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Location

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Date Posted

WNC Usa

What is your opinion of granular fertilizer?

Good for gardens and patches or what?

5/12/2010 11:33:23 PM

Tinykinville

granular only defines form not type of fert, if you want opinion list the fert and you will get plenty

5/13/2010 4:03:05 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

There are many types and uses. Organic vs synthetic, etc.

Can you be more specific?

5/13/2010 9:06:26 AM

churchville, ny

Correct me if I'm wrong but my take on this is that the synthetic contains more salts (bad) but is available to the plant almost immediately.

The organic takes longer (maybe a month) to be used by the plant because it needs to be broken down by microbial action which is dependent on temperature and moisture content of the soil. The size of the granuale (surface area) will also impact how quickly it works.

I know many of the "heavy hitters" are going more organic.
I purchased bags of epsoma (blood meal, bone meal, bulb tone, holly tone, greensand, etc.) because last year I applied alot of synthetic (per soil test recommendations) and went from a 1119 lb. in 2008 to a 375 lb in 2009.

Tremor and Tom P. certainly know more about this subject.

5/13/2010 10:04:34 AM

WNC Usa

Synthetic fertilizer

5/13/2010 5:32:11 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Synthetic fertilizer like 10-10-10 contain cheap, salty ingredients. They have limited value in the short term but most growers rather employ a long term approach by focusing on sustainable soil building practices such as adding:

Aged manures
Mushroom compost
Compost from municipal sources & self
some even try compost teas
any means to increase soil biology

5/13/2010 9:52:00 PM

WNC Usa

Thanks

I'd try compost or manure but my dogs roll in it

5/17/2010 9:37:00 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Dogs are funny like that....LOL

Good news...Blood meal is and effective dog repellent AND the most soluble source of organic Nitrogen that money can buy.

5/17/2010 10:38:06 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Tremor, any idea of a source, near Owensbor, KY. to purchase larger amounts of blood meal, at a reasonable price? Need N in my pkn patch...and $8.98 per 3#bag aint gonna cut it!!! Peace, Wayne

5/18/2010 12:54:40 AM