Monday’s Guests – Organic Fertilizer | How to Use and Make Organic Fertilizer

 This week’s post is by Marco from Livetogarden.com which is a fantastic site for learning all things gardening from outdoor living to garden design to organic gardening. Not to mention the website itself is gorgeous! I love all the photos so go check it out! 

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As we become more and more focused on maintaining our environment and taking steps towards improving nature instead of depleting it, we start looking for ways to change. An area in which change can take place is in our gardening methods. Throughout history, gardening has become more efficient, meaning more machines are used, newer techniques are being applied and the use of chemicals has drastically increased. It is this use of chemicals in our gardens which is concerning, as these chemicals are not only bad for the soil but they are bad for our health. That being the case, we are seeing more gardeners turn to organic gardening methods, specifically, using organic fertilizer, in order to reduce their negative impact on the environment. We are going to examine how to use organic fertilizer and also how to make it, in hopes you will adopt this practice in your own garden.

In looking at how to use organic fertilizer, it has been said that in order to keep your landscaping plants in good health throughout the growing season, apply the fertilizer during the spring, summer and fall. Organic fertilizer should be applied at regular intervals to ensure that plants have the proper nutrients all year long. When spring arrives, applying liquid seaweed to your lawn will provide it with naturally occurring growth aids and essential minerals which foster growth. When late summer comes around, spread finely ground compost over your lawn (100 lbs for every 1,000 square feet), and keep in mind you will have more success on an aerated lawn. When the fall rolls around, make sure to add nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to your lawn.

Keep in mind that you soil’s pH level needs to be at an optimal level, and conducting a soil test will help you determine it. If the pH level is too low, you can feed your lawn some dolomitic limestone to raise it. If your pH is too high, you should be giving it some gypsum and peat moss to lower it. Keeping a watchful eye on your pH level will ensure your garden ideas last as long as possible.

Finally, let’s take a look at how to make your own organic fertilizer. While there are many different recipes one can find, the following organic lawn fertilizer recipe is one of the more popular:

This recipe provides the proper balance of pH and nutrients.

If you follow these steps then there you are well on your way to ensuring naturally prosperous gardening ideas.