From Compost To Worm Castings – Boost Your Garden With These 14 Natural Soil Amendments!

July and August are some of the best months to support your veggies, fruits, and shrubs with a side dressing fertilizer. Many of your garden crops produce ample fruits and veggies in these fertile summer months and would benefit from a nutrient boost. Consider using the 14 natural soil amendments in this guide. These natural fertilizers can improve soil structure, increase beneficial soil organisms, and enhance moisture retention without artificial chemicals. They’re also far more sustainable than synthetic fertilizers.

So, let’s explore some excellent natural fertilizer options for your garden!

14 Natural Soil Amendments And Fertilizers

There are endless natural soil amendments for your garden. But let’s start with the undisputed heavyweight champ of organic fertilizers. Compost!

1. Compost

Compost, often called nature’s black gold, is a homestead gardener’s secret weapon. Imagine it as a lavish buffet for your plants, generously providing essential nutrients. Compost works wonders if you spread it on the soil surface around your plants or gently mix it into the planting beds. It’s particularly beneficial for heavy-feeding crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, melons, and corn.

But here’s the real magic: compost doesn’t merely nourish plants; it revitalizes the soil itself. Compost creates a thriving ecosystem beneath the surface by introducing beneficial microbes and improving soil structure. So, embrace this organic treasure. It’s not just about growing plants. It’s about cultivating healthy, vibrant soil! 🌱🌿🌻

Read More – What If You Find Maggots In Your Compost? Don’t Panic! Here’s Why.

2. Worm Castings

Worm castings are the caviar of plant food! They are a gardener’s secret weapon. These tiny, unassuming pellets pack a powerful punch. Worm castings teem with essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients. When you sprinkle them around your plants or gently mix them into the soil, you provide a gourmet feast for your green companions.

Beneath their unassuming appearance lies an army of beneficial microbes. These microscopic helpers break down organic matter, improve soil structure, and enhance nutrient availability. It’s like inviting a team of soil superheroes to your garden party!

Worm castings suit all plants but have a soft spot for leafy greens and herbs. Whether growing spinach, basil, or kale, these castings will pamper your plants like a spa day for their roots.

Worm castings are gentle and slow, unlike many synthetic fertilizers that can burn plants with rapid nutrient release. They nourish your garden over time, ensuring steady growth without plant tantrums.

3. Aged Manure

Aged manure remains a beloved choice among farmers and gardeners. For optimal results, incorporate it into your soil before planting. This nutrient-rich amendment mainly benefits heavy feeders such as corn, peppers, tomatoes, and squash. However, moderation is vital, like a strong cup of coffee, as excessive use can harm your plants.

4. Seaweed

Seaweed, often considered a secret weapon among gardeners, boasts impressive benefits. Rich in many (60 or 70) minerals, vitamins, and enzymes, it’s a powerhouse for plant health.

You can use seaweed as a liquid fertilizer or dry it and crush it into a powder. Both forms provide essential nutrients to your plants. Seaweed is especially effective for enhancing blooms in flower gardens.

Read More – 16 Ways To Speed Up Compost! Need Fast Fertilizer? Try This!

5. Biochar

Biochar is a remarkable soil amendment with several benefits. It is a stable form of carbon produced by heating organic materials (such as wood, garden scraps, crop residues, or manure) in a low-oxygen environment in a process known as pyrolysis.

Biochar acts like a sponge, absorbing and holding nutrients (like phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium) in the garden soil, preventing leaching.

Biochar’s sponge-like nature is due to its tiny pores, which improve soil structure and benefit plant roots by enhancing aeration, water retention, and nutrient availability.

The porous nature of biochar also provides a habitat for beneficial fungi and soil microorganisms, which contribute to nutrient cycling and soil health.

One of the only tricks in using biochar is its pH, which may fluctuate from one source to the next. If your soil already has a perfect pH, double-check that you’re not adding overly acidic or alkaline biochar.

6. Bone Meal

Think of bone meal as a calcium supplement for your plants. It serves a dual purpose: enhancing blooms in flowering plants and promoting robust root growth. When planting, sprinkle bone meal into the planting hole. Remember that it’s a slow-release fertilizer, so patience is essential. You’ll see results over time.

