickly available to plants than organic fertilizers.

Organic Fertilizer Basics

Why fertilize? Fertilizers are necessary make up for nutrients that are naturally carried down into the groundwater by rainfall, carried off into the air as gases, and carried into the kitchen by you. At least 16 nutrient elements are necessary for plant growth, but plants need three -- nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (referred to by the elemental symbols N, P, and K)-- in relatively large quantities. Most soils contain large reserves of the other 13 nutrients -- especially calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, and manganese -- that might also hitchhike along when you fertilize with "the big three."

The only way to know for sure if your garden requires fertilizers is to have the soil tested. The cooperative extension services in most states test garden soil for a nominal fee. Also check telephone directories for "soil testing laboratories."

When to Apply

The best times to apply organic fertilizers are early spring and fall -- or even a few months -- before planting, because that allows time for soil microbes to digest the organic matter and transform nutrients into forms plants can use.

How to Apply

When you apply organic fertilizers, there''s no need to dig them deep into the soil. Plants''s feeder roots are mostly near the soil surface, and low oxygen levels deep in the soil would retard microbial growth, slowing nutrient release from organic fertilizers. Make an exception to that no-dig rule if a soil test shows that phosphorus levels are low. This nutrient moves very slowly, so the only way to spread it quickly through the root zone is to mix it into the top 6 to 12 inches of soil.

Always wear a dust mask when you apply bonemeal, guano, or any other type of fertilizer that''s dusty. All dusts are potential lung irritants.

How Much to Apply

The actual amount to apply will vary, depending on the results of a soil test and the rate of nutrient release from a particular fertilizer. A rough rule is: Apply approximately 2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet, or 0.2 pounds per 100 square feet. Apply the other key nutrients plants take from soil -- phosphorus and potassium -- at about one-tenth this rate, unless a soil test specifies otherwise.

Kinds of Organic Fertilizers

In catalogs and garden centers, you can find many different kinds of organic fertilizers. Other kinds are either custom blends, or materials that are available in limited quantities or only regionally. All fit into one of the basic categories -- plant, animal, compost, or manure -- that are further described below.

Plant Substances or By-products

Fertilizers that are plant substances or by-products are often rich in nitrogen, sometimes in potassium. These fertilizers can be considered renewable resources, but you should take into account the resources that may have been needed to grow as well as process or transport them. Some, such as beet pulp and cottonseed meal, are by-products of other industries.

• Alfalfa meal and pellets contain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some rose growers report good results when it is used as a mulch.
• The dried, shredded remains of sugar beets after the juices and sugars are extracted are sold as organic fertilizer. They are rich in nitrogen.
• Corn gluten is a high-nitrogen fertilizer with the unique ability to inhibit germination of seeds. With it you can feed your lawn and prevent crabgrass at the same time.
• Cottonseed meal is made from the remains of cotton seeds after the oil is pressed out. It is a high-nitrogen fertilizer, but some growers have concerns about pesticide contamination of the meal. Cotton is a heavily sprayed crop, but pesticide -free cottonseed meal is available.
• The extracts or pulverized parts of several seas, including kelp, or algae are good sources of minerals, potassium, and sometimes nitrogen. Follow application directions carefully when spraying on leaves, because sea plants can affect plant growth when sprayed directly on leaves.
• Soybean meal is a high-nitrogen fertilizer that''s very similar to its better-known cousin, cottonseed meal. For the best price, look for it at animal feed-supply stores.
  
• Animal processing by-products. Industries such as dairy farming and meat processing generate waste materials that are dried or minimally processed into fertilizers. None of these materials is derived from certified organic" animals.
• Blood meal is a rich source of nitrogen that is quickly available, so use with care.
• Bonemeal is a rich source of phosphorus and calcium, and it supplies moderate amounts of nitrogen. "Steamed" bonemeal has less nitrogen but somewhat faster nutrient availability than "raw" bonemeal.
• Fish products can be fairly rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but read the labels because nutrient concentrations vary.

Composts

These are the "Cadillacs" of organic fertilizers. Although making compost from a variety of raw materials is possible, the finished products are remarkably similar in their final concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Composts generally contain a good balance and wide spectrum of nutrients, and they''re rich in humus -- so rich in humus, in fact, that their actual nutrient concentrations are relatively low.

