Top 10 fertilisers for higher yield

There are 10 types of organic fertilisers that can be used by farmers to improve their farm productions, according to Philip Mulondo an agronomist with Kisindi Seed farm in Masindi District.  He says these fertilisers have good amount of nutrient properties when it is applied at the recommended rate of use.

Every consumer in the world wants to eat healthy food and these healthy food should come from natural by-products.

Farmers who produce more food from organic fertilisers preserve their soil and make more money and good business as compared to farmers who use inorganic and other chemical fertilisers on their farms.

These chemicals do not only destroy and mutate the crops but also destroys the climate in the farm and causes a different environment which might be inappropriate to the crops for yield and survival. The 10 fertilisers come from natural sources and can help improve the fertility of your soil and the nutrition of your crops. Before you apply fertiliser, natural or otherwise to your garden bed, it’s advised that you have your soil tested for nutrient levels and pH.

It is important to know the pH level before adding phosphorous fertilisers because phosphorous is only available at a fairly limited pH range. Adding more phosphorous to an area with the wrong pH will tie up the nutrient in the soil and not make it available to the plants. Not to mention, excessive nutrients can add to run-off problems and create pollution issues. If you are an organic farmer, be sure the fertiliser brands you use have adequate pH for your soil type on the farm. However, for home gardeners or small-scale farmers who are not certified organic but want to use only natural fertilisers, all of the following fertilisers are considered organic, even if the particular brand you use isn’t on the list.

Fish emulsions

Processing fish or fish by-products with heat or acid treatments creates fish emulsion. Fish emulsion is generally a pretty stinky fertiliser, but it is a good source of all three macro – nutrients which are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. With an N-P-K (nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium) ratio of 5-2-2.

Hydrolysed liquid fish fertilizers are created using enzymes rather than heat. The resulting product is not smelly and retains more trace nutrients and vitamins. The average N-P-K ratio for hydrolysed fish fertilisers is 4-2-2

Bone meal

A by-product of slaughtering facilities, bone meal is created through the steam processing and pulverisation of animal bones. Bone meal is an excellent high-phosphorus fertiliser with an average N-P-K ratio of 3-15-0. The phosphorous in bone meal takes a few months to become available to plants via microbial processes in the soil. It also contains calcium, another essential plant nutrient. Phosphorous is most available in soil with pH between 6.0 and 7.0, so be sure to test and adjust soil pH if necessary.

Compost

Both commercially produced compost and homemade compost benefit soil by adding organic matter, providing food for beneficial microbial life, increasing the soil’s water-holding capacity and gradually releasing plant nutrients. Composts made with high amounts of manure or bio solids (sewage sludge) may be high in salts and can burn plants, but composts made with primarily plant residues do not generally contain troublesome amounts of salt. A typical N-P-K ratio for compost is 2-1-1, though its exact nutritional content depends on many factors. Compost that smells like ammonia or is not yet fully decomposed should be allowed to finish breaking down to avoid damaging plants. Compost also contains many micro – nutrients essential for plant growth.

Manure

The nutrient content of manure is dependent on many factors, including its age, source and the presence of bedding materials. Because of potential pathogen exposure, raw manure should be avoided. Manure should be a minimum of 180 days old or fully composted before it’s added to growing areas. In addition to containing macro-nutrients, manure is also a great source of several trace nutrients essential for plant growth.

Most cattle and horse manures have an average N-P-K ratio of 1-0.5-0.5 while poultry manures tend to be better high-nitrogen fertilisers (3-1-1 on average). The nutrients in manure are not immediately available to plants and can take up to several years to be released by soil microbes. In general, about half of the total nitrogen is available the first year, with the rest being released slowly over several subsequent seasons. Manure is also an excellent source of organic matter but can contain weed seeds.

Rock phosphate

A mineral rock powder, rock phosphate is an excellent source of phosphorous, with an N-P-K ratio of 0-2-0. The phosphorous contained in rock phosphate becomes more available the second year after application, and phosphorous is most available within the soil when the pH ranges between 6.0 and 7.0. Be sure to test soil pH before adding rock phosphate. It is also a good source of calcium.

Cottonseed meal

Cottonseed meal is a high-nitrogen fertiliser with an average N-P-K ratio of 6-0.4-1.5. It takes several months to be processed by soil microbes and broken down so that it can release the nutrients it contains. Organic farmers should seek out organic cottonseed meal because cotton is often a genetically modified crop and many pesticides are used during its growth.

Alfalfa meal

With an average N-P-K ratio of 2-1-2, alfalfa meal provides plants not only with these macro-nutrients but also many trace nutrients. It takes one to four months to be broken down by the soil microbes and for the nutrients to become available.

Blood meal

A by-product of slaughtering facilities, blood meal is a very high-nitrogen fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio of 12-0-0. Because of its high ammonia content, inappropriate use or over-fertilising could cause burned foliage.

Feather meal

Although it takes four months or longer to break down and release its nutrients, feather meal is a great high-nitrogen fertilizer with an N-P-K ratio between 7-0-0 and 12-0-0. It is a by-product of poultry processing.

Liquid kelp

Although the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium contained in liquid kelp are minimal, it is high in essential trace nutrients as well as plant growth hormones that accelerate plant growth and improve flowering. Liquid kelp is created through the cold processing of this ocean plant. It is mixed with water and applied to plants both as a soil drench and a foliar spray. The nutrients it contains are available immediately for plant use,

Knowing these top ten organic manure application will improve and boost your farm soil to make nutrients readily available to your crops all the time. Organic manure contains more nutrients at appropriate proportions is used well and very wisely.