(Bone meal, in case you’re wondering, consists of dried and defatted animal bones pulverized into a fine powder. It sounds gross. But plants love it.)

7. Blood Meal

If bone meal fertilizer is a calcium supplement for plants, then blood meal fertilizer is a protein shake for plants. It’s high in nitrogen, so it’s perfect for leafy salad greens, vegetables, and other plants that need a lot of nitrogen. Gently sprinkle it near your garden plants or mix it into the soil.

8. Feather Meal

Feather meal is a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. It’s like a time-release capsule for plants, providing a steady nitrogen supply over a long period. It’s great for plants that need a steady nitrogen supply, like corn, peppers, butternut squash, and tomatoes.

It’s best applied directly to the soil and mixed into the top few inches. Avoid using it as a top dressing if you’re setting up a new organic vegetable garden. Instead, mix three to five pounds of feather meal into the soil for every 100 square feet of garden space. When creating a potting mix, mix one to two tablespoons per gallon of soil for container plants.

Read More – How To Farm Worms In Tiny 5-Gallon Buckets!

9. Wood Ash

Wood ash isn’t just any old garden amendment. It’s like a soil multivitamin! It’s rich in potassium (K), an essential nutrient for plant health. Potassium helps regulate water movement, enzyme activation, and overall plant vigor. Think of it as a natural energy boost for your green friends.

Wood ash also provides lime (calcium carbonate), which helps neutralize acidic soils. Wood ash can sweeten things up if your soil pH is too low. Just be cautious, as too much ash can swing the pH too far in the alkaline direction.

Lightly sprinkle wood ash around your plants or mix it into the soil. Imagine you’re seasoning your garden beds with a dash of plant-friendly magic. Moderation is key. A little goes a long way. Overdoing it can disrupt the delicate pH balance and harm your plants.

If your soil is already alkaline, use wood ash sparingly. Test your soil periodically to prevent pushing it into pH extremes.

10. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are a great way to perk up your plants. They’re a good nitrogen source and can help improve drainage in heavy soils. You can sprinkle them around your plants or incorporate them into the soil. They’re perfect for acid-loving plants like blueberries and azaleas.

Read More – Here’s How To Grow An Epic Backyard Chaos Garden! The Ultimate Easy Growing Method!

11. Epsom Salts

Epsom salts are like a spa treatment for your plants. They’re a good source of magnesium and sulfur, which can help improve the uptake of other nutrients. Just dissolve them in water and use it to water your plants. They’re perfect for tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers.

(While it is called “salt,” Epsom salt is different from table salt (sodium chloride) and does not have the same adverse effects on plants. Epsom salt can benefit plants in small amounts, helping them produce chlorophyll, improve nutrient uptake, and promote overall growth.)

12. Fish Emulsion

Fish emulsion is like a seafood dinner for your plants. It’s high in nitrogen and provides trace elements and growth hormones. Just mix it with water and use it to water your garden. It’s great for all plants but perfect for leafy greens and herbs.

13. Hay Mulch

Hay is a cozy blanket for your garden soil. It’s a great source of organic matter and can help improve soil structure. Just spread it on top of your soil. It’s also a good source of slow-release nitrogen, so it’s great for plants that need a steady nitrogen supply. (Leafy greens and most garden veggies love a hay mulch layer.)

14. Bark Mulch

Bark mulch protects your garden plants like a shield. It aids in weed suppression and moisture retention. Just spread it on top of your soil. It’s also a good source of organic matter, so it can help improve soil structure. It’s perfect for perennials and shrubs.

Read More – How To Grow Perfect Zucchini Plants And Gourds In Your Backyard Garden!

Conclusion

Thanks for reading about natural soil amendments with us! We grow massive gardens yearly, and we never use synthetic fertilizers. The fertilizers in this list are all we need!

What about you?

• Do you agree with us that organic compost is the best fertilizer overall?
• Do you use synthetic fertilizers? Do you have good results? (We don’t use synthetics. But don’t knock others for trying them!)
• Aged manure is also a potent fertilizer. Have you tried using it?
• Have you ever used seaweed as a fertilizer?
• Do you know of any other organic fertilizers that we missed?

All gardeners are welcome to reply – and we hope to hear back!

Thanks again for reading.

Have a great day!

Inspire Others, Share This Article!