Homemade Organic Fertilizer Cakes

TreeBay

Here is yet another organic fertilizer recipe that originated with Bill Valavanis at International Bonsai Arboretum. This one adds Sevin insecticide to prevent insect larvae from developing in your fertilizer, and uses some liquid fertilizer ingredients instead of water.

DRY INGREDIENTS:
3 parts each: cottonseed meal, agricultural lime***
1 part each: bloodmeal, bonemeal

LIQUID INGREDIENTS:
Fish emulsion
Peter’s 20-20-20 mixed with water according to directions

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS:
Superthrive
Sevin Insecticide

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly, then add in the liquid fertilizers to bring the mix to a paste-like consistency. Add in some Sevin insecticide and Superthrive.

Spoon onto waxpaper to dry in the sun, and cut into squares when nearly dry, or use a scoop to form into balls.

*** Here with the municipal water systems tending to run alkaline, I am generally trying to move the pH downward a bit. There is an article that discusses liming of soil. According to the article, as the organic fertilizers break down, they tend to acidify the soil, and sometimes the fertilizer manufacturer includes some ground limestone in the fertilizer to counteract this effect.

I'm hoping Soildoc can give us some insight as to the purpose of the addition of of lime to fertilizer cake might be, and whether the practice is generally advisable. Maybe it's a binder for the cottonseed?

Regards,

Matt

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