If you’re new to gardening, it may come as a surprise that planting a seed in soil and waiting for it to grow wonderfully is not as easy as it seems, and that’s not how it usually works. Plants need multiple nutrients that are found in the soil. But, there may be instances that the soil you are working with may be lacking some vital nutrients that your plants need in order to grow healthy. And one way to supply these is to add fertilizer, preferably organic. Unlike artificial fertilizers, organic fertilizers do not produce a large amount of salt, such as nitrate, which disrupt or even kill helpful soil organisms. Organic fertilizers release proper nutrients slowly and naturally, which is better for plants. Read through this article so you can have an informed decision in choosing the best organic garden fertilizer in the market.
Comparison Chart
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bliss Gardens Air Plant Tillandsia Organic Fertilizer Food | This organic fertilizer is obtained from sea kelp. This fertilizer can be used on air plants, orchids, and bromeliads. It is suggested to use the spray food right after regular watering only once a month. Over-fertilizing may cause damage to plants. | ||
| Neem Organics Orgo Neem Cake | Neem Organics Orgo Neem Cake is an Organics Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listed organic fertilizer that you can use to enrich overall condition of the soil. | ||
| Espoma GT4 4-Pound Garden-Tone 3-4-4 Plant Food | The Espoma GT4 4-Pound Garden-Tone Plant Food is an all-natural and organic plant food intensified with thousands of living microbes and is certified for organic gardening. It is ideal for all vegetables, and it provides a safe, constant, and complete balanced feeding. | ||
| PEARL VALLEY ORGANIX HGR243CP40 Coop Poop Garden Food | This Pearl Valley Organix HGR243CP40 Coop Poop Garden Food is an all-purpose fertilizer that’s perfect for flower beds, veggie gardens, and container gardening. | ||
| Worm Castings Organic Fertilizer, Wiggle Worm Soil Builder | Worm Castings Organic Fertilizer, Wiggle Worm Soil Builder pure earthworm castings are mother nature’s biggest kept secret and soon to be recognized as the “World’s Greatest Organic Fertilizer!” The wonders of the earthworms are seen in the impressive growth and yields of your plants. If you’re looking for the best organic garden fertilizer, this one does not disappoint. | ||
| Down to Earth Organic Fish Bone Meal Fertilizer Mix | Down To Earth highlights a complete line of natural and organic fertilizers, composts, soil amendments, and potting media. They work with fungi, microorganisms, and organic matter in the soil to nourish plants and spur growth. | ||
| Organic Blood Meal | If you are looking for a reasonable, healthy, organic supplement to add nitrogen to your garden soil, dried blood meal fertilizer may be the best option. This organic fertilizer is an animal by-product of cattle processing, and it is an excellent source of nitrogen. |
A Detailed Review on the 7 Best Organic Garden Fertilizer
Bliss Gardens Air Plant Tillandsia Organic Fertilizer Food
This organic fertilizer is obtained from sea kelp. This fertilizer can be used on air plants, orchids, and bromeliads. It is suggested to use the spray food right after regular watering only once a month. Over-fertilizing may cause damage to plants.
Product Highlights
This ready-to-use spray organic formula promotes flowering and more pups. It can be used once a month, together with a regular watering cycle. The 8 oz. bottle with last for about 12 months on three to six plants depending on the size. This plant food can also be utilized for orchids and bromeliads.
The Good
This ready-to-use spray organic formula has the recommended N-P-K ratios for air plants and is very convenient to use. The 8 oz. bottle can last for about a year already on three to six plants.
The Bad
Some users question the effectivity of this organic formula. Saying that some of their plants died while using the fertilizer. Also, others point out that the bottle is too small for its price.
PROs
- Ready-to-use fertilizer
- Organic formula
- Easy-to-use spray bottle
- Can last for 12 months
CONs
- Ineffective
- Contents too little for the price
Golden Barrel Bulk Unsulfured Blackstrap Molasses Jug (128 Fl Oz)
Neem Organics Orgo Neem Cake is an Organics Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listed organic fertilizer that you can use to enrich overall condition of the soil.
