Day 9: Nitrogen in the Garden Posted on 21 May 16:27 , 1 comment

Welcome to another day of our series Grow Your own Food in 100 Days or Less at Mary's Heirloom Seeds.


 On DAY 5 we discussed basic Nutrient Requirements for veggie garden.  Nitrogen was the first macronutrient we mentioned and is the "N" in fertilizer NPK listings.


Nitrogen deficiency in plants can be easy to detect.  Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency are yellowing, pale leaves and/or stunted growth.

 Here's our Day 9 Video making Mountain Flower Compost Tea




 Before planting or re-planting, it's a good idea to amend your soil.  Homemade compost and aged manure are both great options for free amendments.  We have several videos to help you get started.
  



There is no homemade way how to test nitrogen of soil. If your want to test your soil, you can take a sample to be tested or purchase an at-home tester.
If you don't have access to compost or manure, we have a few organic approved options.
*NEW FORMULA* this month Mary's Organic Plant Food 4-6-2
 
A well-balanced organic fertilizer and a good all-around blend. It is easy to use and ready to apply. pH balanced to counteract acidic soil conditions and formulated to deliver a steady supply of organic nutrients to enhance soil fertility and produce vigorous plants.
  • Use at any stage of plant's life.
  • Boosts Microbial Activity
  • Contains Fish Bone Meal, Blood Meal, Rock Phosphate, Greensand, Langbeinite, Kelp Meal, and Humic Shale Ore
For transplants add 1-2 Tbs. per hole


Derived from leguminous perennial alfalfa plant used for pasture and cover crop. Primary benefit of this pleasant smelling meal is increasing organic matter, although it is also a valuable plant-derived fertilizer.

  • NPK analysis is 2.8-0.29-2.4
  • Contains trace minerals and triaconatol
  • Excellent addition to the compost pile for nitrogen content and absorbency
As a garden fertilizer, alfalfa meal is used to increase organic matter in the soil and makes an excellent fast and effective soil conditioner. The high amounts of carbohydrates and protein encourage beneficial soil microbes and earthworms that are responsible for quickly breaking down the nutrients and making them available for use by the plants.  For more info, read
Benefits of Using Alfalfa Meal



Kelp is derived from sea plants and is sustainable.  Kelp Meal contains only small amount of N, P, and K (highest in Potash) but adds valuable micronutrients.  Kelp Meal also contains vitamins that help increase yields, improve soil structure, reduce plant stress from drought, and increase frost tolerance.

From our website,
Organic Kelp Meal (1-0-2) is dried and ground Rock Weed (Ascophyllum Nodosum), which grows in the cold clean waters along the New England coast, and is known as the best marine plant available for agriculture today

Full of trace Minerals, Carbohydrates and Amino Acids, helping create a strong root systems and makes a very healthy plant

It should be tilled in the soil before planting or can be top dressed, incorporated into potting soils, seed beds and composting material.
Organic kelp meal is ascophyllum nodosum, which is widely recognized as one of the finest marine plants available for agriculture today
It is a natural and cost effective enhancement to any soil fertilization and conditioning program
It is suitable for all crops and applications, and can be mixed with most soil conditioners and fertilizers

BONUS:  Sprinkle a small handful of kelp meal early in the growing season around and on the base of squash plants to help deter squash bugs.  Do this every 10 days where squash bugs are a problem.


Organic Blood Meal 12-0-0
Depending upon the crops you grow, soil that has been too often planted can start to lose its growing potential. Over time, the minerals and nutrients that plants need to grow and stay healthy become depleted. Blood meal helps restore these lost nutrients and revitalize depleted gardening beds.
Blood meal is an all natural powdered fertilizer that contains one of the highest, non-synthetic nitrogen counts (12-0-0) available.

  • Easy to use  
  • Works in gardens, yards, lawns, and soil beds
  • Perfect for revitalizing soils that have been heavily worked
  • Scent serves as a deterrent to common garden pests such as rabbits and deer
  • Also helps accelerate composting breakdown of carbon based composts such as leaves and straw



Easy to use instant Compost Tea.
Each packet of powdered mix makes a gallon of full strength compost tea or 2 gallons of diluted compost tea
Use:
Foliar feed
All purpose fertilizer
Pre-Soak for seeds
NPK is 6-5-5 plus Calcium and Trace Minerals.
Sourced from organic material. Contains no synthetic ingredients



5-4-2 Fertilizer
Ideal for all plant types, use Mountain Flower Root Boost to encourage expansive root systems, increased crop yields and superior quality flowers, fruits, herbs and vegetables.
Boosts Microbial Activity
Vegetable and Flowers -  1-2 Tbs per planting hole for new transplants
Ingredients: Fish Bone Meal, Fish Meal, Alfalfa Meal, Crab Meal, Shrimp Meal, Langbeinite, Basalt, Kelp Meal, Humic Acid, Mycorrhizal Fungi, and Beneficial Bacteria


Thank you for joining us for another day of Grow Your Own Food in 100 Days or Less.  If you have additional questions please send an email to mary@marysheirloomseeds.com

 Happy Planting!


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