Blood meal?

Discussion in 'Growing Marijuana Indoors' started by Juturna, Aug 31, 2007.

  1. Just curious what this does for the plants and how much to use.
     
  2. No one has any info on this? ...
     
  3. Its dried blood from slaughterhouses, comes in powder form that looks like well blood powder. High in N only, that is imediately available to the plants as opposed to alot of other organic ferts that are slow release. Google it, very common.
     
  4. Blood Meal / Dried Blood
    for more rapid nitrogen release

    blood meal is sometimes not recommended for organic gardening because it can damage young tender plants in warm moist conditions see below.

    Analysis - nitrogen 13.25, phosphorus 1.00, potassium 0.60.

    Source - slaughterhouses make dried blood as a by-product of animal processing. American Gardeners can get Blood Meal here. A wide selection blood fertilizer products are now available.

    Application And Rate - no more than 4oz per square yard during growth. Apply during the growing season.

    Release Rate - rapid lasts up to 4 months.

    Soil Reaction - acidic.

    BLOOD MEAL IS USEFUL FOR

    * Sprinkle over compost heap if high carbon content brown matter e.g. paper, chipped twigs, straw... etc, is in excess of nitrogenous green leafy matter.
    * Can be incorporated to balance the carbon content when digging in a high carbon brown mulch - othewise nitrogen is robbed from the soil.
    * Use on nitrogen hungry greens:- broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, spinach, brussel sprouts; also lettuce, and on corn-cob ...
    * Apply during the growing season.
    * Also used to repel animals like deer and rabbits, but only effective if it remains dry. I suggest placing it in containers.

    Action On Plants - the analysis shows that nitrogen is the major constituent of blood meal as it is a constituent of blood protein.

    These blood proteins are rapidly broken down to ammonia by soil bacteria. In warm moist conditions that favour bacterial growth, blood meal decomposition can be too rapid. Ammonia may be released in large enough quantity to damage delicate roots.

    Plant roots absorb ammonia to take up nitrogen for building plant protein. Therefore blood meal is useful for plants that add lots of green leafy growth.

    As it is a fast acting organic feed, care should be taken not to apply too much, especially in warm moist conditions. Blood Meal could be used to effectively balance carbons in the compost heap or when digging in.

    CAUTION

    * Don't apply to seedlings.
    * A fast acting organic feed and care should be taken not to apply too much. Rapid decomposition when conditions are warm and moist could be damaging.
    * Don't apply to peas and beans and other legumes. They have root nodules with bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen.
     

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