5. Good Organic Gardening - September-October 2016 AvxHome.in

Feeding for growth | WEEKEND GARDENING
the top layer of soil. Small amounts can also
be added to planting holes.
For existing gardens, applications can be
spread around on the surface of the soil as
well as around the drip-line of larger plants
and trees. This is called side dressing.
It’s advisable to water the area first, then
apply the chosen fertiliser and water it in.
Even when applying organic fertilisers,
burning can be a possibility if they haven’t
been watered in after application. Always
follow the directions on the packaging.
What are the dry organic fertilisers?
Hoof and horn: This is a mix of cattle hooves
and horns that have been cooked then
ground to a fine powder, making it very similar
in nutrient content to blood and bone. The
nitrogen and phosphorus in hoof and horn are
slow to release, taking some 6–12 weeks to
start to release and lasting up to 12 months.
It’s basically an organic slow-release fertiliser.
Hoof and horn will increase both root and leaf
growth, improve soil structure and even work
as a compost activator.
Blood and bone, seaweed, pelletised
poultry manure, slow-release granular
manure and rock dust minerals
Keeping backyard
chickens means lots of
fresh eggs but it also
means lots of manure,
a great resource
for the garden
Organic fertilisers differ
from synthetic fertilisers
in that they not only feed
your plants but also help
build the life in the
soil and improve
the soil’s health.
Just remember, most animal manures are too strong and will burn
plants if applied fresh. It’s best to compost down any fresh animal
manures over weeks, even months, before applying to the garden
Blood and bone: A mix of animal
byproducts from slaughterhouses, blood and
bone is also full of valuable nutrients such
as nitrogen and phosphorus. The nitrogen is
available to plants relatively quickly but the
phosphorus, as in the hoof and horn, is slowrelease.
Be aware that both have very limited
amounts of potassium in them so it would be
advisable to add potassium in another form
to make up for the shortfall.
Compost: It goes without saying that this is
one of the most widely used fertilisers and
soil conditioners among organic gardeners.
It can be applied not only at the time of
Digging through
Composts, manures, worm castings
and the like can be dug into the soil
before or at planting time. They can
also be applied after planting and
used as a top dressing.
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