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Choose an Organic FertilizerNatural Plant Food Yields Healthy Lawns, Flowers, and Vegetables
If your plants need a boost in addition to the compost you already use to feed and build your soil in the lawn or garden, choose from one of several organic fertilizers.
Nutrients Required for Healthy PlantsPlants require three major nutrients for healthy growth: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Nitrogen is vital for chlorophyll production, so nitrogen-deficient plants appear yellow and stunted. Phosphorus helps plants grow healthy root systems. Without adequate phosphorus, plant growth tapers off and leaves develop a distinct blue coloration. Potassium is necessary for flower and fruit development. Organic gardeners will be sorely disappointed in plants lacking potassium, for the plant's flowers are sparse and fruits underwhelming. Additionally, there is a range of trace elements that plants need in small quantities to flourish. The most important trace elements include boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. Although only a few organic fertilizers contain the trace elements, a liberal top-dressing of compost should meet all of the plants' needs for these nutrients. Organic or Chemical FertilizersBotanists may argue that plants don’t distinguish between organic and inorganic fertilizers. Whether the plant gets its nutrients from compost and handfuls of organic meals, or whether the plants receive weekly dousing with chemical fertilizer, the plants will grow. However, chemical fertilizers do nothing to enhance the biological activity of the soil. Furthermore, the production of chemical fertilizers can yield toxic by-products, such as ammonia. Finally, the production of chemical fertilizers uses significant amounts of fossil fuels. Bone Meal
Blood Meal
Cottonseed Meal
Dried Animal Manures
Feather Meal
Fish Meal
Hoof and Horn Meal
Liquid Manure
Liquid Seaweed
Rock Potash
Sewage Sludge
Source: Hamilton, G. (2004). Organic Gardening. DK Publishing, London.
The copyright of the article Choose an Organic Fertilizer in Organic Gardens is owned by Jamie McIntosh. Permission to republish Choose an Organic Fertilizer in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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