I have learned that it is best to lean toward organic fertilizer ingredients in your fertilzer program. There all all sorts of little microbes that live in soil and when you feed your soil mostly with natural organic fertilizers as oppossed to inorganic chemical fertilizers it helps to create a healthy enviroment for those tiny little microbes to flourish and have healthy soil that grows healthy plants. We will talk more about microorganisms later.
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You will always need to try to have the top three main nutrients present in sufficient levels for the type of plant you are growing. The top three main nutrients are listed in the N-P-K systen shown on fertilizer packages in number scheme such as 5-10-5. The nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potash. Potash fertilizer is also called potassium.
Now lets move on to the organic fertilizers and additives that will help you to increase your yields and have healthier plants. The fertilizer listed can be added to soil or plant water. I get awesome results from adding small amounts of many different fertilizers to plant water.
SEAWEED is a great fertilizer for growth stimulation even in seedlings. Seaweed fertilizer is mild and non burning. Seaweed fertilizer contains all sorts of micro nutrients and growth stimulators. It is available in a liquid form. Seaweed in the wild has been known to grow up to one foot per day because it naturally produces its own growth stimulators and these are passed on to your plants when seaweed is made into a fertilizer. Liquid seaweed fertilizer can also be added to water in small amounts and sprayed onto your plants and will then be soaked up by plant leaves. Seaweed makes a great oraganic lawn fertilizer. Include at least a small amount of liquid seaweed extract in the plant water everytime you water as a fertilizer and plant health tonic.
CHITIN is in the shells of crustaceans such as crabs, crayfish and clams. It is like magic for your plants. Chitosans, as they are also sometimes called, help prevent plant disease to create healthier plants. They also give tolerance to heat and cold and other enviromental extremes. Chitin can also help flowering plants to produce more flowers for a longer period of time. This includes vegetables that flower to produce food such as tomatoes. Use silicon and chitin together for maximum results.
SILICON is great for getting plants to endure enviromental extremes. This includes high temperatures, drought as well as cold. Insect infestation is not as likely to be a problem with plants that are treated with silicon. Silicon also thickens plant cell walls. Silicon is available in a liquid form. Use silcon and chitin together for maximum results.
COMPOST is organic matter that has broken down into a rich soil like substance. It contains humus and humic acids. Compost can potentially be made of almost anything organic. Having your own compost pile on your property is a great way to make free fertilizer by recycling all of your yard waste and vegetable and food scraps such as bananna peels,tea bags, egg shells and coffee grounds. Add small amounts of different organic fertilizers to your compost pile, especially lime, to help it compost quicker and contain a better balance of nutrients. Also to help your pile compost quicker remember to add a little soil or finished compost between layers of organic matter and try to mix different types of organic matter into each layer.
HUMIC ACID is in compost and can also be purchased in a liquid form.
FULVIC ACID can also be purchased in a liquid form.
EPSOM SALT provides sulphur and magnesium. Both are very important nutrients. Epsom salt can be added to plant water or soil. Epsom salt can be purchased in most gardening departments and even in grocery stores near the pharmacy where it is sold for people to add to their bath water among other uses. Epsom salt is something everyone can easily obtain and use. Sprinkle a little around your garden from time to time and add a bit to plant water. Epsom salt does not actually contain salt, it just looks similar to salt.
FISH EMULSION FERTILIZER is a non burning fish fertilizer that can even be used on tender seedlings without hurting them when added to water to put on soil as long as you dont use to much. Liquid fish emulsion is a good form of fish fertilzer. Fish fertilizer is an excellent source of nitrogen. Fish fertilizer is best used outdoors only because of the smell. Liquid fish fertilizer can be added to water in small amounts and be sprayed onto plants which will then be soaked up by the plant leaves. Be careful to only add a little fish fertilizer to the plant water when spraying directly onto plant leaves.
WORM CASTINGS is the poop of worms. It will bring your soil to life. Worm castings are an excellent source of nitrogen and organic matter. Worm castings are also non burning to tender plants.
BONE MEAL is a good slow release fertilizer to supply phosphorus and calcium. Bone meal also has some nitrogen. Bone meal takes a long time to break down in the soil.
BLOOD MEAL is a fast acting fertilzer that supplies nitrogen. Blood meal is made from dehydrated blood.
