Permacul Fertilizer Stock Up

[China Connection]

With what is happening in the U.S. and Australia will result in fertilizer supplies getting harder to source. I use rock fertilizer and hydroponic salts. One coming straight out of the ground but needing lots of machinery to get to me. Straight mineral salts etc found in hydroponic salts take a lot of processing.

Yes, I use seaweed extracts to boast growth. But the main thing plants need is minerals and not just a few.

If you have to rely on local organic fertilizers to grow stuff you will need good luck when everybody for a change is looking for fertilizer the same way as yourself.

 

[dioptase]

Thanks for the heads up. Sigh. More orders...

 

[Just a Nurse 2]

Taken under advisement. Thank you!

 

[Martinhouse]

I've never understood the reasoning behind making prep plans that depend on things one has to purchase. The only thing I do that's anywhere near doing that is having a year's worth of chicken feed and rabbit feed that will give me the time to grow and gather what I'd need for them if I could no longer buy it. The chickens are for meat and eggs, and also compost/fertilizer, when they grind up all the leaves and other scraps I put in their enclosure. And the rabbits are such fertilizer machines that it's incredible! Plus they would be the main source of pet food when one could no longer buy that at a store. I would also use my two mid-sized live traps to catch varmints which would then also be good protein for the chickens. Here in Arkansas, there are varmints nearly all year round.

I doubt that things are going to go back to the stone age, but I'm also sure I don't want to depend on being able to buy anything that has to do with raising food and food animals. Seems like nowadays it's being openly announced that eliminating all food and animal farming is the plan and in fact is already openly happening.

 

[mecoastie]

I've never understood the reasoning behind making prep plans that depend on things one has to purchase. The only thing I do that's anywhere near doing that is having a year's worth of chicken feed and rabbit feed that will give me the time to grow and gather what I'd need for them if I could no longer buy it. The chickens are for meat and eggs, and also compost/fertilizer, when they grind up all the leaves and other scraps I put in their enclosure. And the rabbits are such fertilizer machines that it's incredible! Plus they would be the main source of pet food when one could no longer buy that at a store. I would also use my two mid-sized live traps to catch varmints which would then also be good protein for the chickens. Here in Arkansas, there are varmints nearly all year round.

I doubt that things are going to go back to the stone age, but I'm also sure I don't want to depend on being able to buy anything that has to do with raising food and food animals. Seems like nowadays it's being openly announced that eliminating all food and animal farming is the plan and in fact is already openly happening.

It buys you time. That fertilizer, pesticide whatever gets you through a critical season or two. Gives you a greater assurance of a crop. Cushions mistakes. I keep a couple hundred pounds of 10-10-10 around for just that reason.

 

[Martinhouse]

mecoastie, understood. But I pretty much always have a couple hundred pounds of rabbit manure on hand as well as the same for the lovely black stuff I end up with where I pile all the leaves in the fall and also toss the chicken feed. When the chickens scratch around in the leaves ( and also any clippiings and pulled weeds) to find their food, they dig down into the dirt and are also pooping all over the whole area as well. The result is unbelievable!

 

[West]

I think our goats are the best fertilizers makers and speaders. Their little pellets are everywhere on several acres and a foot thick in the 20x20 foot goat barn every year that needs to be cleaned out again. Uhg...

 

[Lurker]

Yup. I'm stocking up on epsom big time.

 

[dioptase]

Not everyone has chickens and rabbits, or the room for same...

 

[Walrus]

It's good to be self-sustaining and even with the rabbits and chickens, we're not quite there yet. I was just thinking today of getting some more of the composted cotton burrs on my next trip to Springfield. They're for mixing in with the rabbit pellets and chicken stuff.

 

[packyderms_wife]

Meh I have all of the fertilizer I need that comes from the butts of a friends horses and their chickens.