Composts are available commercially or can be homemade. They can be used along with other fertilizers. Ingredients in commercial composts include various kinds of animal manures and lawn and garden wastes. Homemade fertilizer is a way to deal with "waste" and make fertilizer simultaneously -- and you always know what ingredients went into the finished product.

Manures

Manures used as organic fertilizers are derived from humans, animals, and in one case, insects; manures are available fresh or dried; however, use composted manure whenever possible.

The composition of various manures vary not only with the kind of animal source, but also with the age of the animal, the bedding, and method of manure storage and application.

• Cow manure is low in nutrients, but plants can absorb them moderately quickly.
• Manure from seabirds or bats are rich in nutrients, but not in organic matter. Highly soluble and quickly available nutrients are useful early in season to stimulate vegetative growth. But be careful: high-nitrogen guanos may burn plants. Several types are available: Texan bat 10-4-2), Ancient seabird (0-12-1), and Peruvian seabird (14-11-2) are examples. All guanos can be mixed with water, steeped, and applied as a liquid.
• Commercially available insect manure, cricket manure, is relatively nutrient-rich.
• Poultry manure is relatively high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
• Composted sludges are rich in slowly available nitrogen. If industrial wastes are included, contaminants, such as heavy metals, are present. Though approved for vegetable gardening by the Environmental Protection Agency, these fertilizers are not acceptable for organic gardening.
• Worm castings are similar to compost in their composition and are equally easy to produce at home. Because nutrient levels are so low in worm castings, they are -- like compost -- considered more a soil amendment than a fertilizer.

Much of the benefit of organic fertilizers comes not from the nutrients, but from the organic matter -- the bulk -- the fertilizers contain. Among other benefits, organic matter helps soils hold water and air, makes nutrients already in the soil more available, and helps prevent diseases.

Don''t spurn organic fertilizers that are low in nutrients, because they''re rich in organic matter that turns to valuable humus in the soil.

Natural Fuels

Here are the 15 kinds of organic fertilizers found in garden centers and catalogs. For consistency, they are described in the same way: typical percentages of N-P-K; how much to use over 100 square feet; the typical cost per pound; and how quickly the nutrients in the material become available to plant roots. Because organic fertilizers are so variable, nutrients and costs are also highly variable.

Guano
Typical nutrients: 10-3-1, but variable depending on origin
Application rate: 5 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: varies between $1 and $7 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Fast

Cow Manure (composted)
Typical nutrients: 2-0-0
Application rate: 12 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.01 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Moderate

Sewage Sludge
Typical nutrients: 6-2-0
Application rate: 4 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.30 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Slow

Soybean Meal
Typical nutrients: 6-1.4-2
Application rate: 4 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.25 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Moderate

Worm Castings
Typical nutrients: 1-0-0
Application rate: 20 to 30 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.40 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Slow

Kelp
Typical nutrients: 1-0.2-2.
Application rate: 3 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.90 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Fast

Insect Manure (composted)
Typical nutrients: 4-3-2
Application rate: 6 to 8 pounds per 100 square feet.
Cost: $.90 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Fast

Fish Products
Typical nutrients: 9-7-0 (dry); 5-2-2 (liquid)
Application rate: 3 pounds per 100 square feet (dry); 3 ounces per 100 square feet (liquid)
Cost: $1.25 per pound (dry); $.10 per ounce (liquid)
Availability of nutrients: Fast

Cottonseed Meal
Typical nutrients:6-2-2
Application rate: 4 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.80 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Moderate

Bonemeal
Typical n 2-11-0
Application rate: 5 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $1 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Slow

Blood Meal
Typical nutrients: 12-0-0
Application rate: 2 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.90 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Fast

Beet Pulp
Typical nutrients: 6-0-0
Application rate: 4 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.80 per pound.
Availability of nutrients: Moderate

Alfalfa Pellets or Meal
Typical nutrients: 3-1-2
Application rate: 8 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.60 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Moderate

Corn Gluten
Typical nutrients: 9-0-0
Application rate: 3 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: $.40 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Moderate

Compost
Typical nutrients: 1-1-1
Application rate: 25 pounds per 100 square feet
Cost: Free to $.25 per pound
Availability of nutrients: Slow

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