• Home
  • Get to Know Me
  • Blog Topics
    • Backyard Garden
    • Homestead Animals
    • Real Food
    • Simple Living
  • Contribute
  • Contact Me
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

The 104 Homestead

Homestead where you live.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

By Jessica Lane | Last updated on January 8, 2018

Organic Amendments for Healthy Soil

Check your inbox!

Subscribe to The Homestead Helper, a monthly(ish) homesteading newsletter, to get your Printable Seed Packets


Heads up! I link to products and services that I love from time to time. More often than not I have an affiliate relationship with these providers. What does that mean? I might make a small percentage from any purchases you make, but don't worry, you won't pay even a penny more. Thanks for supporting The 104 Homestead. You can see our full disclosure statement here.

  • 101shares
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Share

Growing produce is very similar to baking a cake. Fresh, high-quality seeds are like fresh, high-quality ingredients. But much like a sub-par oven can ruin a cake, sub-par soil can ruin your crop quality and harvest quantity. Improve your soil and you will improve your growing experience.

Plant your produce in rich, healthy soil. Go a step further and choose organic and natural amendments to enhance your soil quality and correct imbalances.

So where do you start? Test your soil. Most state Cooperative Extensions offer extensive soil tests that include a breakdown of what elements your soil needs and the quantity need to add. You can also purchase a DIY Soil Kit at almost any garden supply store, but these tests don’t check for as many elements.

Garden supply stores and big box stores have aisles and aisles of amendments available. It’s almost overwhelming. But how do you know which packages contain organic materials? Which ones are natural alternatives? Here are some of the best organic options for the big three elements:

Nitrogen

Signs of low nitrogen include stunted growth and small pale yellow-green leaves. To correct low nitrogen you can use:

  • Spoiled Legume Hay
  • Cowpea Green Manure
  • Blood Meal
  • Fish Meal
  • Legume Cover Crops (planted during the off-season)

Phosphorus

Signs of low phosphorus include a limited root system, thin stems and a purple tint on leaves. To correct low phosphorus you can use:

  • Rock Phosphate (doesn’t work quickly, but acts as a long-term solution)
  • Bone Meal (a great quick-fix)
  • Granite Meal

Potassium

Signs of low potassium include poor water intake resulting in a shriveled appearance and small, limp fruits. To correct low potassium you can use:

  • Sul-Po-Mag (a commercial formula that meets organic standards)
  • Wood Ash
  • Greensand
  • Polyhalite
  • Seaweed Meal
  • Kelp Meal

Other Organic Soil Amendments

In addition to all the amendments listed above for specific element deficiencies, consider adding any (or all) of these to improve your soil condition:

  • Crushed Egg Shells
  • Alfalfa (hay, pellets, meal)
  • Fresh Grass Clippings
  • Lime
  • Oyster Shell
  • Oak Leaves
  • Saw Dust
  • Worm Castings
  • Compost, compost, compost! (Compost is the ultimate tool to perfect your soil)

Happy gardening and I’ll see you next week to talk about Double Digging.

Plant your produce in rich, healthy soil. Go a step further and choose organic and natural amendments to enhance your soil quality and correct imbalances.

You May Also Like

  • What a load of… ManureWhat a load of… Manure
  • Let Your Chickens Do Your CompostingLet Your Chickens Do Your Composting
  • Putting Your Vegetable Beds to BedPutting Your Vegetable Beds to Bed
  • Repairing Damaged SoilRepairing Damaged Soil
  • 101shares
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Share
The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profile

Jessica Lane

I am a non-traditional homesteader. What is a non-traditional homesteader? I'd like to think we are the people who don't fit the mold. I am a busy mom on a small bit of property with not a lot of financial resources, but I am figuring out how to live the life I want. A homesteader's life.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profile

Latest posts by Jessica Lane (see all)

  • Burn Barrel 101: Why You Need One on Your Homestead - November 24, 2020
  • How to Incubate and Brood Coturnix Quail - October 1, 2020
  • Can You Freeze Spaghetti Squash? Yes! Here’s How - October 1, 2020
  • The Big List of Chicken-Safe Plants for In & Around Your Coop - October 1, 2020
  • Help Livestock Deal with Summer Heat on the Homestead - March 25, 2020

Filed Under: Backyard Garden Tagged With: Organic Solutions

Subscribe

Thank you! You will receive an email in your inbox shortly to confirm your subscription.

