Fertilizer Organic

[thcri]

Not really sure where to put this and I know there was a discussion about this earlier but just can't seem to find it.

I have spent a lot of time in the past two weeks looking for a company that sells organic fertilizer. Just can't seem to find one here in Minnesota except this one company that will only sell it by the semi load. I think that is a bit too much for 2 acres. Does anyone here know of a National distributor or chain out there that handles the organic stuff.

murph

 

[s1120]

Just the last year, or so I have switched to all organic fertilizers, and heres what I found. Home depot sells a product called Ringer, I have used that, and seems to do a good job. Also do you have a feed store nearby? If so, look for alfala meal, or pellets, corn meal, ground corn, cotton seed meal, or eaven coffee grounds. All of these will do a good job. I also used something called Cockadodol do. I got that at a garden center. Hope this helps.

BTW are you just starting with the organics? If so you just have to know that they work slower then cems do. Last longer, but also work slower.

 

[StoneHeartFarm]

If you know anyone who raises trout, the sludge pumped off the bottom of the ponds is excellent. I have also used trout food and just tilled it in.

Steve

 

[thcri]

I guess I never checked with Home Depot. I have called around to just about everyone else I could think of.

And yes I would be just starting with organic fertilizer and I have done some reading on it and do realise that it acts slower. But I am also told that there is some build up that actually will help build root growth. So anyway it is just something I would like to try for a while and see how it goes.

murph

 

[s1120]

<font color="red"> But I am also told that there is some build up that actually will help build root growth. So anyway it is just something I would like to try for a while and see how it goes.

</font>

What it does is feed all the mirco organisims in the soil. All of these eat the food, and then,,,, um.... you know /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Kind of make your own ferts. Give it a little time, and I think you will find it does a much better job then cems, and IMHO is safer for you, and the people dear to you.

 

[bmac]

I don't know much about gardening but my brother is obsessed with landscaping (not professionally). I recall him telling me about finding a source for manure (don't recall the specific animal source) that he uses in his planting beds. Farmer was glad to get rid of it and it was free. He is very frugal - will drive for 4 hrs to get a free plant that would cost $2.99 at Home Depot. My understanding is if you get the old stuff the smell is not too bad. And you can't get anything more organic than poop.

 

[thcri]

Well I checked out Home Depot. $8.97 a bag which covers 2500 square feet but I was told since I have a fairly new yard I should go 1250 square feet per bag. The nitrogen level seems awfully low but maybe that is ok with organic But here is how I figure even at 2500 square feet per bag. I have 1.75 acres of actual mowing to do which is 76,125 square feet. I take the 76,125 divide by 2500 and come up with 30 bags. 30 bags times $8.97 = $269.00. I am paying less than $30.00 for regular fertilizer right now. I would also imagine that I would need at least three applications of the organic per year so that would end of at $807.00. the regular stuff at $30..00 per time 4 times per year is only $120.00.

I think I will stay with what I am doing unless someone can convince me different of if there is a less expensive alternative.

murph

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Murph,

Are you putting in a new lawn? Seed? If so, you need
fertilizer high in phosphorus, this promotes good root
growth. You NEED good roots so the grass can grow
down to the moisture, if you don't get regular rainfall.
Good roots also have access to more nutrients deep
in the soil.

'Organic' fertilizers - poop, leaves, straw, grass clippings,
'measure out' with lower numbers than chemical fertilizers
ONLY because the numbers you see quoted are for a
short time period after application. In other words,
chemical fertilizers will 'dump' their payload into the
soil very quickly after application. After a couple
months, there's nothing left. Organics will slowly
release their payload, over maybe 6 to 12 months.

Organics have a much bigger benefit - plants use bacteria
in the soil to help get nutrients from the soil. These
bacteria feed on organic matter. The bacteria cannot
feed on simple chemical fertilizer (if I understand every
thing I've read on the subject... ). Soil bacteria
are *good*. Organics also get carried into the soil
by worms. Tilling organics (especially leaves, straw,
etc) into the soil will really soften up and open up
the soil. Then rain can soak deep, and roots can
easily grow deep.

Let us know what you are doing, so we can be more
specific with advice.

Larry

 

[thcri]

Larry,

I am not putting any seed down. I actually have a really nice lawn right now. One my neighbors envy. The lawn is about three years old, sodded. A lot of my sod was the stuff you get on the big rolls and had a lot of weeds in it. But not one stitch of weed killer. I have just used fertilizer and the grass has killed the weeds out on it's own.

But I guess I am just looking for something different and would love to go organic if the price was down there. If I could get by with one application per year I think I would go with it.

Right now I am ready for another application of fertilizer and based on what you said I should put another application down and then follow with the organic stuff a week later?

murph

 

[brad_oatley]

Read the attached file, it is a good primer on organic lawn care. Find composted granulated poultry manure. It should be about $5/50#, Put down 20#/ 1000 now and again in late august/early september. It melts away thatch and earthworms return by the thousand.
If you use any one thing to "go organic" start with poultry manure.

 

[s1120]

now I am not a math wiz, but your numbers seem a little high. How big are the bags? What I got was a 40lb bag, and it shoed to put down 10lbs per 1000sf. I used like 4 bags on my lawn. Also you don't need to do a ton of apps. Two a year is fine unless your lawn is real bad.[what it sounds like its not]

heres a link for you.... l\cheap and lazy

 

[s1120]

Heres anouther link for you....... organic FAQ

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Murph,

I put my lawn in 13 years ago (seed). I've mostly used the
'mow high and leave it alone' theory of lawn maintenance. I use a mulching mower, and only occasionally use the clippings
in my garden. I've modified my mulching mower so it cuts
about 5" high. Even with the almost-drought summers we've
had, I almost never need to water (the neighbors are doing
their darndest to empty the aquifer around here - two
retired men cut and water their lawns several times a week,
even when it rains!!!!).

We have had outbreaks of weeds the last few years, and
I needed to spot-spray thistles, dandelions, and some other
aggresive viney-type stuff. I resisted using fertilizer until
about 5 years ago, when I started applying once in the fall,
with low-nitrogen mixes. I figured that all the grass
recycling obviated the need for nitrogen, and my grass was
plenty green.

But I still had lots of weeds coming in, so I fertilized this spring
with a high-nitrogen mix. I hate to say it, but this seems
to be the ticket for me. Very few weeds so far.

 

[RobertN]

http://www.groworganic.com/
Try these guys. They are in No.Cal. but may be able to direct you.

When you want something out of the ordinary, many places will only deal in bulk, like semi loads. Note to, that many times what you can get is limited to what is typically used in your area by big operations. It is not economically feasable to bring in smaller batches of fertilizer for many of the companies.

 

[thcri]

S1120,

The bag said, 1,000 square feet per bag on new lawns and 2500 square feet per bag on established lawns. I am not sure of how many pounds the bag was but it was 40 or 50 lbs some where in that range. But the instructions did not say anything about pounds per acre or pounds per square feet. It said bags per square feet.

murph

 

[thcri]

s1120,

the fertilizer listed in your link 10-0-0 is a 50 lb bag and it covers 2500 square feet just like the stuff at home depot. It is $19.97 a bag on the link you gave me. It just seems way too expensive. It was pro-booster.

I did order a catalog from a company and maybe some of my questions will be answered there.

murph

 

[Chief]

Is calcium nitrate considered organic?