Organic Fertilizers–Part 7–Minerals

The Inorganic Element to Organic Gardening

This final article in the series Organic Fertilizers is focusing on the minerals  that soils and plants need.  Mineral are inorganic, and the process for their use is different from other organic fertilizers. 
Microorganisms will devour the minerals and then, their waste and enzymes they produce make the nutrients available at the roots of plants

Plants need 17 elements for a balanced diet.  Most chemical fertilizers have the three main element of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium.  However, the other 14 listed above – are usually not available to the soil from these products.  If even one element is missing, the garden plants may survive, but they do not thrive. 
Think of these 14 elements as part of a construction site.  The N-P-K is the major structure – the trusses, the floor joists, and the wall studs. The remaining macronutrients, and micronutrients are the nails, and screws that hold the structure together. 
  Ok, so one screw gets omitted.  Most likely the structure won’t fall down.  But if 3 – 4 screws are left out, the structure can get wobbly. And lets face it, if even 10% of the screws are not installed, the whole thing can collapse.  Likewise, the balance of the nutrients available to the plants is critical. If even one element is missing the plant suffers.
As I always remind my readers, have a soil analysis done before adding fertilizers and minerals to the soil.  One, your soil  may be adequate for what your are growing and you do not need to apply anything.   Two, you may spend money on a product that you do not need, and omit the elements you do need.  A soil test is always a smart first step. 
Now, having said all that, here are some mineral products that may be useful in the garden and landscape.
Rock Dust, also called rock powder or stone meal, has an interesting story. An 18th century grist miller named Julius Hensel, noticed, one day that rocks accidently made it into his product. He removed the contaminated product to a back portion of the property.  Soon he realized that this forgotten part of the garden was lush and growing better than other parts.  Over the next years, Hensel documented the crops growth and even spread this rock dust around fruit trees that were wormy.  The trees started to product full, fleshy fruit and the community all wanted this Rock Dust for their crops. The Bread from Stones story by Julius Hensel is available here

Rock Dust remineralizes soil.It can supplement worn out, over worked soils with calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium.  It increases bacterial activity in the soil and promotes root growth. Rock dust also contains 57 different trace elements and can not burn plants as it is slow release by the microbes. .  The soil is loosened by Rock Dust, and as it breaks down into humus, carbon dioxide is better absorbed from the air and provides better water retention.

http://prorev.com/dust.htm

Epsom Salts is a highly soluble substance that occurs naturally. Because it is soluble, plants can benefit from foliar feeding as well as saturating the soil beneath them.  Magnesium, an element necessary in the chlorophyll of plants, is found in Epsom Salts.  Crops such as tomatoes, potatoes, roses, and peppers need magnesium and Epsom Salts can supplement magnesium

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Gypsum is a sedimentary mineral found in evaporated beds of other minerals.  Ocean brine and salt domes supply these deposits.  Limestone, and shale can also be mined for gypsum. 

www.usagypsum.com

Gypsum will bring Calcium and Sulfur to plants. It can increase the pH levels of acid soils, and it can reduce Aluminum toxicity in acid soils. Gypsum will not correct soil compaction.  Good organic material like compost will break up hard soils better and  do not work the soil when it is wet.  This can cause air and water to be pushed out and become compacted.


Greensand – is mined from old sea beds.  It is rich in potassium, but also contains phosphorous, magnesium, iron, silica, lime and trace elements.  The U.S mines greensand in New Jersey and can help break up compacted soil.


Rock Phosphate – is a fine powder that breaks down from microbes feeding on it.  Phosphorous is a element that encourages root development in plants.   Phosphorous does not move through the soil readily, and most soils have a residual supply.  Again, here is when I’d recommend a soil analysis before applying phosphorous to the soil. Commercial applications of phosphorous have increased to accommodate crops that are grown for biofuels. And this increase in usage will deplete the reserves in the U.S. in thirty years.  China and Morocco also produce Rock Phosphate, but their reserves will only last 75- 100 years. 


This is algal bloom.  Many Ohio waters are being affected by this excessive growth and it is reducing oxygen levels to the point that fish die-off is apparent.  Grand Lake in St. Mary’s Ohio, as well as Lake Erie are victims of this problem.  As homeowners and farmers apply fertilizers, it is the phosphorous that is the cause.  Since phosphorous  does not move through the soil readily, it is the fertilizers themselves that are pouring into the streams and lakes.  The algae is difficult to control, and agencies and communities are pouring funds into projects that may or may not succeed trying to control the algae bloom.

