Now that summer is near the end, it is time to think about getting your soil ready for the winter and next spring. Most people purchase ready to use compost from the local garden store, but you can make your own fertilizer as well. Here are five alternative fertilizing options that I have found for your garden.
Due to the fact that nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus are the three main ingredients needed for garden fertilization, home-made compost may not be enough to do the job.
If you want to ensure that you are giving your garden enough of what it needs to be able to plant a healthy and quantitative crop, here are some fertilizers which can assist you in this endeavor:
1. One fertilizer that has all of the nutrients needed for your organic garden is alfalfa meal. Its components contribute to plant growth.
2. Much has been made of a fertilizer called blood meal. A source of nitrogen, it has a ratio of 12-2-1.
3. Bone meal is also being recommended by garden experts. Since it is a great source of phosphorus and calcium, it’s a good one to add to your list.
4. High in potassium, kelp meal is recommended as well. Using it in combination with bone meal is ideal, since kelp meal does not contain enough phosphorus.
5. Another nutrient which is high in potassium and nitrogen is comfrey. This is especially useful if you plan to grow tomatoes and fruit.
In addition, you can also compost certain nutrients which can further enhance the fertilization of your garden. The first nutrient is called nettles, which is a food which insects ingest and which can also be composted into an organic liquid. The second alternative is to use compost worms with any waste products from your kitchen. This will also provide nutrition for the soil. The third is the process of composting tea. If you find that your soil is not at its best, this process will add the nutrients that are lacking in your organic garden.
There you have it, five alternative fertilizing options for your garden. You can utilize these tips when you begin planting in the spring.
For now, it may be prudent to take all the leaves in the back yard and prepare a compost pile. Since the compost pile is a rich source of carbon, nitrogen, and water, there is no doubt you will be sufficiently prepared to plan what to plant in your organic garden.