Product Highlights
The Neem Organics Orgo Neem Cake is guaranteed to boost growth and natural plant resistance for your organic production. You can use this to improve landscaping, lawns, garden and other agricultural soils. Neem pellets are plant-based fertilizer product produced to help protect plants organically.
The Good
You can use the Neem Organics Orgo Neem Cake by itself. It has instructions on how much should you mix into your patch for best results. According to reviews, even as little as 10% show improved results of increased soil productivity. You can also mix it along with other fertilizers.
The Bad
Although this product is highly-rated, some people complained about the smell. Some also experienced development of fungus when left on top soil. For best results you should mix up to 6 inches into the soil.
Espoma GT4 4-Pound Garden-Tone 3-4-4 Plant Food
The Espoma GT4 4-Pound Garden-Tone Plant Food is an all-natural and organic plant food intensified with thousands of living microbes and is certified for organic gardening. It is ideal for all vegetables, and it provides a safe, constant, and complete balanced feeding.
Product Highlights
This product is an all-natural and organic plant food intensified with thousands of living microbes and is certified for organic gardening. This product, which is made in the US, is a complete plant food with all fifteen required nutrients. It is initially produced for professional gardeners and is environmentally safe with no residues, hazardous, or toxic ingredients.
The Good
One of the best things about this product is that this organic fertilizer yields good results because of its fifteen nutrients needed by plants. It is also enhanced with thousands of living microbes that improve the structure of the soil. Thus it is one of the best organic garden fertilizers out there.
The Bad
Despite the product being highly-rated, some users say that this organic fertilizer stinks, clumps, and forms a hard layer on the surface of the soil.
PROs
- All-natural/organic
- Certified for organic gardening
- Complete with 15 required nutrients
- Non-toxic
- No residues
CONs
- Smells bad
- It clumps
- Forms a hard layer on the soil
PEARL VALLEY ORGANIX HGR243CP40 Coop Poop Garden Food
This Pearl Valley Organix HGR243CP40 Coop Poop Garden Food is an all-purpose fertilizer that’s perfect for flower beds, veggie gardens, and container gardening.
Product Highlights
The Pearl Valley Organix HGR243CP40 Coop Poop Garden Food features an improved root development and nutrient uptake, and a PH balanced with premium organic material that’s perfect for flower beds, veggie gardens, and containers gardening. It’s eco-friendly and also easy to use.
The Good
This product weighs 40 pounds and has a good texture and concentrated form of chicken poop compressed into granules. It has a balanced PH, is eco-friendly and easy to use.
The Bad
Although there are a lot of raves about this product, some users still find the product less effective than other organic fertilizers and are not worth the value.
PROs
- Premium organic material
- Good texture, concentrated
- Eco-friendly
CONs
- Less effective than others
Worm Castings Organic Fertilizer, Wiggle Worm Soil Builder
Worm Castings Organic Fertilizer, Wiggle Worm Soil Builder pure earthworm castings are mother nature’s biggest kept secret and soon to be recognized as the “World’s Greatest Organic Fertilizer!” The wonders of the earthworms are seen in the impressive growth and yields of your plants. If you’re looking for the best organic garden fertilizer, this one does not disappoint.
Product Highlights
This product features a non-toxic, odor-free, all-purpose, and all-natural organic fertilizer. The nutrients in the worm castings are abundant. These nutrients are well balanced in two forms. One can be immediately absorbed by the plant and the other can give nourishment, which gradually feeds the plant for prolonged periods.
The Good
This product is one of the high-rated ones out there. This organic fertilizer is purely earthworm castings. It is also an excellent choice for houseplants, flowers, vegetables, and more. It is non-toxic and odor-free, and just a handful of this fertilizer will make your plants super happy.
The Bad
Despite the high ratings, this product also has flaws. Some users say that their potted and flowering plants were killed after using the product. Some also notice some weeds growing out of the soil where the casting is added.
