aquaponic organic

Choosing a good fertilizer for your garden-scape.

Summer lawns and gardens can be the most challenging when it comes to survival. Intense heat, sun, foot traffic, fluctuating rain conditions, and increasing insect populations all cause damage to both. Summer is an important time of year to feed your lawn and garden. Scotts Turf Builder with SummerGuard is a product you may apply as a fertilizer for your lawn while protecting your yard from insects and other pests. Below are a few more soil amendments and fertilizers that will help your landscape thrive year-round.

Miracle-Gro Organic Choice Garden Soil consists of compost, sphagnum peat moss, and manure. This is a great choice for preparing your garden areas before planting. The organic choice soil should be applied a few inches above ground and tilled into the planting bed. After planting, the area should be watered thoroughly.

Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed Continuous Release All-Purpose Plant Food can be used on established gardens throughout the summer. For every ten square feet of garden space you should apply 4.8 ounces of plant food. The food should be reapplied every three months.

Osmocote Plus Plant Food is a 15-9-12 plant food which includes the following nutrients: nitrogen, phosphate, soluble potash, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, boron, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. Osmocote can be applied to multiple plant varieties and soil conditions. The application lasts up to six months

Organic plant food is another option for maintaining a happy and healthy garden. When using the term "organic" for plant food, it implies materials that come from either a plant or animal source. Where can you find such products? If you don't live near an animal or plant-processing facility, you may find other feed products at your local nursery or home and garden store.

Other organic products include:

Alfalfa Pellets and Epson sea salts "tea": For a weekly liquid fertilizer you can apply a mixture of pellets (16 cups), sea salt (2 cups), and water (20 gallon garbage can). Make sure the mixture is blended well and this can be applied to roses, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens. These provide your garden area with nitrogen, magnesium, and micronutrients.

Cottonseed meal: This is a byproduct of cotton production. Cottonseed meal can be slightly acidic and will add to the health of azaleas, rhododendrons, and camellias.

Blood meal: This should be used sparingly as it has high levels of nitrogen concentration. Blood meal is gathered from dried powdered blood from cattle slaughterhouses. Not the loveliest form of fertilizer, but does have a few advantages including deer control.

Compost: Consists of humus and other nutrients. Lasts as an organic matter fertilizer for two to three years and is best applied directly to soil before planting.

Keeping your landscape healthy contributes to a better environment and lessens the time spent replacing dying grass or plants. Applying fertilizer consistently throughout the year can help strengthen new plant material and help build an established garden-scape.