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Longevity of Organic Fertilizer?

smallaxe
16 years ago

I have a question that does not lend itself well to a search. I remember that organic fertilizers did not really evaporate or leach as quickly as the synthetics. If this is true just how much time do we have for the NPK to release and stay until the plant actually uses it?

Different soils and weather of course being factors, but just a ballpark idea compared to synthetics and urea. A good website? or something?

thanks,

Comments (7)

  • fescue_planter
    16 years ago

    It actually, for the most part, never goes anywhere. Whereas bagged chemicals dissolve and keep leeching their way down through the soil since they are dissolvable, organic fertilizer just keeps turning into something else. Bacteria and fungi break them down into products plants can use. Plants use them to grow and naturally exude chemicals from their roots that other bacteria and fungi take in. Throw in shredder arthropods and worms that break this stuff down as well and you get a big natural cycle working in your soil. You can't cook up black dirt without all this organic material and activity so the more organics you present over time without killing off the microbes, the more you 'build' the healthy soil. Of course this takes time but you see why the natural stuff is the much better alternative. Some on this board even lay claim that this type of care over the years will build a system that is self sustaining never requiring additional fertilizer. Maybe in a few years I'll find out for myself.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    16 years ago

    Fescue_planter's completely right.

    If you mean active NPK release from the fertilizer, call it around three months. Give or take--a lot.

    There's still a tiny release even a year out from feeding it, but unless you're getting the end result from many feedings it's not worth considering.

  • texasredhead
    16 years ago

    What you will find in time is that your lawn will require fewer applications of fertilizer. I have been keeping my St. Augustine lawn organically for 35 years. If I fertilize more than twice a year I would be mowing every 3 days. As it is it's every 4-5 days. In other words, you will observe the heath of your lawn. Resist the temptation to be dumping something on your lawn all the time.

  • skoot_cat
    16 years ago

    Average Release time (for Organic products) according to Colorado State University Cooperative Extension is between 1-4 months. Check out the link below for more details.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Organic Ferts

  • dchall_san_antonio
    16 years ago

    The most practical website I've ever seen for organic lawn care is the one you're reading now. I used to moderate two different organic forums and neither one was a down to earth as this one.

    Blood meal, seaweed, and milk will decompose in a week or less. Feather meal will decompose in a year or less. Everything else decomposes between those two times. Most ground grains will decompose in 1-3 weeks given some moisture.

  • lou_spicewood_tx
    16 years ago

    It's a one big nutrient cycling. Fungi and bacteria are basically your "fertilizer" but they need to die in order to release nutrients. Protozoan and nematodes eat fungi and bacteria, releasing nutrients. Earthworms also help release nutrients by chewing through the soil with the bacteria. Microathropods help break down larger pieces into smaller pieces for bacteria and fungi to chew on, it just goes on.

    Over time, the only thing you probably will need to supplement is nitrogen once or twice a year to enhance your lawn because the nutrient cycling is so much improved. It just takes a while to get there.

    I have noticed that my soil is starting to get darker. It used to be really white (caliche soil)two years ago and now they are easy to break up, parts of it are black.

  • morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
    16 years ago

    I have noticed that my soil is starting to get darker.

    Me, too, about 2 years into an organic program. Mine used to be a very pale clay the color of an adobe brick. Now it's midrange to deep brown with areas that are turning black.

    I've also noticed that the organic fertilizers don't tail off on their effects nearly the same way. Synthetics do everything at once then disappear (literally). The cycle between feedings, just before I took down the lawn to replant it, was starting to get longer.

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