The name can get you confused. It sounds like something weird, but the truth is the opposite. This meal is a meal for your plants. The common use of blood meal is as a fertilizer, yet it can also be used as a pest control substance. Let’s begin with the basic inquiry, what is a blood meal?
A meal of blood is a type of meal formulated with the side products of slaughtering. The most commonly used blood type is of cows, yet we can use any animal blood that is used for meat consumption. This blood is not added directly. It has to be dried into a powder and then a meal is created.
Benefits
The major benefit is its use as a fertilizer owing to its high nitrogen content that can help boost plant growth. The predominant nutrient is nitrogen, but a lot of other micronutrients are present in it including phosphorus and potassium. Both these micronutrients are equally essential for the healthy growth of your plants.
Keeps the Animals Away
The benefit we love the most is its smell. Smell is usually not considered as a benefit, but here it’s the opposite. This smell is used to keep away animals like rabbits or moles. This is done because such animals often cause damage to the growing plants.
Inexpensive
This is one of the few types of fertilizers available in smaller quantities. They have a lower price range and are suitable for you to test on your plants and then buy bulk blood meals to get its benefits.
Organic
Being made from organic ingredients, it is an organic fertilizer. This makes it suitable for use for any kind of plant as it would not pose any health risk. This fertilizer can slightly decrease the pH of your soil, which is also beneficial for the plants.
How to Use?
The first step in using a meal of blood is to check whether your plants require blood meals or not. You can purchase an inexpensive soil test, and follow the instructions. This test tells how much content of nutrients is present in the soil.
If you are thinking about what plants benefit from the meal, the answer is that if your plants show a low nitrogen content or are showing yellowish color on the leaves, you can choose for your plants.
Using its organic meal is not a unique thing. You can simply open the pack and spread it onto the soil. However, keep careful consideration not to put so much fertilizer as it can cause negative effects on the plants.
The meal contains a good amount of nitrogen, but excessive quantities can burn or kill the plants. It is advised to use meals of blood in the spring season to get the most of its effects. This fertilizer is not applied all year, as excessive quantities are harmful to the plants.
Reapplication
This type of fertilizer will wash away after a longer period of rain so you should apply it after rain. The general advice is to reapply after every 60 days. One thing to consider is that while this fertilizer keeps the pests away, it can attract meat-consuming animals. Proper arrangements should be made for the control of these animals.
Quantity
Now, you need to find out the amount required for your plants. Take measurements of the soil space and according to the ratio of 1 cup for every 20 square feet, you can mix the fertilizer with the soil. Another way is to mix the soil with water.
You can read the instructions provided on the pack to get an accurate quantity. If the meal is concentrated, you can dilute it with the addition of water.
Excessive Quantity
If you have accidentally applied its excessive quantity, don’t worry as we are here for your rescue. To reverse this situation you can put wood mulch in the soil, apply a phosphorous-containing, fertilizer, or use water to leech away the excessive quantity. In this case, bone meal is also beneficial.
What Plants Benefit from It?
A wide variety of plants can benefit from the meal. This includes plants such as tomatoes, onions, squash, corn, or green leafy plants. If your plants are present in an area where they are prone to animals like deer or garden pests, you should use an organic meal of blood as it will keep the plants away from the plants.
It can be used for an array of plants. However, it’s not recommended to use it for beans, peas, or legumes. This is because the roots of legumes have microbes that take the nitrogen back into the soil. This blood meal is also not used for seedlings.
It has been used for decades as a natural and inexpensive fertilizer. It can add up to the nitrogen content of the soil, and significantly reduce the yellowing of plant leaves. It helps to overcome the symptoms of nitrogen deficiency in plants. You can buy blood meals for sale at our place easily to enjoy the enormous benefits it offers.