Best Organic Fertilizer For Corn

Corn, botanically called Zea mays, is an annual crop and one of the most utilized crops in the world. Corn is widely consumed by humans and animals in various forms and presentations.

The yield from a corn farm is often affected by several factors; talk of fertilizer (organic and inorganic), soil health, environmental conditions, and other associated factor. Fertilizer application is the most prominent factor affecting the yield from a corn farm.

Fertilizers are meant to enhance the soil performance and in turn, provide necessary aids to the plant. When the soil is rich in nutrients, the corn planted will be adequately fed. The result of this practice is an improved yield in corn. This is only achieved with organic fertilizers.

There are two types of fertilizers, organic and inorganic. The main difference between these two types of fertilizers is their source and composition. Organic fertilizers are gotten from natural materials with the potential to increase the fertility of the soil. The organic fertilizers are usually sourced from plant and animal materials.

Organic fertilizers are best for corn because they do not only supply required nutrients and reduce the cost of production, they greatly improve the soil earth by improving the structure and replenishing soil nutrients needed for plant growth.

Here is a list of organic fertilizers that can give corn the best fertility needs to yield bountifully  

Recommended Organic Fertilizers for Corn

What sets Organics apart from other fertilizers is Foliar feeding. Liquid 2-4-1 makes an excellent organic fertilizer for corn because it can be applied directly to leaves. Research shows that foliar feeding can be up to 20 times more efficient than other application methods. Then there’s the cost difference. It costs less because of the efficiency of foliar feeding.

#1. Alfalfa meal: Made from dried alfalfa plants, this plant-based fertilizer is about 4 percent nitrogen. Alfalfa meal is often used as an animal feed supplement and it promotes a balance of healthy soil microbes.

#2. Cottonseed meal: A coarsely granulated product made from the hulls of cotton seeds, cottonseed meal contains about 6 percent nitrogen. Once in the soil, it rapidly breaks down and provides a burst of nitrogen to plants within a few days of application. This natural fertilizer contains 6-9% Nitrogen, 2-3% Phosphorus, and 1.5-2% Potassium. Cottonseed meal is   Low PH and good for acid-loving crops.

#3. Bloodmeal: is derived from dried blood from slaughterhouses, blood meal contains about 12 percent nitrogen. It acts quickly in the soil and begins to provide nitrogen to plants almost immediately.

#4. Feather Meal: Another animal byproduct from slaughterhouses, feather meal contains approximately 14 percent nitrogen. It is not expensive, though it takes a bit longer for the microbes to mineralize than some of the other organic nitrogen sources discussed here.

#5. Soybean Meal: With a nitrogen content of about 7 percent, soybean meal is another option for fertilizing corn in the home garden.

#6. Fish Fertilizers: Liquid fish fertilizers as well as granular fish-based fertilizers are good nitrogen sources for the corn patch. Though they can smell bad, fish-based fertilizers are mineralized by soil microbes very rapidly. Depending on the formulation, they can contain between 5 percent and 10 percent nitrogen, 6-8% phosphorous, 13% potassium, 3-4% trace element. Fishmeal is a quick-acting organic fertilizer.

#7. Bonemeal: Bone meal contributes Phosphorus 20 – 25%. It acts very slowly. It does not burn roots.

#8. Horn And Hoof Meal: This contains 7-15%  nitrogen and quick-acting.

#9. Fresh Cow Manure: contains 0.6% Nitrogen, 0.15% Phosphorous, and 0.55% potassium, organic matter, relatively low in nitrogen. It can be used directly in the garden without aging.

#10. Dried Goat Or Sheep Manure: contains nitrogen, 2.5%; phosphorous, 0.25%; potassium, 1.5%; organic matter, has higher nitrogen than most manures. Needs to be aged or composted at least three months before using in the garden.

#11. Fresh Horse Manure: contains 0.7% nitrogen, 0.25% phosphorous, 0.55% potassium, and organic matter. It needs to be composted at least 6 weeks prior to use in the garden so as not to kill seeds.

#12. Dried Poultry Manure: contains 4.5% nitrogen, 3.2% phosphorous, 1.3% potassium, low in organic matter, highest manure in nitrogen level. It should not be used directly on plants, as it may burn them.

#13. Fresh Rabbit Manure: contains 2.4% nitrogen, 1.4% phosphorous, 0.6% potassium, and organic matter. Needs to be aged or composted at least three months prior to use in the garden

#14. Rock phosphate: contains 24-30% phosphorous. It is slow acting and non-burning

#15. Dried Seaweed: contains 1-2% nitrogen, 0.75% phosphorous 5% potassium, and organic matter. This is a good soil conditioner because of its high content of colloids, which retain nutrients

#16. Sterilized Sewage Sludge: contains 4-6% nitrogen, 3-4% phosphorous, potassium, and other trace elements; organic matter. It may contain heavy metals that build up in the soil over the years.

#17. Wood Ashes: contains 1-2% phosphorous, 3-7% potassium. It is an old-time standard fertilizer. It has an alkaline effect on the soil every few years to ensure all essential plant nutrients are in the proper balance.

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