Organic fertilizers

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SCalberta
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Does anyone use organic fertilizers? Should we be using them at all?
I add purchased compost to my veg beds but can I supplement with organic fertilizers such as Gaia Green 4-4-4- or a seaweed fertilizer. Can anyone provide some technical guidance on this - or articles on the topic?
Thanks Sabrina
danadykema
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Hey Sabrina! I would encourage you to try vermicompost or bokashi liquid instead of buying a fertilizer. Do you have a bokashi system going yet? Or a worm bin? Where are you located? I've heard Andrew reference the GG 444 & sea weed fertilizer before but can't remember exactly what he said...
Danoost
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Andrew just gave a talk via a recent webinar on leachate and compost teas as organic fertilizers. You'll find this in the members area under webinars.
SCalberta
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Hi Thanks for comments but I still have an outstanding question.
I am just curious about what is wrong with organic fertilizers such as GAIA 444 - Does it cause problems > for the microbial life in the soil, is it less effective etc.
I have switched to my own compost/ vermi compost but am just curious from a technical perspective - as there is lots of marketing and use of these products
Hope this clarifies my question and looking forward to a response.
Cheers Sabrina
danadykema
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Hi again Sabrina,
After looking on the Gaia website at this product it looks pretty good as far a store bought product goes. I think the reason why the message has been to avoid them is more so for you as the gardener to learn new skills in creating and cultivating your own, employing the principles in the course, as well as then you don't have to worry about the possibility of being "greenwashed" by any companies proposing to be all natural, organic etc. when that's often not entirely the case unfortunately.
Getting your fertilizing needs either from your own hand or from a developer you trust is key. If you do shop for fertilizers it's important to ask questions so you have a better understanding of the product you're buying.
I hope this helps!
SCalberta
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Thanks for your comments but as I mentioned in my question I am looking for a more technical response about the content of these products and the impact they have on the soil.
Danoost
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I don't see any issue with using these organic fertilizers. Here are the ingredients for the gaia444 product you're referencing:

Feather meal, alfalfa meal, bone meal, blood meal, glacial rock dust, natural rock phosphate, fishbone meal, mineralized phosphate, potassium sulphate, insect frass, basalt rock dust, humic acid, gypsum, kelp meal, oyster shell flour, greensand.

Looks pretty good.

They're not providing information on how these materials are processed and that can play a big role in the outcome. But I'm sure they know what they're doing.

What's important to realize here is that we still need the biology in the soil to cycle these nutrients and minerals and make them available to plants. Microbes will break down and absorb these organic compounds locking them away in their bodies.

When other organisms in the soil food web eat these microbes that have been feeding on the organic fertilizers, they excrete and provide nutrients in a plant available form.

Another factor to consider here is that in nature, we seldom find fertilizers in these kind of concentrations. Applying high concentrations like this can have a negative impact on soil biology. That's why adding these components to a compost pile is a better strategy. This compost would then be added to your garden to feed microbes which would in turn feed plants.

I hope this helps.
SCalberta
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Thanks a lot Dan
Sabrina
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