Organic Farming: Different Types of Organic Fertilizer for Your Garden

People are going crazy for organic food, organic products and now organic fertilizers. Not only those who are involved in farming use organic fertilizers but common people with small kitchen gardens also prefer them. Organic fertilizers are widely used in vegetables (tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber), fruits (strawberries, grapes, citrus), commercial crops (grass, flowers, hemp) etc. 

Also known as organic manure this compost is made from kitchen wastes, animal dung etc. are rich in natural by-products. For example, bird droppings, dried and powdered blood, ground bones, broken shells, finely ground fish, phosphate rock, and wood. 

The nutritive elements in organic fertilizers are mainly in the inorganic state and it is quite difficult for crops to use them directly. Through microorganisms, a variety of nutritive elements are slowly released to continuously provide nutrients to plants. 

Different types of organic fertilizers: 

We have a variety of organic fertilizers to choose from. There may be general purpose fertilizers, but this does not exist in the organic aspect of farming. Different organic fertilizers add different nutrients and ingredients to the soil. The material we need depends entirely on our soil and the plants we grow in our garden. 

Animal Fertilizers:  

Animal fertilizers are one of the valuable sources of nutrients for crops and grasslands. It includes bone meal, blood meal, animal manure, fish meal fish emulsion and shellfish. Let’s discuss in detail about these animal fertilizers. 

• Bone Meal: Bone meal is an animal fertilizer that is made of crushed animal bones. It is good source of phosphorus and calcium and provides some nitrogen. It helps to promote the growth of plant seedlings, flower growth and increase the yield.

• Blood Meal: It is a dried form of animal blood. It helps to increase the nitrogen content in the soil and make plants dense. The release of nitrogen quickly boosts flowering and acts as a natural insect repellent.

• Animal Manure: It can be prepared from all kinds of animals. For example, cow dung can control weeds, increase the water retention capacity of the soil, and increase air permeability to the soil. Sea bird guano is an organic lawn fertilizer. It can be used as a natural fungicide to control nematodes in the soil.

• Fish Emulsion: This mixture of finely decomposed fish provides a lot of nitrogen. It acts as a soil conditioner. But be careful. Fish milk is very acidic, and excessive use can burn plants.

Plant Fertilizers: 

Plant fertilizers are another type of organic fertilizer that includes compost, cottonseed meal, alfalfa and soybean meal.  

• Compost: Compost is one of the rich nutrients and that can be utilized as an excellent soil conditioner to promote organic matter and soil fertility. It provides rich nutrients for plant growth and can keep moisture in the soil for a long time.

• Cotton seed meal: It is a good source of nitrogen and small amounts of phosphorus and potassium. It can be an excellent organic lawn fertilizer and is mainly used to cover garden soil and to adjust the soil environment.

• Seaweed:It is a rich source of zinc and iron and complements crops that are rich in potassium. 

Organic gardening emphasizes on the field of farming to maintain fertile soil, beneficial plants and insects. This is achieved by avoiding the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and by using products that nourish the garden soil and its organic substances. Adopting the concept of organic fertilizers, plants and crops are experiencing a balanced and nutritious ecosystem that can operate on the basis of natural expectations.