Vanessa and Nathan Davis of Duck River, Tenn. pursue their dream of a simpler life at Totty’s Bend Farm and Dairy.

Together they raise Nubian goats to sell their milk and cheese. They also grow and sell organic garden vegetables and heirloom tomatoes. They start inside with certified organic seeds and transplant outdoors when the plants are ready.natural fertilizers

“Our plants germinate very quickly, and they’re very green,” Vanessa Davis said. “We’re getting a lot of produce.”

Their two-year-old, 80 square-foot garden is fertilized with AGGRAND Natural Fertilizers and Natural Kelp and Sulfate of Potash (0-0-8).

The 2010 growing season started out great, but in May they were hit with a fl ood “followed by a drought,” she said. “We’ve used AGGRAND natural fertilizers both years. I was just amazed at how much produce we got out of the garden the first year. This year wasn’t as good as the first year, but it was still good.”natural fertilizers

During the season, a foliar feeding was done with 2tablespoons of AGGRAND 4-3-3 mixed with a gallon of water. Neighbors comment on how well the garden does, and Davis has been known to give them AGGRAND natural fertilizers to try. natural fertilizers

One neighbor used it on okra plants. “Typically they’re 2-or-3 feet tall,” Davis said. “These were 11 feet tall. It was incredible. I could not believe how tall they got. I’ve never seen anything like that.”natural fertilizers

Natural Fertilizers give Garden boost

If you are looking for free or cheaper organic materials to make use of as natural fertilizers, you need only to look at the things piling up in your own plot (leaves, droppings and manure to name a few). All the ingredients for an organic fertilizer system are obtainable to you if you look closely. Finding suitable organic material is a challenge you will take pleasure in, particularly in the fall when fallen leaves simply pile up ready to be turned into natural fertilizers for the coming of planting season.natural fertilizers

All organic materials qualify as natural supplements. The organic materials, when processed carefully, will provide nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for your crops. These nutrients get liberated into the soil when the materials rot.natural fertilizers

Animal manure is a natural fertilizer, but it has erratic mineral levels. Animals that have been nourished with feed deficient in some necessary minerals will produce droppings that will not do much for crops. In addition, pasture gardeners are advised not to make use of any type of chemicals that could disrupt an animal's diet to make sure the resulting compost is free from the same chemicals. These facts should guide you on how to qualify the manure you are going to use as a supplement.natural fertilizers

Natural Fertilizers Options for the Organic Gardener

You can use fresh dung on your plants, but the salinity levels in fresh manure are high. Composted manure has less minerals in comparison to the fresh counterpart, but nitrogen content in composted dung can be saved by mixing it with soil.natural fertilizers

If you live near the coastline, you might want to try transforming seaweeds into natural garden supplements. Clean the seaweeds and transform it into compost by letting it decompose along with other organic components.natural fertilizers

Fish emulsion works well on young plants that need a steady supply of fast acting supplements to mature rapidly. This supplement is made from fish waste, so you can get this directly from fish processing businesses.natural fertilizers

If you have a lot of fallen leaves on the ground, you can add those to your compost pit for fertilizer production. You need to put simply enough fallen leaves in your compost pit for the leaves to decay gradually.natural fertilizers

Compost improves soil acid base ratio and enhances the over-all nutrient concentration of your soil. Compost comprises a mixture of nutrients and decaying plant and animal residue.natural fertilizers

You can add wood ash to your compost pile in small quantities. This organic fertilizer is a great source of potassium.

Natural Fertilizers Options

How to Harvest Garden Lettuce

Filmed July 01, 2011, the host demonstrates the preferred method of How To Harvest Lettuce from the home garden. A quick EARLY view of the garden, some growing cabbage and a little levity are included.

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Interest in green roofs is increasing. but there is not yet much information on rooftop vegetable gardening. Some gardeners are also growing herbs and vegetables on roofs. Vegetables such as tomatoes and okra and herbs such as basil are combined with flowers in large containers may also be grown on these green roofs. Green roofs categorized [...]

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Colourful Clematis Vine Care & Tips

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As one of the best trailing plants you can add to your landscape, Clematis adds dazzling color and panache to any garden setting, be it large, small, formal or casual. This ornamental climber is hardy and easy to grow, and the fact that it’s versatile enough to fit into any landscaping design means that Clematis Vines will always be a gardener’s best friend. Even beginners will be thrilled with Clematis since they are so easy to grow and fairly low maintenance.

There are numerous species, hybrids and cultivars of Clematis worldwide, exhibiting vibrant blooms in a rainbow of shades. These four are the best performing and most gorgeous:

1. Jackmanii Clematis is an absolute superstar with its flashy blossoms, large, delicately perfumed and displaying rich shades of violet and purple.


2. The stunning Niobe Clematis will wow you not once, but twice, with a bold display of brilliant magenta blooms so fragrant and fresh they’ll take your breath away.


3. Blooming all summer long, Henryi Clematis shows off uniquely shaped flowers, generous and snowy white against a bed of lush emerald green foliage.


4. The Armandii Clematis is an evergreen vine that’s impressive whether in bloom or not. Early in spring, clusters of ivory-colored flowers begin blanketing this vine’s luxuriant foliage, and the air is perfumed with a lovely fragrance!

Clematis vines may be grown against a fence, on a trellis or arbor or as a canopy for your patio, providing an irresistible vine-shaded retreat that will transform your outdoor living space into a romantic vacation spot in some faraway exotic land. Here’s what you’ll need to know:

• Site Selection – Clematis vines can live for decades, so it’s important to pick a site both you and your vine will be happy with for the long term. Most varieties prefer full sun or a minimum of 6 hours of good bright sunshine everyday.


• Soil – These climbers may like their heads in the sun, but their roots should be firmly planted in a well-drained soil rich in organic matter such as compost or rotting manure.


• Watering – During the first growing season, keep the soil moist at all times, but never waterlogged. Once established, the Clematis Vine will only need to be watered during extended dry spells.


• Fertilizing – These flowering vines require some serious feeding and will benefit from a good organic fertilizing program. When spring growth appears, sprinkle about 2 inches of rotted manure over the topsoil. Feed again after flowering has finished with bone and blood meals. During the summer, saturate the soil monthly with a fish emulsion solution.


• Pruning – To encourage vertical growth, trim the horizontal branches back to just one pair of leaves. To encourage horizontal growth, snip off the vertical stem just above a node at the desired height.

Follow these tips to enjoy an abundance of vibrant color and sweet fragrance in your garden with flowering clematis vines.

Related articles

• Watching Our Clematis Growing Yearly (backyardgardeningtips.com)


• Clematis favorites for Northwest gardeners (seattletimes.nwsource.com)


• Trim clematis and prune roses (telegraph.co.uk)

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