Any 'recipes' for non-GMO fertilizer?

[Siberian]

Hi all,

Wondering if anyone has any homemade mix suggestions for non-liquid fertilizers that can be mixed directly into the soil (I use compost but find supplemental feeding necessary). There are a number of good products I have used but most contain some type of GMO ingredient like alfalfa or cottonseed. Also trying to avoid beef-based products like bonemeal.

I'm trying to stick with powders/granulars as I apply a number of biological products via foliar spray and I'd prefer to avoid something like a liquid fish/kelp mix which requires spraying and could reduce efficacy of the biologicals. Also i Just find it easier to mix something into the soil directly before planting.

If anyone is aware of commercially available products that fit the bill, list them here. I'm more than willing to make my own at home.

Between non-GMO, non-bovine based, and granular/powder only -- you can see how it gets challenging. Thoughts welcome!

[Cole_Robbie]

How about Alaskan Fish for Nitrogen, rock phosphate for P, and Greensand for K?

[neoguy]

forgive my ignorance, is all alfalfa gmo?

[kichaimsten]

Originally Posted by neoguy

forgive my ignorance, is all alfalfa gmo?

Its not necessarily all GMO, but it has been approved, and Alfalfa is open pollinated, by the wind, no less, so it is appropriate to be concerned. My understanding is that you would have to have expensive testing done to determine yes or no.

[Dak]

Have you considered feather meal (12-1-0) or are you avoiding all animal products?

[Redbaron]

coffee. Espresso coffee to be exact.

Lots of people use coffee grounds, but most the "goodness" has been brewed out of it already. If you take the coffee before it is brewed and use sparingly, you can get a double whammie. A quick burst of fertilizer (coffee) and a slower addition as the grounds decompose.

[Siberian]

Thanks all for the suggestions, great ideas...do keep them coming! I have access to all of what has been mentioned, plus things like kelp meal, crab shell, etc.

Dak -- I am not opposed to avian-based products like feather meal. Seafood-based are fine by me also.

Since I've never mixed my own before, can anyone point me in the direction of a resource for figuring out the proper mix ratios? (e.g. X pounds rock phosphate for every Y pounds of greensand, etc.). Even general guidelines would be helpful. I'll search around too and post anything I find helpful.

[RebelRidin]

Originally Posted by Siberian

...

Since I've never mixed my own before, can anyone point me in the direction of a resource for figuring out the proper mix ratios? (e.g. X pounds rock phosphate for every Y pounds of greensand, etc.). Even general guidelines would be helpful. I'll search around too and post anything I find helpful.

You might find something useful here..

A Better Way to Fertilize Your Garden: Homemade Organic Fertilizer

[neoguy]

Originally Posted by kichaimsten

Its not necessarily all GMO, but it has been approved, and Alfalfa is open pollinated, by the wind, no less, so it is appropriate to be concerned. My understanding is that you would have to have expensive testing done to determine yes or no.

Again, please forgive my ignorance. How concerned should I be if the alfalfa meal I use is GMO? I know I'll never plant any GMO seeds or plants but what will GMO grown alfalfa meal do to my soil?

Sorry, I'm not trying to hijack the original OP's thread, tell me if I should start a new thread, or move/remove. Thanks.

[ChrisK]

Nothing. It will break down and improve your soil just like any other organic material.

Originally Posted by neoguy

what will GMO grown alfalfa meal do to my soil?

Thanks.

[neoguy]

Originally Posted by ChrisK

Nothing. It will break down and improve your soil just like any other organic material.

Thanks, that is reassuring.

[Siberian]

neoguy - good question. The truth is, we don't know what the GMO products will do. No one has studied the short or long-term effect of GMOs in soil composition. The poster above is correct in that they will break down and add to the organic matter in the soil (a good thing) but the idea that they will do nothing is simply unknowable -- it's never been studied (to my knowledge, but someone do correct me if they know of existing science). Either way it is a choice I have made because even if the GMO ingredients in the fertilizer don't affect my soil or crops, I believe their affect on biodiversity is a negative one thus I avoid them whenever possible.

Back to the original thread topic, I've been referred by a member on this forum to a book called "The Intelligent Gardener" for advice on fertilizer and more generally building nutrient-dense soil. In the mean time I'll continue to use the resources posted here. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

[habitat_gardener]

Another great resource is a new book by Phil Nauta, Building Soils Naturally. He has a foliar recipe that looks pretty good -- kelp, molasses, microbial products, and a bunch of optional ingredients.

The book by Solomon, The Intelligent Gardener, is based on getting a $20 soil test from Logan Labs and then calculating what minerals to add. The worksheets are all online. It's straightforward and deals mainly with getting the soil chemistry right. The book is worth reading (once you skip the rants in the earlier chapters) for his reasons for choosing one thing or another. He also has an updated version of his Complete Organic Fert. He thinks GMO alfalfa or soy is such a tiny amount that it won't make a diff.

By contrast, the Nauta book covers soil biology as well as soil chemistry, and he's much more flexible about what to add and how much makes a difference. He also discusses how to boost the soil chemistry by using things that boost the soil biology, which in turn makes stuff more available to plants. Does not use GMO ferts.

Both are based on boosting the Ca levels (after Albrecht) and keeping Ca and Mg in balance, and both recommend using much less compost than most of us organic gardeners habitually use. Nauta cites Elaine Ingram's rec of 1/90th inch of compost! Both promote growing "nutrient-dense food" in their subtitles, but Nauta has brix charts and talks about using a refractometer to test your food and plants.

I've read both and I tend to use Nauta's approach, plus he tends to encourage experimentation and improvisation, which I like.