Choosing the most suitable fertilizer can be an overwhelming process. This article shall help you if you have a garden and already keep trying many fertilizers or if you are new to all these gardening stuff.
In this article, we’ll round up the best choices. We’ll talk about the strong points and shortcomings of each, in addition to answering your frequently asked questions about organic garden fertilizers.
Unco Industries Wiggle Worm Soil Builder
Our Top Recommendation for Organic Garden Fertilizers!
Organic fertilizers have become increasingly popular in gardening and farming, and this UNCO organic fertilizer is the finest for veggies and flowers. Activated with pure earthworm castings, it is non-toxic, odor-free, and maintains a balanced pH level.
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Table of Contents
5 Best Organic Garden Fertilizers
Some of these picks are for all purposes, and some may be more suitable for a specific kind of plant in your garden. Whether it’s vegetables, flowers or other plants.
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | PRICE |
---|---|---|---|
Unco Industries Wiggle Worm Soil Builder | • Organic fertilizer • Non-toxic and odor free • Just a handful will make your plants happy | ||
Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer | • Grow a beautiful vegetable garden • Flowers and foliage will be stronger and more colorful • Easy to mix and apply by hand, sprayer, or drip line | ||
Gaia Green Organic Fertilizer | • Item Weight: 4.4 pounds • Liquid Volume: 0.03 Liters, 4 Liters • Brand: Gaia Green | ||
Dr Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer Poly Bag | • 100% organic • It contains humic acids • Contains no GMO | ||
Joyful Dirt Organic Fertilizer | • ORGANIC Based Indoor Plant Food and Garden Fertilizer. • SAFE to Use Around Pets and Kids. • CONTAINS Mycorrhizae and Other Nutrients to Help Plants Grow Quicker and Use Less Water |
#1. Unco Industries Wiggle Worm Soil Builder
This organic fertilizer is made of worm waste which is also known as earthworm castings. The worms’ digestive system gives out waste that includes rich nutrients for the soil.
You can use it on vegetable gardens, houseplants, outdoor flowering plants and more. It generally improves the condition of your soil.
Pros
- It’s pH neutral, and so doesn’t change the pH of your soil
- Doesn’t have an excessive amount of nutrients
- Suitable for plants where worms don’t live like potted plants
Cons
- Isn’t effective if there are earthworms in your compost bin
- Has a limited shelf life
#2. Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer
This is an all-purpose fertilizer. Neptune’s is a fish and seaweed fertilizer that helps make your
foliage strong. It also gives you colorful blooms.
The Neptune’s Harvest increases the number and the fragrance of your blooms. It can be used on houseplants and lawns and on outdoor plants. It also comes in small and huge sizes and that depends on the number of plants you need to fertilize.
Pros
- Can be used on different kinds of plants
- Available in different sizes
- Easily applied than dry fertilizers
Cons
- It can get smelly if mixed wrong or stored improperly.
- Doesn’t work for some plants
#3. Gaia Green Organic Fertilizer
Gaia Green is an organic granular all-purpose fertilizer. It has a balanced organic mixture that can be used on a lot of garden plants including fruits, vegetables, shrubs, and trees. Gaia Green’s ingredients have non-genetically modified organisms.
Pros
- Available in large sizes
- Increases the bloom of your plants
- All-purpose fertilizer
Cons
- Not the cheapest option available
#4. Dr Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer Poly Bag
One of the best fertilizers available on Amazon is Dr Earth Home Green Organic Fertilizer. This plant food, made entirely of organic ingredients, delivers adequate vital nutrients without using any chemicals.
This product comprises multi-minerals, enzymes, carbs, humic acids, and other natural elements that are completely safe for both humans and animals. It strengthens plants and allows them to adapt to various conditions by increasing their drought tolerance and growth.
Pros
- Reasonably priced
- Effective
- Natural
- Safe for humans and pets
- No need to apply chemical fertilizers
- OMRI certified
- Contains ecto- and endo-mycorrhizae strains
- Quick releasing
Cons
- Some customers have found the ingredient listing and humic acids content on Amazon misleading.