 

[mecoastie]

mecoastie, understood. But I pretty much always have a couple hundred pounds of rabbit manure on hand as well as the same for the lovely black stuff I end up with where I pile all the leaves in the fall and also toss the chicken feed. When the chickens scratch around in the leaves ( and also any clippiings and pulled weeds) to find their food, they dig down into the dirt and are also pooping all over the whole area as well. The result is unbelievable!

Not everyone has chickens and rabbits.

 

[Samuel Adams]

Start your composting operation, today.

 

[China Connection]

With compost you are mainly providing carbohydrates for bacteria etc. It is not a good provider of minerals. Chicken shit is a good provider of minerals but.

 

[ioujc]

You DO know that human urine can also be used as fertilizer, right??

As long as there is no infection in the kidneys or bladder, it is one of the cleanest, high nitrogen fertilizers there is.

Minerals are present if you have animal manure in even small amounts, especially if they are feed on the fauna which grows instead of being feed rabbit pellets from the feed store.

In addition, comfrey is a "magic" crop that brings up minerals from far down in the subsoil to feed on, and it enhances all the plants around it and can also be harvested and buried in the main beds, thus providing the needed minerals.

 

[Samuel Adams]

With compost you are mainly providing carbohydrates for bacteria etc. It is not a good provider of minerals. Chicken shit is a good provider of minerals but.

If your composting operation is sourced by homegrown materials, and is deficient in minerals.....who is depriving their family, crops and livestock of minerals ?

All else being equal, learn to source your materials so as to provide trace minerals to the pile(s).

Meanwhile, I use ZERO commercial fertilizers, and my crops and produce are renowned in these parts.

Appreciate the gouge, all the same.

 

[West]

You DO know that human urine can also be used as fertilizer, right??

As long as there is no infection in the kidneys or bladder, it is one of the cleanest, high nitrogen fertilizers there is.

Minerals are present if you have animal manure in even small amounts, especially if they are feed on the fauna which grows instead of being feed rabbit pellets from the feed store.

In addition, comfrey is a "magic" crop that brings up minerals from far down in the subsoil to feed on, and it enhances all the plants around it and can also be harvested and buried in the main beds, thus providing the needed minerals.

Dang it!

For years I've been peeing around the property and off the porch on nasty weeds, thinking hah! I'll kill them with my pee!

It hasn't been working and now I know why! Still not peeing on my tomatoes though.

 

[Samuel Adams]

Pee on the ground close to the plant, not on the stem or foliage.....and, for your wife’ sake....don’t ever pee on the fruit !!

 

[West]

We have more problems with bugs than poor soil. Granted we need to add our composts piles, goat and chicken manures to our gardens and orchards. But bugs are a fight, especially since we are all organic. That's our real concern and fight.

 

[Samuel Adams]

Bugs.

We have noted, that with potato bugs in particular, really healthy potato plants are immune. The bugs are there, but not en masse, and they ain’t eatin’ the plants.

This seems to be the case with lots of garden plant varieties, but not all of them, oddly enough.

Compost promotes long term healthy soil.
Healthy soil generally makes for plants
able to combat their own enemies.

Generally.

 

[West]

Here's a good list of vary bad bugs we have in our gardens....

Home Vegetable Garden Insect Pest Control - Oklahoma State University

An introduction to beneficial insects and other arthropods along with control methods that can be applicable for home gardens.

extension.okstate.edu

Squash bugs and alike are the worst in our AO.

 

[Martinhouse]

Squash bugs and vine borers, and then cabbage worms and loopers, have always been the worst pests in my gardens in my gardens.

When I had chickens and guineas free ranging I never had a single potato bug. Plus the birds didn't peck and eat the leaves as they do on a lot of other plants.

 

[China Connection]

If you want bug by the ton in your garden over fertilize with nitrogen.

With the pee. Add some sugar to it before using it in the garden. Pee is high nitrogen and sugars make the soil bacteria go mad also get rid of the smell if you are overdoing it.