How to Fertilize Vegetable Plants Organically

Organic fertilizers slowly release nutrients to plants, rather than releasing an excess of nutrients.

Commercial chemical fertilizers cause environmental problems, including polluted runoff that gets in groundwater supplies and harms aquatic ecosystems, according to the EPA. Many gardeners nowadays choose to fertilize vegetable plants organically to prevent environmental problems. There is also a trend toward organic vegetable growing because people are concerned about consuming the unnatural chemicals in non-organic fertilizers. Organic fertilizers work well, because they make nutrients available to plants as they need them over time, rather than giving them a lot of nutrients all at once.

Things You'll Need

• Organic compost
• Tiller or garden fork
• Organic mulch, such as bark, wood chips or grass clippings
• Organic fertilizer, such as a dried manure and compost mixture

Instructions

1. Add organic compost to the soil before planting the vegetables, as recommended by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. According to the National Gardening Association, organic compost improves the texture and nutrient level of all soil types. Spread a layer of organic compost to the top of the garden area and mix it into the soil with a tiller or garden fork. Use at least a 1-inch layer of compost and till it in to a depth of at least 10 inches.

2. Apply a layer of organic mulch around the base of the plants to prevent weeds and help the soil retain moisture during warm spring weather, as recommended by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. As the mulch decays over time, it will also help the veggies by releasing nutrients into the soil.

3. Prepare to side dress the vegetables by digging a 1-inch trench around the base of each plant or along each row of plants.

4. Fill the trenches with an organic fertilizer, like a manure-and-compost mixture. The National Gardening Association recommends this technique for peppers, eggplant and okra about a month after planting. Other types of vegetables also benefit from side dressing once the veggie seeds start growing up out of the ground and using up existing soil nutrients. Nutrients from the trenches will soak into the soil with each watering.

References

• Epa.gov: After the Storm
• National Gardening Association: Organic Fertilizers 101
• National Gardening Association: Improve Soil Fertility with Compost
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality: Composting Program
• National Gardening Association: Adding More Fertilizer to Pepper