#5. Joyful Dirt Organic Fertilizer
This organic fertilizer is made for indoor plants. It is easily applied onto the soil and you can slightly water it to help it be absorbed in the soil. The Joyful Dirt fertilizer is safe to have around pets and kids. It also contains nutrients that help plants resist disease.
Pros
- Easily applied
- Suitable for indoor plants
- Safe around pets and children
Cons
- Isn’t suitable for all kind of plants
Why Use Organic Fertilizers?
Organic fertilizers are made out of natural materials and not man-made chemicals. They work well with the natural system of the soil.
On the other hand, inorganic fertilizers destroy the soil’s natural balance and damage it in the long run. Here are some of the reasons why you should use organic fertilizers.
1. Nutrients Release
Using organic fertilizers increases the nutrients’ release in your soil which promotes healthy growth and provides your soil with the needed essential nutrients.
2. Better Moisture
Healthy soils have good moisture levels. This leads to the attraction of earthworms with their waste full of nutrients and used in many organic fertilizers. They also help in improving the drainage and aeration of your soil.
3. Lasts For Long
Organic fertilizers last for a long time in your soil as they take longer to break down. This gives you a good break between each time you fertilize your plants.
4. Slow-paced
As the nutrients in the organic fertilizers take a long time to break down, this helps the plants not become overstimulated.
Some people may consider this a disadvantage but even if the organic fertilizer’s process takes a long time, it keeps your soil healthy in the long term. Chemical fertilizers harm your soil for what they have of petroleum products even if they give quick results.
5. No Chemicals
This is one of the organic fertilizers’ main advantages as they save your soil from chemicals. Chemical fertilizers are dangerous and are likely to damage your soil.
What to Do Before Getting a Fertilizer?
There are a number of things to think about before you choose any kind of fertilizer because you have to put your soil and plants into consideration. Deciding the best fertilizer for your needs understanding of the components of your soil and your plant.
1. The Soil
Before choosing a fertilizer, you have to know your soil. Clay, sand, and loam soils react differently when it comes to fertilizing. Some people can have a combination of the three in their soil. Each soil has different features and so different ways of treatment and needs.
The clay soil, for example, has drainage issues though it is heavily fertile. The sandy on the other has good drainage but isn’t very good when it comes to holding nutrients.
If you don’t know your soil, have it tested to understand what type of soil you have, and what kind of fertilizer is best for it. The popularity of some kind of fertilizer doesn’t mean it will fit any soil. Some fertilizers may actually harm your plants.
2. Your Plants
What you are planting determines the kind of fertilizers that you need. Vegetables, for example, would require diff fertilizers than flowering plants or grass. It is important to read the information on the products’ labels carefully to know how it should be used and with what plants.
Most fertilizers include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which is the NPK ratio, in different amounts. That’s why you need to specify the needs of your plants exactly.
Types of Fertilizers
Fertilizers come in different types. They are either dry (powder or granules) or liquid. Dry ones are slowly released in the soil but last longer than liquid ones. Powder fertilizer is good if you want to mix it with other organic ingredients for a custom fertilizer. Granular fertilizer is better when put around the roots so it can be absorbed easily.
Liquid fertilizers are most efficient when it comes to fast action and boosting your plants. They are also the best choice if you want to put the fertilizer in bottles and spray your plants regularly.
What is the NPK Ratio?
NPK ratio stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. Each organic fertilizer is labeled with the percentage of these nutrients. Along with these three, there are other micronutrients and minerals that you need to consider depending on what your soil needs.
The best fertilizer for your plants and so the most suitable NPK ratio depends on the soil and your plants. You have to test your soil to know the kinds of nutrients it needs. You also have to consider the nutrients your plants need.
Summary
An all-purpose fertilizer like the Unco Industries Wiggle Worm Soil Builder may seem like a safe option as it improves your soil and works with many kinds of plants. Another good alternative is Neptune’s Harvest Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer. It works for all kinds of vegetables and tomatoes while also improving your soil. It’s also fast-acting and can be used on potted plants.