Bone Meal
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Bone meal has been sterilized for sale to gardeners for as long as I have known. Previous bans on use were related to its use as animal feed. Bone meal remains a valuable organic resource for gardeners not only a shrub fertilizer but for root crops, beans etc... as noted here. |
Analysis - nitrogen 4, phosphorus 15, potassium 0, calcium in plenty. Note: some bone meal formulae contain added nutrients.
Source - the sterilized bones of animals from the slaugherhouse. Sometimes available as course medium and fine grade.
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American gardeners can get Bone Meal here
- Bone Meal (2.5kg or less) is available in the U.K. on this link
- U.K. gardeners compare the above price with
25 kg pack price on this link
- Root crops benefit from phophorus which is supplied in abundance by this fertilizer - Apply before growing carrot, scorzonora, and onions etc... and to corms and tubers like dahlia, peony, gladiola.
- Apply to soil before peas, beans, sweet peas and other legumes - phosporus is probably beneficial to the nitrogen fixing Rhizobium bacteria found in the root nodules of legumes.
- Rake into beds a couple of months before sowing or planting.
- Apply at 1 oz per square yard to new soil before transplanting spring sown cabbage to new sites following beans.
- As a shrub fertilizer sprinkle into planting pockets and over the back fill - Apply 2-3 oz per shrub.
- The calcium content is especially beneficial for perennials and as a deciduous shrub fertilizer - Continue to fork in every 2 years.
- Note: bone meal is basic, with an alkaline reaction in the soil - Avoid applying around acid loving plants like ericas, rhodendrons, and azaleas.
- Use on lime loving (calcicoles) clematis, lilac, and hydrangea ...
- Apply to fruit bushes; especially if soils conditions are too acidic.
- Sprinkle fine grade bone meal sparingly on the soil surface of containers and indoor pot plants and water in; or mix in a small amount when making your own compost for indoor plants.
- Note: some dogs may lick and scratch where bone meal is used as top dressing.
- Use on slower growing greenhouse plants.
Application - 3oz per square yard every 1 - 2 years. Incorporate well into soil.
Release Rate - slow, lasts for 1 year and more.
Timing - apply from autumn to spring at the start of growing season and a few weeks before plant requirement. If you want faster response such as in a potting mix use fine grade bone meal. The course grade bone will last longer.
Soil Reaction - basic, take care with lime hating ericas: rhododendrons, azaleas, camelias, heathers and the like.
Action On Plants - phoshates contained in bone meal ensure that a supply of sugars made in the leaves is sent down to the roots. This promotes root growth and bone meal is good for root crops (e.g. carrots) and root tubers (e.g. dahlia).
The high calcium content make it a good fruit, herbaceous perennial and shrub fertilizer for non-ericacious plants. Calcium cements cell walls together and is lost during leaf fall and die back. Failure of new growing shoots, blossom end rot and weak stems are signs of calcium deficiency common in fruits.
Slow nutrient release keeps time with slower growing plants so reducing nutrient losses and not overfeeding. That's a good quality for a tree and shrub fertilizer as well for slower growing pot plants.
The low nitrogen content means that bone meal won't convert potential flower shoots into leaves and ruin your flower display or delay fruiting - it's a safe fertilizer.
Phosphates are not very mobile in soil so do incorporate bone meal well into soil. Mix with back fill as shrub fertilizer when planting.
Get shrub fertilizer - Bone Meal - U.K.
Buy 25Kg bags - unit price is cheaper only on this link ...
Get Bone Meal - U.S.A.
BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN - more information, books & links on bone meal & organic fertilizers
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