Organic fertilization benefits people, animals and nature. We show why you should treat your lawn with organic lawn fertilizer and what advantages it has.
The use of organic fertilizers represents a kind of fertilizer revolution: It has long been known that purely mineral fertilizers lead to a deterioration in soil quality. In addition, in the absence of he althy soil life, a not insignificant part of the nutrients settles without plants being able to absorb them. Meanwhile, with the approaching end of phosphate resources and climate change in sight, the energy-intensive processes for the production of artificial fertilizers are viewed more and more critically. Organic fertilizers are intended to counteract artificial fertilizers and restore the natural he alth of soil and plants. Organic fertilizers are now also available as organic lawn fertilizers.
Organic lawn fertilizers use materials that are "bio-effective", meaning they interact with and affect the biological phase of the soil. In contrast to mineral lawn fertilizers, the soil organisms - fungi, bacteria, insects, algae and all kinds of other things - should not be avoided, but rather used. In the following you will learn everything about the components, properties, effects and use of organic lawn fertilizers.
Organic lawn fertilizer: components and properties
Here you can find out which special components make up organic lawn fertilizer and how they affect the properties of the fertiliser.
Components of organic lawn fertilizers
Organic raw materials form the basis for an organic lawn fertilizer. In the spirit of economic cycles, they are primarily made from waste from the food, beverage and animal feed industries. Leftovers of plant and animal origin can be processed in them, examples are peels, vinasses, oil cake, horn and blood meal or animal excrement. The leftovers contain plant nutrients encased in natural, organic packaging. However, this organic layer is not just ballast: its presence promotes he althy soil life and the formation of humus. Even living organisms or perennial forms of them can be found in bio-be included in lawn fertilizers. Bacterial or fungal strains that have a positive impact on lawn root growth or nutrient availability are not uncommon. But organic lawn fertilizers do not have to be of purely organic origin. Some mineral substances that can also be used in organic farming can also be used to optimize their effect.
Tip: The phosphate content of organic fertilizers is often lower than that of conventional fertilizers because there is sufficient phosphate in most soils. However, it is "fixed" in the form of calcium phosphates and is only sparingly soluble and therefore not available to plants. Organic fertilizers aim to enable the soil and soil life to recycle this phosphate, rather than simply adding more.
Properties of Organic Lawn Fertilizers
The properties of organic lawn fertilizers can be derived from the ingredients:
| Nutrients | - Nutrients contained can be used by the lawn and by the soil microfauna and flora. The nutrient composition is naturally tailored to the needs of the lawn - Trace elements are also present in the natural materials used - The high content of organic matter means that nutrients are released in a delayed and slow-flowing manner. A natural long-term effect occurs. Since soil life is influenced by environmental conditions, nutrients are only made available when the weather is growing - The nutrient conversion is pH-neutral: the acidity of the soil remains unaffected |
| Soil Properties | - The organic matter can - if present in sufficient quantities - be used to build up humus |
| Soil Life | - The organic material enables soil organisms to survive, as it serves as a sustainable source of energy - The microorganisms contained can enter into symbioses with the lawn roots and thus improve the absorption of water and nutrients. Other organisms, on the other hand, ensure that nutrients bound to soil particles are dissolved again, or change the pH value of the soil in a favorable way |
| Environmental compatibility and animal welfare | - Since the materials contained are largely biological waste, their use is sustainable and environmentally friendly - The application has no potential for harm to wild animals, domestic animals or humans |
Tip: A he althy soil should contain all the microorganisms needed to break down nutrients in the soil. Symbiotic fungi are also widespread, and lawns can also form symbioses with specific mycorrhizae. However, the stock of soil life is constantly thinned out if the soil is not maintained, so that the colonization of new strains can have a positive effect.
If you want to learn more about organic fertilizers in general, you will find it here.
Organic Lawn Fertilizer: Effect and Benefits
The concrete effect on the lawn is what interests most home gardeners the most. The properties of an organic lawn fertilizer do the following on your lawn:
- The lawn plants are evenly supplied with all main nutrients and trace elements. Over-fertilization and deficiency symptoms as well as leaching are excluded with reasonably regular use.
- The long-term effect leads to constant growth, which prevents disease and strengthens the lawn's heat and drought tolerance. Due to the weather-dependent conversion, nutrients are only released if the lawn can use them sensibly.
