Lawn Care – The Best Fertilizers

Here are a few fertilizer formulas that contain one or more of the following: blood meal or cottonseed meal, both of which are excellent sources of nitrogen; bone meal, the cheapest and best source of phosphorous; greensand, the longest-lasting source of potassium and a dynamite source of trace minerals; gypsum for calcium and sulfur; and limestone for calcium and magnesium. If greensand is hard to find, try adding an equivalent amount of wood ashes from the fireplace.

This first formula is an all-purpose fertilizer. The NPK ratio will vary somewhere between 1-2-1 and 4-6-3, but that’s okay. In addition to providing plants with what they need most, the mix will enable soil microorganisms to thrive.

strong>The recipe:

Combine 2 parts blood meal, 3 parts bone meal and 6 parts greensand or wood ashes. Mix the ingredients well. Apply at the rate of 3 to 5 pounds per 100 square feet, working it into the top six inches of soil, or side-dress plants with 1 to 3 tablespoons of the stuff, and gently work into the top inch of soil.

This next fertilizer is ideal for soils that have been neglected for some time because it contains more of the big-three essential plant nutrients:

Blend 3 parts cottonseed meal, 3 parts bone meal and 6 parts greensand.

Add 2 cups gypsum and 1 cup limestone per gallon of blend. Mix well.

Apply at the rate of 5 pounds per 100 square feet in early spring, a few weeks before planting time. In addition to providing nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, this fertilizer adds calcium, sulfur and magnesium. As a result, it stimulates both the plants and the soil, especially when combined with regular applications of compost or shredded leaves.

Since flowers often need more phosphorous and potassium than nitrogen, try this formula:

Mix 1 part bloodmeal, 3 parts bone meal, 3 parts greensand and 2 parts seaweed. That should yield a NPK ratio of roughly 2-8-3, which is perfect for nearly all flowering plants.