Natural Fertilizers

Fast growing plants pull from the soil on a yearly basis—which will need to be replaced on a yearly basis also. The nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are the top three of the main nutrients, and these are what will need to be replaced every year with annual soil testing for the amounts needed. On a yearly basis, organic or natural fertilizers—livestock manure, dried blood, fish emulsion, or cottonseed meal—can easily replace the used nitrogen with certain adequate amounts replaced on a yearly basis. Many people fertilize the plants upon planting or before, but natural fertilizers need to be applied from three to ten weeks after the beginning of seeding. Another natural fertilizer is organic potassium, which requires the soil being tested. Some numbers to jot in the memory is if the potassium level is above 300 pounds per acre, the soil will be fine without additional potassium added. Granite dust or the many forms of livestock manure can be added if the numbers are below that.

Unfortunately, most people feel that fertilizer alone is adequate to keep the soil at top-level performance, but compost is just as important as the fertilizer. Consisting of the mixture of organic waste materials that are available locally—leaves, weed, and straw mixtures that decompose until a black soil is formed that crumbles easily—it enriches the soil and is used to make plants grow better while providing needed nutrients to the hungry plants. The relationship between composting and natural fertilizer is unique. Every bit of organic matter will decompose naturally; this process will speed up the process of turning household wastes into natural fertilizer and organic soil matter. Some of these natural ingredients consist of leaves, coffee grounds, grass, manure from different types of livestock, and even shredded paper.