Bone and Blood Meal Combo

[NewToTHC]

Hello:

Wanted to try the Vic's soil recipe. Calls for a 2 to 1 part of Bone and Blood meal in that order. Local store has a Bone/Blood meal combo. Any reason I can't use that instead. Bone meal is usually 4-10-0 and blood 12-0-0. The combo product is 7-7-0. Using the available N-P-K combination calculation at Combining N-P-K Ratios | Oaksterdam University the result is pretty close to 7-7-0. Think it works out to 6.7-6.7-0 using the 2 to 1 ratio.

 

[013]

I’m not a math whiz by any stretch but....

2 parts of bone at 4-10-0 equals 8-20-0 plus 1 part blood at 12-0-0 gives 20-20-0

8-20-0
12-0-0
20-20-0

nobody wants to touch your question because of the link to oaksterdam....Forum Guidelines see paragraph 6 about hyperlinking to outside forums

 

[SmokingWings]

@013, that is the way I used to think that it was done but I never felt it was right. I am pretty sure that there are a couple of posted messages that explain the math but I have no clue on what words to use for a search. There has to be some more division involved. Otherwise two parts of Urea at 50-0-0 would create a 100% Nitrogen fertilizer.

Using the clickable link that @NewToTHC provided the explanation and shows the math that makes more sense.

The combo product that NewToTHC found is close enough.

 

[bobrown14]

Besides the yuk factor, I always ask myself where do the bones come from and how are the animals fed and grown.

My conclusions on those 2 questions I decided to find better more organic
alternatives.

Gypsum
Oyster shell flour
Crustacean meal

If you're mixing a soil for container use, I like to think long term. N-P-K comes from quality ingredients. Quality input is key to quality output.

Bone meals - look into how they are processed.

 

[NewToTHC]

@013, that is the way I used to think that it was done but I never felt it was right. I am pretty sure that there are a couple of posted messages that explain the math but I have no clue on what words to use for a search. There has to be some more division involved. Otherwise two parts of Urea at 50-0-0 would create a 100% Nitrogen fertilizer.

Using the clickable link that @NewToTHC provided the explanation and shows the math that makes more sense.

The combo product that NewToTHC found is close enough.

Their math is a little off in the link I provided, [P] 0.6 + 1.2 = 1.6...um, noooo it's 1.8 but the fundamentals are correct. Putting together a quick little spreadsheet I can share in the next couple days so you can forego the math and pencils. <lol>

 

[Dankman_420]

I think Vic's recipe is same or similar to Subcools recipe. I use Subs recipe for bloom with water only. Never any issues. Your welcome to stop by my journal's. Link's in my sig

 

[SmokingWings]

Besides the yuk factor, I always ask myself where do the bones come from and how are the animals fed and grown.

My conclusions on those 2 questions I decided to find better more organic
alternatives.

Gypsum
Oyster shell flour
Crustacean meal

If you're mixing a soil for container use, I like to think long term. N-P-K comes from quality ingredients. Quality input is key to quality output.

Bone meals - look into how they are processed.

The yuk factor does not bother me. The bones come from the same animals that provide the meat protein that so many of us use. I wish that the beef processing plants would leave more bones in the cuts of meat. When cooking the bones improve the taste of the dish I have planned.

As for the bone meal, the modern day processing though does negate most of the mineral/nutrient benefits gardeners used to get from the product.

The alternatives mentioned are probably better in the long run for the sort of gardening most of us are doing.

The Gypsum and the Oyster Shell Flour are great as a source of Calcium and sometimes contain a small amount of trace or micro-nutrients.

The Crustacean Meal is different ingredient and the one I prefer. It does have a smaller amount of Calcium but the bonus is that it contains enough NPK to have the numbers on the package. When I am mixing up small batches of soil I do add some Oyster Shell Flour. I don't add a lot, just a bit for long term release. Instead I add Crustacean Meal , Shrimp Meal, Crab Meal or Fishbone Meal; any of which will not only provide Nitrogen but also Phosphorus.

 

[Dankman_420]

This is my mix. Its a little over built but works like a champ

Screenshot_20190525-164844.png

• Dankman_420
• Feb 16, 2020

Super soil recipe

 

[SmokingWings]

Good recipe.

I put in activated biochar, about 10% of the volume.

 

[Dankman_420]

I really am no expert. I'm just going off Subs recipe. I'll look into the bio char. Thanks

 

[bobrown14]

The yuk factor does not bother me. The bones come from the same animals that provide the meat protein that so many of us use. I wish that the beef processing plants would leave more bones in the cuts of meat. When cooking the bones improve the taste of the dish I have planned.

As for the bone meal, the modern day processing though does negate most of the mineral/nutrient benefits gardeners used to get from the product.

The alternatives mentioned are probably better in the long run for the sort of gardening most of us are doing.

The Gypsum and the Oyster Shell Flour are great as a source of Calcium and sometimes contain a small amount of trace or micro-nutrients.

The Crustacean Meal is different ingredient and the one I prefer. It does have a smaller amount of Calcium but the bonus is that it contains enough NPK to have the numbers on the package. When I am mixing up small batches of soil I do add some Oyster Shell Flour. I don't add a lot, just a bit for long term release. Instead I add Crustacean Meal , Shrimp Meal, Crab Meal or Fishbone Meal; any of which will not only provide Nitrogen but also Phosphorus.

I agree cept on the source of the blood and bone meal. In a perfect world yes what you say is true. We aint in a perfect world. It is yuk tho.

We get a 1/2 side of beef from our next door neighbor. I know where the bones are come from and more importantly what the animals were fed.

We will make pot-ash with hardwood and add in the bones to the fire and cook them over several pot-ash sessions. Eventually they break down, when that happens we scoop up the pot-ash with the bone ash and mix into soil.

I prefer fish bone meal, neem cake, karanga cake and most importantly Kelp meal. Toss in some ewc and vermi-compost done.

The bones and blood.... meh.

I know some farmers that like the stuff. The bones we burn and make good fertilizer better than purchasing chemical versions.

Here's analysis of burned bones to make your own bone meal.

1. (dry bones) 15.5% phosphorus (equivilant to 35.5% P2O5), and 30.5% calcium (equivilant to 42.8% CaO).
2. (fresh bones with meat first stripped away) 15.2% phosphorus and 31.0% calcium."

Just throwing these options out there. For organic farmers it can get expensive purchasing already made amendments. A simple fire ring and some hardwood and add some bones. It's almost free. The ashes we add to compost bins and top dress in late fall in our veggie and flower gardens.

The reason for throwing these options out there is this:

"Consider each ingredient and why it's being added. Also consider that many organic approved products just aren't as good as others. The top ingredients that are popular that most organic growers avoid are as follows: Blood meal, bone meal, guano, soy, cotton, corn and many other soil conditioners that come from potential GMO crops etc."