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mbdittmar

Steve Solomon's COF

mbdittmar
15 years ago

Hi- Has anyone tried using Steve Solomon's "complete organic fertilizer " ? ( see http://westsidegardener.com/howto/fertilizer.html ) If so, what do you think ? What did you use for seedmeal ? For seedmeal I can only seem to find alfalfa pellets around here.

Also, the COF recipe calls for mixing by volumes of the component parts. Since the alfalfa is pelletized, and the lime, for example, is a powder, won't this throw off the proportions. Should I bother to crush the alfalfa pellets into powder?

Thanks !! Mark

Comments (4)

  • digit
    15 years ago

    I've made an organic fertilizer that's similar. The recipe is in my Encyl. of Organic Gardening & amounts to parts of blood meal, bone meal, and wood ashes.

    An important incentive for me to make this "stuff" was that I had a lot of wood ashes at the time and didn't know what to do with them. The mixing turned out to be a very unpleasant experience with that blood meal.

    I buy Whitney Farms organic fertilizer these days. But I've been wondering about something: the 4 laying hens that live at my place get an expensive feed, .40/pound. But, I buy that WF fertilizer (wholesale) at .56/pound !!!

    I could find layer feed a good deal cheaper than what I buy. A cheaper mixed organic fertilizer - not.

    LetÂs see . . . layer feed is about 16% protein  about the same as good alfalfa hay. Protein is about 16% nitrogen (if I remember correctly). So, layer feed is 2.5% nitrogen. You can buy gamebird feed or turkey feed that is like 24% protein, or 3.8% nitrogen. It is also NOT goin cost any .56/pound.

    digitS'

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    15 years ago

    digit,

    Are you able to let the hens roam under a portable cage so they can get "organic feed" in your yard? We did this for a buddy in CA and they claim their eggs taste better too - they have ~1 dz layers and the kids sell the eggs as a business and they have a waiting list for clients...just a thought.

    Dan

  • digit
    15 years ago

    Dan, the hens are out foraging every day. The backyard is small, but they have the run of it. There isn't much for them to eat except lawngrass, clover, weeds, and herbs. Fortunately, they aren't at all keen on the herbs.

    My gardens are elsewhere and the birds are not "allowed" in the front yard to do anything to the flowers there. (And, fly over a 3' fence to, no doubt, attack kindergarten kids and pit bulls. ;o)

    I thought about building a "tractor" for new chicks this year but the yard is so small . . . Besides, I shouldn't really need chicks until next year. These pullets aren't a year old yet. They're just gettin' wound-up good.

    digitS'

  • digit
    15 years ago

    I should say that the hens are out for awhile every day to forage. They are watched while they are out there. We now know the neighbor's Monster can jump the fence into the backyard.

    Mark, I've used that website before. It has some helpful photographs of seedlings and when folks have asked a question like, "which of these plants are my precious vegetables!!" - these have, I hope, helped the gardeners ID their plants.

    d'

    Here is a link that might be useful: Seedling photo's