The Ladner Community Garden is an organic garden. We encourage the use of organic fertilizers in our gardens. Why Organic? Organic fertilizers are released slowly in to the soil and microorganisms break them down in to water soluble form that is absorbed by plants. Synthetic fertilizers don't last as long as organic ones do.
Organic fertilizers have a high ratio of organic matter to nutrient value.They are great soil amendments adding structure to your soil.
Examples of organic fertilizers are:Manure, fish emulsion, blood meal, bone meal, compost, mulches, worm castings and kelp meal.
When we filled the community garden beds, we added lots of manure so this year there is no need for any extra fertilizer. They are already to plant. If you look at the photo above, it was taken last summer at the Kirkland House Children's Garden. All that was used in this bed was compost and manure and look how it grew.
I love to use compost in my garden. Topdressing your garden in the spring or the fall is the best thing you can do for your garden. Once you see earthworms in the garden, you will have achieved success.
Manure is dug in to vegetable beds in the early spring and can be added in the fall as a mulch in preparation for next years garden.
Blood meal is an organic source of nitrogen and is used to top dress leafy vegetables. When using organic fertilizers, always read directions on use.
If you have any questions about what to use on your gardens. Don will be at the garden on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights at 7pm. He is a wealth of knowledge so ask away. We hope everyone's garden will produce like the ones in these photos. I ma sure they will.
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