The Best Organic Fertilizer

Each gardener has his or her own reason for digging in the dirt. While some people want to supplement their supply of fresh produce, others want to grow herbs for teas, personal care products and medicines. Some gardeners are hobbyists who are cultivating plants for personal use, and others are professionals who must have high-quality fruits, vegetables and herbs as ingredients for artisan products. This buying guide matches the goals of these types of gardeners to some of the best-selling organic fertilizers on the market.

Vegetable Gardens

There are very few things that bring more satisfaction than preparing meals that are made from freshly picked, backyard produce items. Just as the human body needs nutrients to thrive so do vegetables that grow in outdoor and greenhouse gardens. Organic fertilizers offer safe and effective ways to build up garden soil. Most conventional fertilizers require gardeners to protect their hands, mouths and eyes from the irritating chemicals that they contain, but most organic fertilizers are safe for use around children and pets. Here are some examples of top organic fertilizer products.
The primary nutrients for plant growth are nitrogen, phosphorus and potash, and Jobe's Organics Vegetable and Tomato Fertilizer has a ratio of 2-5-3 respectively. The formula, which is OMRI-listed, contains a proprietary blend of microorganisms that help to break down substances in the soil for easier nutrient uptake by plants.
Earthworms are a part of the natural ecosystem, and they help to enrich soils through their droppings. They are so valuable that savvy gardeners attempt to attract them to garden beds or keep earthworm farms. Using Wiggle Warm Soil Builder Earthworm Castings Organic Fertilizer is a convenient way to naturally and safely fertilize garden produce without having to deal directly with worms. Applying this fertilizer is easy, and gardeners do not have to worry about harming plants due to over-application.
Since fish fertilizer is made from leftover fish parts, it is organic, but chemicals are typically used during its processing. Fish fertilizers such as GS Plant Foods Organic Hydrolyzed Liquid Fish Fertilizer serve to build up micro and macro nutrients in garden soil and promote the presence of good soil microbes. Over-application of fish fertilizer will generally do no harm to plants. However, most fish fertilizers have a distinctly unpleasant smell, which can negatively impact the gardening experience.
Recommendations
Sustainability: Wiggle Warm Soil Builder Earthworm Castings Organic Fertilizer 15lbs / $17.95 and GS Plant Foods Organic Hydrolyzed Liquid Fish Fertilizer 2lbs / $12.95
Ease of Application: Wiggle Warm Soil Builder Earthworm Castings Organic Fertilizer 15lbs / $17.95
Price per Ounce: Wiggle Warm Soil Builder Earthworm Castings Organic Fertilizer 15lbs / $17.95
Product Purity: Jobe's Organics Vegetable and Tomato Fertilizer 4lbs / $9.99
Best All Around Value: Wiggle Warm Soil Builder Earthworm Castings Organic Fertilizer 15lbs / $17.95

Fruit Tree and Shrub Cultivation

Growing fruit trees is an investment that yields benefits for generations to come, but it takes patience to do it right. Fruit trees and shrubs require less frequent feedings than plants in greenhouses or outdoor garden beds, but gardeners who notice that their young trees are underperforming should be prepared to fertilize.
Dr. Earth Organic 9 Fruit Tree Fertilizer contains nine natural ingredients to promote steady growth in all types of fruit trees, shrubs and vines. Some of the components of this fertilizer blend consists of fish bone, cottonseed, kelp and alfalfa meals, and it utilizes Dr. Earth's patented probiotic strains to build soil and promote healthy root systems. The powder formula has a 7-4-2 nutrient ratio and is easy to apply to fruit trees, berry shrubs and nut trees.
Jobe’s Organics All-Purpose Fertilizer has a 4-4-4 nutrient ratio, and the product has an acceptable rating with OMRI. The fertilizer comes in a granular format, which makes it fast acting and relatively easy to apply. Jobe’s Organics All-Purpose Fertilizer also contains its own proprietary blend of soil microorganisms.
Getting the soil that surrounds the plant tested is about the best way to determine if a fruit tree or shrub requires fertilization and the type of food that it needs. Gardeners who want to give their berry shrubs a steady supply of food over several months can opt for Winchester Gardens Organic Berry Fertilizer. This fertilizer blend consists of potash magnesia, bone meal and feather meal. Winchester Gardens Organic Berry Fertilizer spikes are easy to apply and require no mixing or blending.
Recommendations
Sustainability: Dr. Earth Organic 9 Fruit Tree Fertilizer 4lbs / $10.62, but all three products are made from sustainable ingredients.
Ease of Application: Winchester Gardens Organic Berry Fertilizer Spikes .66lbs / $15.87
Price per Ounce: Jobe’s Organics All-Purpose Fertilizer 4lbs / $7.19
Product Purity: Jobe’s Organics All-Purpose Fertilizer 4lbs / $7.19 (OMRI tested)
Best All Around Value: Jobe’s Organics All-Purpose Fertilizer 4lbs / $7.19

Herb Gardens

Fresh herbs are tasty additions to meals and can be useful for medicinal purposes. Gardeners can grow herbs directly in the ground or in containers with little difficulty. Here are some beneficial fertilizer products for them.
One of the most sustainable and eco-friendly ways to fertilize vegetable and herb gardens is to apply homemade compost. Dr. Earth Compost Starters can help gardeners turn food trash into gardening treasure by decreasing the amount of time that it takes for organic materials to decompose and become useful to herb plants. This compost starter contains seaweed, alfalfa meal and probiotics.
Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Fertilizer contains natural ingredients such as alfalfa meal, fish bone meal, seaweed extracts and probiotics. This fertilizer product’s nutrient ratio is 5-7-3, and its quick-release formula is ideal for herb container gardens that require more fertilization than herbs that are sown directly into the ground.
Most herbs are notoriously easy to cultivate, and they need minimal care for maintenance. The Winchester Gardens Organic Vegetable Fertilizer makes it even easier to care for herbs. This organic fertilizer's convenient spikes can be placed in the soil without any pre-mixing. The nutrient ratio for this fertilizer is 4-6-6.
Recommendations
Sustainability: All three products are made from sustainable, natural resources.
Ease of Application: Winchester Gardens Organic Vegetable Fertilizer Spikes (100-count, 2-pack) .4lbs / $16.80
Price per Ounce: Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Fertilizer 4lbs / $17.99
Product Purity: All are deemed equally pure; none are endorsed by OMRI.
Best All Around Value: Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable and Herb Fertilizer 4lbs / $17.99

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This page about Organic Fertilizer was composed by V. Tobies and published by Alternative.me.
It was last updated on 2024-04-25 08:14:53 and has been viewed 3449 times.