Many people ask us for the “Mary’s Mix” complete organic fertilizer blend recipe. For smaller gardens, it may be more economical to purchase some premixed 4-4-4 Complete Organic Fertilizer from Gaia Green. We love this product, and use it in our trial gardens. But for big gardens, small farms, and for determined do-it-yourself-ers, here is the classic blend that Mary Ballon used to print in the West Coast Seeds catalogue. She always included the footnote that “actually it’s Steve Solomon’s Mix and I have been using variations of it since 1983.”
Chemical fertilizers combine other byproducts of the petrochemical industry and other chemicals to supply intense amounts of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium to the soil. They do not feed soil biology or build healthy soil. Organic fertilizers combine naturally occurring materials and minerals to supply safe amounts of N, P, and K to your crops so that they grow vigorously, but at a natural rate. Meanwhile, they feed microbial action in the soil and contribute to a more healthy and diverse soil biology.
Mix big batches of this organic fertilizer blend because most of the raw ingredients are only available in bulk sizes.
4 parts seed meal (i.e. flax or cottonseed)
1 part rock phosphate OR 1/2 part bone meal
1 part lime
1/2 part kelp meal