Subscribe to The Homestead Helper and receive a copy of my new book, Welcome to the World of Homesteading, your guide to setting attainable homesteading goals. If I can homestead where I live, what's stopping you?

Previous Post: « Ways to Upcycle Holiday Cards After the Season
Next Post: My Favorite Homesteading Books »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mike the Gardener says

    November 11, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    Awesome list of resources for your soil. I get these questions all the time about what should you do to your soil. Makes it easier to link to a complete list of items that most people can pick up at any garden or home center.

    Reply
  2. Rebecca | LettersFromSunnybrook.com says

    April 26, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    Great list and resource! I’ll keep this in mind as a start my new garden. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Nayeli says

    April 5, 2014 at 8:53 pm

    We just bought a house and we have mostly clay and rocks. I am adding Peat humus, and planting. I’m hoping to have compost as while from my bin but that is taking forever to break down =) My goal is to have grass in my front yard next year and more plants grow!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

My name is Jessica Lane. I live a nearly self-sufficient lifestyle with my three beautiful children on 5 1/2 acres in Maine. We raise Nigerian Dwarf goats, ducks, and chickens, and we grow as much food as we can. What we can’t grow or produce ourselves we barter for. If we can homestead where we live, what’s stopping you?

Read More

Search This Site

Now Trending

Anyone can plant pretty flowers, but it takes time and effort to maintain a garden and keep it looking beautiful day after day.

How to Keep Your Garden Looking Great

Our French Angoras are the perfect example of a double duty animal. We use our angoras for compost and fiber for crocheting and for other yarn crafts.

Raising Angoras: The Perfect Dual Purpose Rabbit

More people are turning to growing their own organic vegetables in their backyards. Setting up a veggie garden in your backyard has many advantages.

Setting Up a Veggie Garden in the Backyard

Keep In Touch

  • 68,161 Pinteresting Followers
  • 26,314 Facebook Friends
  • 4,986 Twitastic Friends
  • 2,446 InstaBuddies
  • 245 Subscribers

Psst! I Sell Holistic Goat Treats

  • Home
  • Homestead Living
  • Real Food
  • Homestead Animals
  • Gardening & Outdoors
  • Inspiring Homesteads

Footer

Disclaimer

I am not a doctor, lawyer, veterinarian or Martha Stewart. Please use the knowledge acquired from this site responsibly.

See Our Privacy Policy

Disclosure

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Work With Me

Become a Contributor/Guest Writer
Advertise on The 104 Homestead
Contact Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Homemade pizza and game night. I love this time wi Homemade pizza and game night. I love this time with my boys. #makingmemories❤️ #homemadepizza🍕 #qualitytime #farmlife #homesteadingit #lifeouthere #homestead #simpleliving #homesteading #nothingisordinary #instagood #farmlifebestlife #thehomegrownlife #farmlove #farmliving #familyfarm #sustainability #homesteadlife #consciousliving #selfreliant PS: My oven is permanently stained. It's not really that gross 😆
Little kitten face is helping me grade my son's al Little kitten face is helping me grade my son's algebra work. She's so helpful! #catsofinstagram #kittenlove #homeschoollife #kittenlife
Hecks yeahs! 🍌 🍞 (I didn't cut it lol) Hecks yeahs! 🍌 🍞 (I didn't cut it lol)
I don't know this for sure, but I feel like the mi I don't know this for sure, but I feel like the mister buys bananas purely because he knows when I spot them over ripening on the counter, I'll make banana bread. Never seen him actually eat one. I feel there's a banana conspiracy happening here. It's all good though... I ♥️ 🍌 🍞 #bananabread #breakfastofchampions #homebakingrocks #nooldbananas
These two warm my heart. Working animals at rest. These two warm my heart. Working animals at rest. They have such an amazing bond. #lgd #barncat #farmdog #homesteadingit
Working on some face scrubbies. Pattern is a free Working on some face scrubbies. Pattern is a free download on ravelry thanks to @stitchedupcraft #crochetersofinstagram #winterproject #happyhooker #homesteadingit #makeityourself
Load More... Follow on Instagram
© 2013-2020 Jessica Lane of The 104 Homestead