MANURE is an old standard that has been used since ancient times for a good reason.....it provides good results and is free for those who own farm animals or who can get it free from a farm. Manure adds a lot of organic matter to the soil and also helps bring the soil to life. Most manure contains high levels of nitrogen but this can vary depending on the type of manure used. Be cautious when using any kind of manure,especially if it is not well aged and composted as it can harbor germs that are a hazard to human health.
CRAB MEAL is made from crabs and contains chitin a.k.a chitosans. See chitin above.
SHRIMP MEAL is made from shrimp and contains chitin a.k.a chitosans. See chitin above.
MOLASSES as a soil fertilizer is a great additive to plant fertilizer water. Molasses contains sugars to feed the plant and increase micobial activity in the soil. I have noticed plants grown with molasses added to their water have a sweeter better taste and smell. Molasses as fertilizer is especially great to use on mature flowering and fruiting plants. Molasses will add an improved taste to your crops.
CANE SUGAR used as fertilizer can be added to fertilizer water. Cane sugar works similar to molasses but perhaps not quite as well. I like to use a little of both.
OAT BRAN used as a fertilizer increases microbial activity in the soil.
WOOD ASHES are an excellent free soil fertilizer. Wood ash will decrease the acidity of the soil. Wood ashes are also a good source of potassium and micronutrients. Exact levels of nutrients will vary depending on type of wood burned as well as combustion temperature. However, it does create a considerable amount of air pollution to burn wood which is bad for the air quality of our planet earth.
BAT GUANO fertilizer is made from the poop of bats. Different kinds of bat guano contain different amounts of nutrients depending on where it comes from.
SEABIRD GUANO fertilizer is made from the poop of seabirds. Different kinds of seabird guano contains different amounts of nutrients depending on where it comes from.
COTTONSEED MEAL fertilizer is a slow release fertilzer that contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well as several trace nutrients. Cottonseed meal is slightly acidic and it can be used to correct soil ph that is to alkaline.
ALFALFA MEAL fertilizer contains nitrogen, phosphourus and potassium. Alfalfa meal also contains a natural root stimulant. Alfalfa meal also stimulates microbial activity in the soil. Alfalfa meal is a non burning organic fertilizer.
ROCK PHOSPHATE fertilizer is a source of organic phosphate. Rock phosphate can contain heavy metals and radioactive substances that can build up to higher than normal levels in soil and the plants produced from these soils. Dangerous compounds that can be in rock phosphate include uranium, cadmium and radio active polonium-210. Still many people use this fertilizer without even knowing these facts. It is up to you to decide whether to use rock phosphate or not as a source of phosphate.
IRON If there is to little iron in soil plants can show symptoms of yellowing leaves, especially on the lower leaves, similar to the yellowing leaf symptoms of a nitrogen deficency. Symptoms of not enough iron in soil are often mistaken for lack of nitrogen in soil and vice versa. Having enough iron in your soil will give your plants a deep green thriving color.
CALCIUM is contained in organic fertilizers such as lime, bone meal and egg shells. When tomato plants do not get enough calcium they can get a problem called tomato blossom end rot which is identified by rotten spots on the tomatoes before they are even harvested. If you notice this problem try mixing a small amount of lime into your plant water for the tomatoes.
If you use a good mix of organic fertilizers you probably will not have to worry about deficiency of the following micronutrients or trace minerals which are contained in most organic fertilizers in trace amounts. Listed in the section below are some of the micronutrients:
MAGNESIUM is contained in epsom salt. If you use epsom salt you probably will not have to worry about lack of magnesium.
SULPHUR is also contained in epsom salt. If you use epsom salt you should have enough sulphur in your soil.
BORON deficincy causes stunting
MOLYBDENUM is important in building amino acids.
COPPER is very important for photosythesis.
TOP BASIC SUGGESTION FOR FERTILIZE ADDITIVES TO PLANT WATER FOR USE ON SOIL
ALSO KNOWN AS COMPOST TEA
Add ingredients together and shake or stir well and pour around plants. Your plants will thank you for it. Can be used with or without small amounts of commercial chemical fertilizers. For best results use all of mixed water within about 3 days, sooner if mixed water will be exposed to high temperatures in containers. For a great site about growing strawberries check out the link below: http://howtogrowstrawberries.blogspot.com/
For an awesome site about growing tomatoes visit:http://sites.google.com/site/howtogroworganictomatoes/
For an informative site with tips for growing squash visit: http://sites.google.com/site/tipsforgrowingsquash/
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