Soil Fertility in the Vegetable Garden

• 4 parts canola seed meal (or alfalfa seed meal)
• 1 part rock phosphate
• 1 part greensand (or ½ part kelp meal)

The canola meal provides the majority of the nitrogen for the fertilizer. The rock phosphate adds the phosphorus (and quite a bit of calcium too) and the greensand builds up potassium and micronutrient levels. I actually prefer using kelp meal but it is quite expensive so using it depends on how well I was able to control myself with my seed order.

Instead of liberally applying this fertilizer everywhere like I would with say compost or manure, this highly concentrated fertilizer is applied directly under transplants. With direct-seeded crops like carrots or beets, I sprinkle this fertilizer directly over the row and scratch it in, trying to dig it in deeply rather than spread it across the soil.

Here are some examples of how much to use per vegetable type:

• Tomatoes, peppers & squash: ½ cup under each plant

• Beans, peas, beets & alliums: 1/2 cup per 10 ft row.

• Corn: 2 cups per 10 ft row

• Lettuce & salad greens: 1 cup per 10 ft row.

The beauty of using an organic fertilizer like this is that the nutrients are released slowly, over time, as microbes break down the organic material. I won't lose all my nitrogen if we get a heavy rain in the spring.

For sources of organic fertilizers, you can look to:

Terra Viva Organics - http://www.tvorganics.com
Peaceful Valley Farm Supply - http://www.groworganic.com
Dirt Cheap Organics - http://www.neteze.com/dB/fert.html

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