Q. I want to replace all my chemical fertilizers with
organic formulations. The problem is that I’m not finding any organic
fertilizers for landscape trees and shrubs such as podocarpus and photinia. Is
it possible to make my own? Please tell me what you recommend.
 |
| For the USDA National Organic Program find fertilizers that are OMRI Listed or Approved for the USDA NOP. Other countries, places and people have different definitions of “organic”. |
A. The definition of “organic” can be difficult. To some
people organic means free from pesticides and mineral fertilizers. To others it’s
things like fish emulsion, kelp meal, bone meal guano, etc. To others it means
strict adherence to the USDA definition of organic. In the United States the
term organic usually means it’s a listed product of OMRI (Organic Materials
Review Institute) which recommends products for the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP).
OMRI Listed – USDA NOP
There
are fertilizers in bags listed as OMRI approved. I would look for the word
“Organic” mentioned somewhere on the bag. Technically, a product cannot mention
the word organic unless it’s recommended for USDA’s organic program. One that
comes to mind is the OMRI Listed fertilizer called, “All Purpose” manufactured
by Grow More. It resembles a mineral fertilizer when you open the bag but it’s
one of the “organic” types.