Bone Meal Explained: A Gardener’s Guide

By Erin Marissa Russell

Bone meal is one of yourorganic fertilizer options . It ’s outstanding in certain billet , but it does n’t become the want of all plant or all garden . Keep read to hear what os repast is good for ( as well as its drawback ) , larn how to employ it , and find out whether it ’s correct for you .

os meal ’s main exercise is total phosphorus to the soil . If your stain is n’t low in phosphorus , there ’s no reason for you to use bone meal . Phosphorus helps make photosynthesis possible and boosts growth as well as help works make flowers and fruit . The NPK rating for bone repast is ordinarily around 3 - 15 - 0 . In gain to phosphorus , bone repast sum up some Ca and nitrogen to the soil and is take for use with constitutional gardening .

package of bone meal fertilizer with bone meal beside it

What Is Bone Meal?

As the name suggests , ivory repast is made of creature pearl . Usually , these are beef os that are a byproduct of slaughterhouses . The bones are fix with hot steam and are then run aground into repast ( powder ) for use in the garden . you may sometimes bribe it in the form of pellets . It is not the same as stock meal , which is a different type of fertiliser .

Benefits of Using Bone Meal Fertilizer

Drawbacks of Using Bone Meal

How to Use Bone Meal

Your first step should be testing your filth to make certain phosphorus is needed before you start using bone meal . You have the choice of going through a local Extension office or using a soil examination kit out yourself . Thissearchable mapfrom the National Pesticide Information Center will help you find your local Extension situation if you need assistance .

You should also find out the pH storey of your territory using a soil test to make certain it is 7 or below . PH stratum above 7 will forbid your plants from being able to employ the nutrients bone repast supply . Our article on how totest the pH stage of your soilwill help you if you are n’t sure how to do this . If your pH level arrive back as 7 or above , there are whole tone you could take to rectify your grease and change the pH level . Address the pH level of the soil before attempt to apply bone meal if your pH level is 7 or higher .

You should always choose a day with a dry forecast to solve with bone repast in your garden grunge . When the territory is too moist , it make it unmanageable to mix in any amendment , ivory meal included .

planting seedlings with bone meal

There are several path to apply bone meal , but no matter which you use , your proportion should be one tablespoonful of bone repast per two square animal foot of soil ( or three cups of bone meal per 100 satisfying feet of grease ) . However , check the publicity of your ivory repast , as the producer may have supply their own instructions . If your instructions contradict the ratio we ’ve allow for , follow the manufacturer ’s pedagogy or else .

you may use bone meal while you ’re planting by adding the osseous tissue meal to the backfill soil you ’ll apply , such as in garden beds . Alternatively , you’re able to add bone repast after digging the planting hole , dropping the bone meal into the hole and travail it into the land a bit before adding your plant and backfilling with grease . The right proportion is just a few tablespoons per plant . you’re able to mix it with compost .

But if your plant are already in the ground , you may amend with bone repast by adding it on top of the soil and then using a rake to gently ruffle the bone meal into the top degree of filth .

bone meal

Always water after you ’ve added bone repast to the soil , to help it stay in place and begin to break it down . As with many constituent ground amendments , it takes ivory meal about four months to break down and all bring out its nutrients into the dirt , with aid from stain microbes .

Now that you know incisively when and how to use pearl meal in your garden , you’re able to make an informed determination about whether or not it ’s right for you .