So this year I'm looking to grow organically and was wondering how to best apply blood meal. Would it be best to use it as a top dressing and then just use regular water when watering, or would it be best to dissolve the blood meal in water and use that water when you're watering your plant. Also how would it work as a foliar spray underneath the leaves when the suns about to go down?
A *light* top dress and regular water. Allow at least 2 weeks for any response. Any sooner usually means you overdid it. *I* never did a foliar or mixed with water. You're on your own with those. Cd
Top dress would be best, as far as I know. But, why are you using blood meal for your N source? No offense, but it's very narrow. It also has a pathogenic risk. Why not try something like kelp or alfalfa? If you do use it, be careful. It has a fast release rate, at around 1 - 4 weeks, meaning it will burn quickly if you over do it. I don't suggest foliar or diffusion. But, that's just my opinion, and its an inexperienced one at that. Hopefully some other folks can give some better insight. Good luck! Lu
Buy yourself a bag of chicken manure pellets. There are several brands out there and most are very similar. It should cost you around $10 - $15 for a 25 pound bag. Mix two cups for each 5 gallon pail's worth of soil; what it thoroughly and allow it to sit for several weeks before planting. This will give you what you need plus a wide assortment of other micronutrients. Once the plants are well-established you can also drop a fistful into your watering can and let it sit overnight. Stir well and water it in as usual. That's the best advice that I can give. I have zero experience with bloodmeal just because it grosses me out. I've seen people use plugged in while it works it's simply not for me because, in my opinion, the chicken manure is a much better option. Good luck! J
LOL I repeat myself all the time and think each time is the first. ;-o IDK if the pathological risk is any greater than most manures, but I'm not going there. I use it just for the reasons you pointed out, a fast release shot of straight N, usually just once/season. In fact, it was yesterday. My garlic plants need a shot of N about the middle of March for the big growth spurt that is coming soon. Rain is forecast, so the time was right. Did 2 handfuls of blood meal, 2 of kelp, 2 of neem, 2 of granite meal and 1 of alfalfa in a coffee container. Finished filling it with VC, mixed it all up and top dressed the garlic. Also some chive plants and a Rosemary to use it all up. This might get repeated, but I doubt it. The 8lb (IIRC), bag is 3 years old with plenty still left. Like I said, it is pretty much used just for this one thing. Wish chicken manure was available locally, I'd really like to use it. Kinda weird because there are more than a few large chicken operations in the state. 100K+ chickens, large. You'd figure with all that manure some would be available. But, Nooooooooooooooooo (Steve Martin SNL voice) Cd