Gardening — Blood Meal
Blood meal is a slaughterhouse by product that is often used as a fertilizer due
to its quick action and high nitrogen content. This substance can be purchased
at most garden centers and nurseries and is frequently used in growing fruits
and vegetables.
Blood meal and bone meal often get confused by amateur
gardeners, but the 2 are actually quite different, since blood meal is high in
nitrogen and bone meal is high in phosphorous. Gardeners interested in using
this fertilizer on their crops need to learn how to use blood meal exactly right if
they want to reap the full benefits from this organic plant food.
Blood Meal fertilizer is made of dried and powdered blood of animals (usually
cattle), and is used as a nitrogen-rich fertilizer for plants.
The proteins in this fertilizer are broken down to ammonia by soil bacteria
and make it an effective source of nitrogen. Caution should be used though,
when the weather is warm and the conditions are moist, the decomposition
can be too rapid, which could damage delicate roots and harm the entire plant.
Improves the soil for healthier vegetable crops. Because blood meal is water soluble,
in can be dissolved in water to create a liquid fertilizer. Blood meal is
particularly helpful in garden beds that are used year after year, because
nitrogen can be depleted from the soil through the plants after repeated
growth cycles.
Blood meal effectively lowers the pH in the soil. To find
out the acidity of your garden soil before applying blood meal, take a
sample to the local nursery for analysis. If you find the pH in your soil
is too high to efficiently grow the crops you want, blood meal may be
the perfect way to prepare your soil for your planting.
Watch your plants for signs of nitrogen deficiency throughout the growing
season. One telltale sign that your crops are not getting enough of this
important nutrient is yellowing leaves. If your plants begin to look like they
are not getting enough nitrogen in the soil, an application of blood meal
fertilizer during the growing season can return leaves to their green hue
once again.
To learn more about nitrogen deficiency, see: Fertilizer Basics
Learn how to use blood meal as a deterrent for some types of pests in your
garden. This substance has been shown to be effective in keeping deer,
rabbits and other pests away from garden beds during the growing season.
However, blood meal fertilizer also attracts other types of critters, including
dogs and raccoons. If you are interested in blood meal use as a deterrent,
be sure the substance will actually keep away the specific animals you are
currently dealing with.
Use blood meal fertilizer when your crops need immediate assistance. Blood
meal is frequently used because it is one of the fastest acting fertilizers on the
market today. A single application of blood meal is usually effective for 6 to 8
weeks before subsequent feedings are needed.
Used to increase green leaf growth
Can be used as a compost decomposition activator
Do not use around seedlings
Use only on non-legumes (peas and beans) plants
When adding to your garden as a nitrogen source, always blend it into the soil
Scattered around the garden for a deer repellent
The Life Cycle of Plants: Fertilization
The Spruce: How to Make Your Own Fertilizer
Pollination and Fertilization
4 Ways To Use Eggshells For Your Plants
10 Ways to Use Banana Peels in Your Garden