When you are running a commercial-sized farm, you need to get the fertilizer on your plants right. Getting the fertilizer right on your plants can help the overall success of your business. If you are trying to stay away from chemicals on your crops, there are lots of natural fertilizers you can use that will help you increase the yield of your crops.
Natural Fertilizer #1: Manure
One of the most classic natural fertilizers, and often one of the best fertilizers, is manure. With manure, it is important that you use the right type of manure and understand the differences between different sources of manure.
Fresh manure should never be used on crops. Fresh manure can contain pathogens that could harm your crops. Manure that is used on crops has to be fully composted, which usually takes at least six months. That means you can't just take the manure from your pig pens and put it on your garden; you need to compost the manure to allow the pathogens to go away, and allows the manure to break down to a point where it is most useful.
When purchasing manure, keep in mind that manure from different animals has different properties. Also, the nutrients in manure can take years to be completely released, making manure a good choice if you want to stick with it for a while.
Natural Fertilizer #2: Rock Phosphate
If you are growing a crop that needs lots of phosphorous in order to grow, you may want to consider using rock phosphate. Rock phosphate contains a high rate of phosphorous and will release the phosphorous into your soil for a couple of years. Rock phosphate also adds calcium to your soil.
Rock phosphate should be used in soils with a low pH level. Soils with a high pH level usually have enough natural phosphorous in the already.
Natural Fertilizer #3: Compost
Compost is great for your soil. Compost adds organic matter to your soil. Organic materials then provide food for positive microbial life in your soil. By providing food for the positive microbial life in your soil, more nutrients will be released into the soil, and the soil will do a better job holding onto water.
With compost, you just need to make sure you are using compost that has been able to fully break down. If you use compost too early, before the breakdown process is completed, you can harm your plants.
To determine the best fertilizer, you need to test the soil where your crops will be planted, and you need to know what you plan on planting. Then, work with your commercial fertilizer supplier to determine the best fertilizer for your crops.
Share25 June 2020
When we bought our first home, I was really excited to get out in the garden, grow something, and watch it bloom into a gorgeous space. However, I quickly discovered that growing things was much more difficult than I imagined, which is why I decided to create a website all about gardening and agricultural concerns. I wanted to share the things that I learned with other people, so I made this easy to read blog. Check out these tips for ideas on how to create a garden area, help your plants to thrive, and make sure the entire area is gorgeous years later.