

How do you fertilize your veggies?

Albany, ME(Zone 4b)

Here's what we do. I'd like to know if others think it could be improved and how. And I'd just like to know what others do.

We spread a load of manure on half the garden every two or three years. We don't plant that half of the garden the following spring. When we spread the manure we also sprinkle rock phosphate and greensand. When each seedling is planted I put a bit of Osmocote in the hole. That's it. We're pretty happy with the veggie production, but I keep learning new things every decade. :-)


Madison, AL(Zone 7b)

Manure isn't safe here anymore due to persistent weed killer contamination. I've switched to mushroom compost from a relatively local source when I need to add to my own compost. I also use some cottonseed meal for nitrogen.

I have been using Azomite for a microfert since my soil was almost completely devoid of trace minerals -- not unusual for the southeast -- and will be following up again this winter or spring with a detailed soil test to see if I need to continue to add it or if I'm in the right ballpark now.

Albany, ME(Zone 4b)

NicoleC, I see that Azomite is 0,0,.2. What are the minerals that it supplies? I once had a soil test done and found we were short of boron. But I don't know about other minerals.


I have a load of compost delivered from a local supplier and spread that on the veggie beds each spring. I don't till it in or anything, just spread on top. Then I like to use a liquid Fertilizer during the growing season. I like Neptunes Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer or their Seaweed/Fish Blend. When I plant the tomatoes and peppers and such in spring I like to add some dry bagged Tomato type fertilzer around each plant.

Madison, AL(Zone 7b)

Azomite contents: (PDF file)

Not everything in it is a "good" mineral or element. It's volcanic dust. You don't want a whole lot of lead, for example. So, personally, I wouldn't use it without knowing what's in my soil already and how much of it.

Albany, ME(Zone 4b)

Thanks, NicoleC. Do you know what "additional" means? I know we have lacked Boron in the distant past, and that is listed in the "additional" list.

Madison, AL(Zone 7b)

If my Chemistry 101 memories serve me, the "additional" items listed are metals and metalloids, and not technically minerals.

Hummelstown, PA(Zone 6b)

I add mushroom soil once a year. I also use this fertilizer with micronutrients at planting:

Staten Island, NY(Zone 6a)

I added my homemade compost,,some store bought manure ,plant tone , topsoil ,bloodmeal and lime mix all together in my wheel barrow and add to the bed.I put a bit of plant tone in the hole when I put in the plants, then spray the growing plants with Fish Emulsion every 2 weeks.I also put a little 10-10-10 fertilizer around the plants every 2 weeks.

Sierra Foothills, CA(Zone 8a)

Quote from LAS14 :

Borax is available in some of the markets here, in the laundry dept. Of course, I don't know how much you would use to get it in your soil. I imagine only a small amount of it.

Everett, WA(Zone 8a)

When you spread manure and then don't plant crops on that area, do you plant a cover crop like clover or fall Rye or buckwheat?

You would add more organic matter, some nitrogen, and prevent some leaching. If there are any herbicides in a load of manure, you might get early warning if the cover crop is sensitive to that.

I've read that pea seedlings are very sensitive to many herbicides, so you could use a few peas to serve as a canary-in-the-mine.

If someone has had that problem with their supplier, they could let the manure sheet-compost for a month or so, in a very thick layer somewhere, while waiting for some peas to emerge and prove it safe. Then they would have to spread it out where they really donated it, in a thinner layer.

Albany, ME(Zone 4b)

We plant buckwheat. Cut it and let it lie to be dug in later.
Interesting observation about peas. Thanks.

Pleasant Hill, CA(Zone 9b)

I make my own compost, and use that. Every week I broadcast fish emulsion / seaweed alternately.

I put bone meal on peppers 1x a month. Also, we make hard boiled eggs every week or so, and spread that water around -- every plant thrives on it.

This year I will plant a barley cover crop for the first time.

Albany, ME(Zone 4b)

Do you find that bone meal attracts critters?
What's in boiled egg water?

Provo, UT(Zone 5a)

i tried buckwheat for 1st time this yr..
i didnt water well enough..but it came up where i did
i like it..i usually leave part of the vegy garden fallow so next going to try to do
a couple plantings of buckwheat there..and water ..:)
i'll use the vegy growth in the compost..just cut down..and let the roots rot where there at..
las.. i used fish bone meal 1st time this yr..i like it.. you suggest..kritters..
this yr..provo has been indudated with racoons.. city doesnt have enough traps to rent out..:(
they havent bothered my corn..thank goodness.. but..where i put fish bone meal.. they dug into the
soil there.. when i saw it..i didnt know what was up..a fellow garden friend suggested raccoons.. sure enough.. crazy animals..:)
i do plan to use fish bone meal next yr though..i like it.. and its not to pricey..

White Plains, NY(Zone 6b)

CYTF - Be careful with Fish Emulsion. I suspect that it gave me a case of stomach poisoning.

I sprayed the foliage with the emulsion a few days before harvesting some tomatoes, and got sick following eating them.

Now I only use it early in the season and wash the vegetables with soap and water several times before consuming.

I was using an OMRI product.

Staten Island, NY(Zone 6a)

thank you Dervish2 for that advice I will keep it in mind .

Hummelstown, PA(Zone 6b)

remember natural and organic do not mean non toxic or safe. In fact many conventional pesticides are safer and less toxic than organic ones.

Magnolia, TX(Zone 8b)

Boron is a trace mineral, whole earth has traces only. Remember borax is used as a soap- especially if you utilize beneficial pest controls.

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