PROs
- Non-Toxic
- Odor Free
- Indoor/Outdoor
- All Purpose
CONs
- Attracts weeds
- May not be suited to potted and flowering plants
Down to Earth Organic Fish Bone Meal Fertilizer Mix
Down To Earth highlights a complete line of natural and organic fertilizers, composts, soil amendments, and potting media. They work with fungi, microorganisms, and organic matter in the soil to nourish plants and spur growth.
Product Highlights
This product weighs fifty pounds of all organic fertilizer with a 3-16-0 formula.
It is a marine-based replacement to traditional steamed bone meal and is an excellent source of organic phosphorus and calcium and excellent for all flowering plants, trees, and shrubs. As one of the three significant nutrients for plants, phosphorous plays an essential role in both the root and bloom development, which helps form high-quality fruit and flowers.
The Good
This organic fertilizer is carefully blended from the most reliable source of natural nutrients in balanced proportions without the use of synthetics, stimulants, or low-quality stuffing like poultry waste.
The Bad
This product is one of the most popular natural fertilizers out there, but there’s only one drawback about this product. Users complain that this organic fertilizer stinks of a rotten fish.
PROs
- An excellent source of organic phosphorous
- All-natural
- No stimulants
- No fillers
CONs
- Stinks like a rotten fish
Organic Blood Meal
If you are looking for a reasonable, healthy, organic supplement to add nitrogen to your garden soil, dried blood meal fertilizer may be the best option. This organic fertilizer is an animal by-product of cattle processing, and it is an excellent source of nitrogen.
Product Highlights
This product is a 13-1-0, slow-release nitrogen fertilizer with no biological treatments. It is 100% pure and organic compliant porcine blood meal and is an excellent way to prevent animals from your garden.
The Good
One of the good stuff about this product is there is no biological treatment and is 100% organic. It can be used as a fertilizer tea and can promote the growth of all kinds of plants and also helps in keeping animals away from your garden.
The Bad
Users complain that this product is way too expensive for its value.
PROs
- No biological treatments
- 100% organic compliant
- Repels animals from your plants
CONs
- Too expensive for its value
How to Choose Fertilizer
There are a lot of options for fertilizers, including nonorganic ones. Organic fertilizers are way better than nonorganic because they aren’t made with stuff like petroleum products that will cause harm to your soil in the long run.
To choose the best organic garden fertilizer, there are a few things you have to consider.
Soil type
What type of soil do you have? Is it sand, clay, or loam? Loam is deemed the holy grail among soil types, but most of us have a combination of the three, with either sand or clay emphasized more prominently.
Nutrients Needed
The second thing to examine is what your soil is missing. The most reliable way to determine this is by conducting a basic soil test. This test costs a little and is usually done through your local gardening extension, but it is possible to buy home test kits.
What do these numbers mean?
Organic fertilizers are marked and specified with the percentage concentration of nutrients. This percentage is referred to as the NPK ratio, which means Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium. For example, in a 6-12-0 formula, there is 6 percent Nitrogen, 12 percent Phosphorous, and 0 percent Potassium.
It’s also a great idea to consider other kinds of nutrients that you may require. Fertilizers have all varieties of micronutrients and minerals that can replace other missing pieces of your soil.
What form of fertilizer do you need?
Fertilizers are either in liquid or dry forms. Dry fertilizers release slowly and last over a more extended period. They are useful when you need standard plant maintenance and are restoring nutrients directly in the soil.
Liquid fertilizers, on the other hand, are fast-acting and are better options when your plants need a boost.
Conclusion
There are dozens of fertilizers in the market right now, and for a gardener who is new to the idea of organics, choosing the best organic garden fertilizer can be confusing. Organic fertilizers are more reliable than nonorganic ones because they are not made with stuff like oil products that will harm the health of your soil in the process. By utilizing high-quality organic fertilizers in your garden, you are supplying your plants with the proper nutrients it needs and improving the quality of your soil at the same time.
I hope that through this review, you will be able to make a sound decision on which product is the best organic garden fertilizer out there. Know more about garden fertilizers.