Organic Soil and Fertilizers

The key to a beautiful, healthy lawn and garden is the soil. Synthetic fertilizers often force plants into a flush of growth, making your lawn and plants look healthy, but actually causing them stress and shorter lifespans. Organic fertilizers, however, not only help plant growth with a balanced formula of nutrients, they also add natural, organic matter to the soil, improving its underlying health.

All fertilizers contain trace elements of minerals, which plants need in small quantities. The three major nutrients are shown on all fertilizer packages, often as three numbers, which are percentages of the total package. In order of these numbers, they are:

• Nitrogen (N) - promotes green, leafy growth
• Phosphorous (P) - encourages fruit growth and strong roots
• Potassium (K) - creates larger, more colorful flowers and helps in overall plant strength

The following natural fertilizers are what I use for my lawn, garden, fruits and vegetables. Online garden centers such as Gardens Alive! specialize in organic fertilizers and soil conditioners.

• Compost
  Compost is the best organic fertilizer out there, and can be used on all plants. It can be created from your kitchen waste in a compost bin, and is high in nutrients, humus and soil microorganisms. See the Compost page for more information.
  High quality, finished compost from Gardens Alive!: Gardener’s Gold^TM Premium Compost
• Compost tea
  Highly concentrated liquid brewed in water using a special blend of compost. Sprayed on plants and soil, compost tea has been shown to suppress disease, fight toxins, and increases nutrients available to the plants. Some gardeners say it makes vegetables taste even better.
• Epsom salts
  Mix into soils to increase magnesium and sulfur. Make sure the soil doesn’t contain too much salt before applying, as this will add to it.
• Bone meal
  Great for bulbs and tomatoes, bone meal is an excellent source of phosphorous and calcium.
  Find natural bone meal at Yardiacs: Organic Traditions Bone Meal 10lb
• Fish meal
  A great fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and phosphorous.
• Cottonseed meal
  This is often found in all-purpose natural fertilizers, and is a good source of nitrogen and trace elements. It has an acidic PH.
• Gypsum (calcium sulfate)
  This natural material is good for neutralizing acidic soils, and also helps to break up heavier clay soils. It is a great source of calcium and
  sulfur.
• Composted manures
  It is best to have manures composted to avoid any smell. Cow, horse, chicken and sheep manures are all sources of nitrogen, and are great to add to compost piles. Read the directions if mixing directly with the soil, as too much nitrogen can burn plants.