Blood meal fertilizer, often used for daffodils,
tulips,
and other flowering bulbs, is inexpensive and easy to use, but it isn’t without
its share of problems. Read on to learn about the pros and cons of fertilizing
bulbs with blood meal.
What is Blood Meal Fertilizer?
Blood
meal fertilizer is a nutrient-rich byproduct of animals processed at
slaughterhouses or meat processing plants. The dry powder can be made from the
blood of any animal, but it most often comes from pigs or cattle.
Blood meal is available in nearly any garden store or
nursery. The product is often used by gardeners who prefer to avoid harsh
chemicals that can run off into water where it can pollute the environment and
harm fish and wildlife.
Using Blood Meal in Bulb Gardens
Fertilizing bulbs with blood meal is easy; most gardeners
simply place a small handful of the powdery substance under each bulb where it
is readily available to the roots.
You can also use a garden fork or spade to scratch or dig
blood meal into the soil, or mix it with water and pour it on the soil around
tulips, daffodils, and other flowering bulbs.
Once applied, blood meal raises the amount of nitrogen in
the soil very quickly, and the effects generally last six to eight weeks. Blood
meal fertilizer also contains small amounts of other substances that are
beneficial to plants, including potassium
and phosphorus.
Problems with Bulbs and Blood Meal
While blood meal fertilizer can give flowering bulbs a real
boost, it can also cause a certain number of problems. It is important to use
it lightly, and you may prefer not to use it at all.
Here are a few things to consider when using blood meal in
bulb gardens:
Apply blood meal lightly and never exceed label
recommendations. Although it is a natural product, too much can burn delicate
roots.
The odor of blood meal may attract unwanted visitors to your
garden, including raccoons,
possums,
or neighborhood dogs. If this is a concern, you may want to use a commercial
fertilizer. (On the other hand, the aroma of blood meal scattered lightly over
the soil may discourage rabbits,
moles,
squirrels
and deer).
Blood meal is mildly to moderately toxic to dogs and cats.
If ingested, a small amount may cause a mild tummy ache. In larger amounts, it
can cause lethargy, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloat or
drooling. In some cases, it may cause pancreatitis.
Blood meal fertilizer, often used for daffodils,
tulips,
and other flowering bulbs, is inexpensive and easy to use, but it isn’t without
its share of problems. Read on to learn about the pros and cons of fertilizing
bulbs with blood meal.
What is Blood Meal Fertilizer?
Blood
meal fertilizer is a nutrient-rich byproduct of animals processed at
slaughterhouses or meat processing plants. The dry powder can be made from the
blood of any animal, but it most often comes from pigs or cattle.
Blood meal is available in nearly any garden store or
nursery. The product is often used by gardeners who prefer to avoid harsh
chemicals that can run off into water where it can pollute the environment and
harm fish and wildlife.
Using Blood Meal in Bulb Gardens
Fertilizing bulbs with blood meal is easy; most gardeners
simply place a small handful of the powdery substance under each bulb where it
is readily available to the roots.
You can also use a garden fork or spade to scratch or dig
blood meal into the soil, or mix it with water and pour it on the soil around
tulips, daffodils, and other flowering bulbs.
Once applied, blood meal raises the amount of nitrogen in
the soil very quickly, and the effects generally last six to eight weeks. Blood
meal fertilizer also contains small amounts of other substances that are
beneficial to plants, including potassium
and phosphorus.
Problems with Bulbs and Blood Meal
While blood meal fertilizer can give flowering bulbs a real
boost, it can also cause a certain number of problems. It is important to use
it lightly, and you may prefer not to use it at all.
Here are a few things to consider when using blood meal in
bulb gardens:
Apply blood meal lightly and never exceed label
recommendations. Although it is a natural product, too much can burn delicate
roots.
The odor of blood meal may attract unwanted visitors to your
garden, including raccoons,
possums,
or neighborhood dogs. If this is a concern, you may want to use a commercial
fertilizer. (On the other hand, the aroma of blood meal scattered lightly over
the soil may discourage rabbits,
moles,
squirrels
and deer).
Blood meal is mildly to moderately toxic to dogs and cats.
If ingested, a small amount may cause a mild tummy ache. In larger amounts, it
can cause lethargy, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bloat or
drooling. In some cases, it may cause pancreatitis.