As with anything, mineral supplements can greatly enhance crops and yields.  While indiscriminate usage can cause major problems in the soil and in the watershed.  Some fertilizer manufacturers are creating products that have no phosphorous due to community restrictions. 

www.farmteam.org/

The soil analysis is, here again, worth checking before any amendments are applied. 
Thanks for following this series on organic fertilizers.  If you have any questions, please ask in the comments form. 

Organic Fertilizers–Part 5–Sea Sources

Ocean Plants and Fish Offer Great Fertilizers

From Kelp, we get one of the most nutritious organic fertilizers.  This algae is not the seaweed that washes up on the beach, but a highly sustainable plant that is harvested from the ocean floor.  The kelp regrow within ten days of harvest, giving a fresh harvest that is quite renewable.  
Kelp contains 79 minerals, or micronutrients. The is almost every mineral and trace mineral found in nature. Carbohydrates are available to feed microorganisms in soil when applied as an organic fertilizer.

 

Kelp is the most common type of seaweed. It is processed in three different methods.  One is a Kelp Powder.  The fine ground kelp is small enough to be mixed into a solution.  Applied as a foliar spray, kelp powder solution nutrients that can be taken in by the foliage of plants.



Kelp meal is another version of this organic fertilizer source.  Kelp meal is a good source of potassium , with some nitrogen.  Kelp meal is primarily used as a soil conditioner. 



Kelp meal, or seaweed meal, is dried and milled into a powder as shown here. Liquid kelp is yet another form of this product.  Liquid kelp is usually cold processed and has high amounts of growth hormones.  These hormones are readily available to plants.  Liquid kelp can be mixed into water for application. 



Seaweed is divided into three types – green, brown, or red.


Seaweeds, particularly the green and brown seaweeds, are processed into extracts which are accepted in the horticultural industry to improve plant yields, plant growth, plant health, and the plants have better resistance to insects and diseases. Seaweed extracts are full of macro- and micronutrients.  High in amino acids, and plant growth regulators, seaweed extracts offer a good source of nutrients to benefit plants.




Fish fertilizer is a by-product of the fishing industry.  Most fish that are processed into fertilizers are not fish by-products that come from the food industry, but fish that are specifically used for plants and animals. These are bottom fish that don't make the grade for human consumption.

Like the seaweed, fish fertilizers come in different formulas. Fish powder is ground up, and using heat, produces a water soluble product that is high in nitrogen.



Fish meals are ground up carcasses of fish.  The meal is high in nitrogen with an N-P-K of around 10-6-2. Nitrogen aids in the growth of plants, and the phosphorous benefits good root development.  Use fish meal early in the growing season for vegetables and flowers for a slow release benefits for months.

Using a process called hydrolyzing, which uses enzymes, manufacturers omit the use of heat and acids in making a product that is water soluble and high in nitrogen. This product called Liquid fish are less smelly than Fish emulsions. However, the cost is higher.

Fish emulsions are produced from the fluid remains of the fish. A liquid remains and results in a fish concentrate by evaporating this liquid by about half.  The evaporating portion of this process destroys some nutrients but at 5-2-2, fish emulsions are still known for the micronutrient availability.


Fish bone Meal is high in calcium                                                  

Alaska Fish Fertilizer is OMRI (C) listed

Ok – here is the conundrum I am facing: Do I close this article now, or do I tell you –as Paul Harvey used to say – the rest of the story?

Fish emulsions and fish meal are made mainly from fish that are not suitable for human consumption.  This ‘trash’ fish often contain toxins.  The Menhaden is a fish that spends time in heavily polluted waters and is a popular fish in production of emulsions.  Heavy metals can be found in these fish. Even some freshwater fish that are not allowed for human food, are used in some fish emulsion processes.


Bunker or Menhaden Fish
Fish Processing


Some fish fertilizer companies do use food grade waste products in addition to non-food fish. This may reduce the impact of the toxins that may be in non-food ingredients

When steam is used in the process, it can be problematic too, especially if the water comes from a municipality that chlorinates it’s water. Since the emulsion is ‘reduced’, the chlorine becomes more concentrated too. High chlorine amounts can harm plants.
 
If you can't tell from the product label, check on the MSDS, Material Safety Data Sheet for details.  The MSDS will be specific on ingredients and chemicals in the product.


I will be looking for liquid fish made from the enzymes.  This process retains more of the proteins, enzymes, vitamins, and micronutrients than emulsions.

Peaceful Valley Enzymatic Digested Liquid Fish

Seaweed, kelp, and fish can be excellent fertilizers.  The seaweed and kelp are highly renewable, and the fish by-products offer complete nutrition to plants if they are not loaded with heavy metals.
( I have no financial connection with any of the products I have featured here.)