- By feeding soil life, it is able to participate in nutrient development and uptake. As a result, the lawn is supplied more reliably and effectively. As a result, the amount of fertilizer needed could even decrease in the long run.
- If humus is formed by using the organic fertilizer, it improves the water and nutrient storage capacity of the soil. A lawn is better prepared for dry phases and forgives if you forget to fertilize or if you apply it too late.
- Humus also improves soil aeration and reduces soil resistance: the lawn can root deeper and take better care of itself. Excess water from heavy rainfall is drained away quickly and cannot damage the lawn roots. You can read more about the properties of hummus here.
- Because the pH value of the soil remains unaffected, there is no need for regular liming. You can find out more about liming your lawn here.
- After fertilization, all living beings can immediately enter the lawn again, since no harmful or irritating substances have been distributed.
Compared to mineral lawn fertilizers, organic lawn fertilizers have many advantages. Although the latter provide nutrients for plants, lead in allnegative effects in other areas.
Application of Organic Lawn Fertilizer
Organic lawn fertilizers can be used between February and October. Since, in addition to the nutrients, their important organic "shell" is also distributed, larger amounts are usually applied than if the same amount of nutrients were fertilized with minerals. Since the process of implementation in the soil takes some time, the effect begins gradually within a month and then lasts for a certain time depending on the composition. That's why you should ideally fertilize with foresight: For example, you should prepare the lawn for the energy-sapping spring shoots with fertilization between February and April. Because of the natural long-term effect, two to three fertilizations a year are sufficient - one or two between spring and summer and one between late summer and autumn. Spreading is best done with a spreader, although a slightly less even distribution will not cause any damage. You can also touch organic lawn fertilizer with your bare hands without hesitation if you distribute it by hand. After fertilization, people and animals can step on the lawn again immediately.
Tip: If nothing else is possible, you could even apply the entire annual fertilization in the form of organic lawn fertilizer on a single date, since over-fertilization is impossible. However, the division into spring and autumn fertilization is more beneficial for the lawn, because optimal winter preparation requires a different nutrient composition.
Summary: Application of Organic Lawn Fertilizer
- Application takes place between February and October
- The effect starts within a month after application, depending on the weather
- One or two fertilizations between spring and summer, one between late summer and autumn
- Manual application or use of spreaders are equally possible
- After fertilization, the lawn can be used again immediately
You can find out more about how to optimally fertilize your lawn here.
Organic lawn fertilizers for spring and summer
Organic lawn fertilizers designed for use in spring and summer have an increased nitrogen content. This is essential for vegetative growth: as the basis of DNA and chlorophyll, it enables the development of photosynthetically active cells. It is also a component of all plant proteins involved in the life processes of lawn plantsinvolved.
Strong growth in spring ensures that there is sufficient energy available for branching and mowing. This makes the lawn as thick as a carpet and competitive with weeds. This is exactly the goal we pursued when developing our Plantura organic lawn fertilizer. This is applied as follows:
- When planting new, 100 g/m² are distributed on the seedbed
- A top-up fertilization after the second or third cut of a freshly laid lawn: 40 g/m²
- Maintenance fertilization between February and October: 80 to 120 g/m² per year in two or more doses
- For regeneration after scarifying: 70 g/m²
You can find more about lawn fertilization in spring in our special article.
Organic Autumn Lawn Fertilizer
Organic autumn lawn fertilizers are used to prepare the lawn for winter. This preparation requires an adjusted nutrient composition: the nitrogen content is lower, the potassium content higher than with a spring and summer fertilizer. Potassium ensures a high s alt concentration in the vacuole of the plant cells and thus protects them from freezing - just like sea s alt protects the sea from freezing. It also ensures the construction of stable cell walls. On the other hand, too much nitrogen supply in late summer or autumn would not be beneficial: growth stimulated by increased nitrogen supply is very susceptible to frost. A lawn that is supplied with the right nutrient composition stays green even in winter and even continues to grow slowly at temperatures of around 2 to 3 °C. In our Plantura organic autumn lawn fertilizer, we have implemented exactly this composition of nutrients. We recommend the following application rate: between July and October 50 to 80 g/m².
You can read more about autumn lawn fertilization in general in this article.
You can find more information about lawn fertilizers here.