Natural Plant Fertilizer
We could get technical about natural plant fertilizers,
but let’s not.
For thousands of years, farmers have
been using natural plant fertilizers to improve the nutrient holding capacity
of soil to help plants grow healthy. Natural plant fertilizers
have been known not only to promote the health of your plants,
but also the health of the naturally occurring microorganisms
that thrive in healthy soil.
A symbiotic relationship
exists between the plants and these microorganisms. The former
depend on the latter for increasing their uptake of nutrients
from the soil. While the latter depend on the former
for their source of food (they feed on the decomposed dead
leaves that fall off plants).
Natural plant
fertilizers are widely preferred by many over their chemical
counterparts, because natural plant fertilizers don't
contain any substances that may be harmful to these
microorganisms. Natural plant fertilizers are also
slow-release in nature, which means they release their
nutrients not in extreme bursts, but in slow trickles. The
result is a slower effect, but more lasting and healthy for
the soil.
Here are the rules you should know
about natural plant fertilizers before you start your own
home
garden:
Cheap fertilizer is not good. Good fertilizer
is not cheap.
Though it may be true that you
can always make your own natural plant fertilizer from
compost, there are times when even that isn't
enough because compost can take so much of your
time. There are also other considerations you should pay
attention to, such as a place for your compost pit, materials
to use and the time it takes for you to dig a pit, among
other things.
This is why home
gardeners often find themselves shopping for natural plant
fertilizers. If you're in this category, don’t ever
settle for the cheap brands. It’s true that you can always
shop price and sometimes you may even get lucky, but natural
plant fertilizers are usually expensive.
The most
expensive natural plant fertilizers are usually the ones with
the most plant food value, because they contain more
nutrients and less filler, which accounts for their higher
price. The more nutrients in your natural plant fertilizer, the better for your
plants. In addition, many higer quality natural plant
fertilizers are time released formulations that feed over
60-120 days rather than washing away after one or two
rains.
In the long run, the price you paid
for one bag of natural plant fertilizer is
well worth it. It will certainly take you a few
years before you can use up one whole bag of pure
nutrients, especially if you don’t fertilize
often.
Don’t pay attention to the
formula.
Don’t make the mistake of guessing
that a natural plant fertilizer bag that says 20-20-20 is ten
times better than a bag labeled 2-2-2. Unless you're
planning to use natural plant fertilizer on lawn grass, no
plant needs 20-20-20 fertilizers.
Fertilize often for the best results, with a
minimum of once a year. Howver, if you can apply
natural plant fertilizers more often, then by all means,
do so. Use the same amounts but spread the feedings into
smaller meals.
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