Bone meal is an organic fertilizer rich in nutrients that promotes healthy plant growth. But bone meal is not suitable for every type of soil and it is not without drawbacks.
Before you put bone meal in your vegetable garden or anywhere else in your yard, find out what it is made of, what its pros and cons are, and how to use it most effectively as a fertilizer.
As with any soil amendments, you should test the soil before adding any fertilizers. This is because too much of a nutrient can be just as bad for plants as not having enough of it.
The Complete Guide to Using Organic Bone Meal Fertilizer for Healthier Plants
Organic bone meal is a natural, sustainable fertilizer that provides essential nutrients to help plants thrive. Derived from animal bones, bone meal fertilizer supplies a rich source of phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals in a slow-release form that feeds plants steadily. Discover the benefits of adding organic bone meal to garden beds, container plants, and lawns to grow bigger, more productive plants.
What is Bone Meal Fertilizer?
Bone meal fertilizer consists of finely ground animal bones that have been steamed and dried to a powdery consistency. This recycling process transforms waste from meat processing into a valuable organic soil amendment.
Bone meal typically has an NPK ratio around 3-15-0, meaning it is high in phosphorus which aids root, flower, and fruit development. It also contains about 20-25% calcium and many micronutrients plants need in small amounts.
Raw bone meal has an unpleasant smell and attracts animals. Steaming the bones sterilizes and removes odors and fats, producing a safe, pathogen-free organic fertilizer.
Why Use Bone Meal Fertilizer?
Phosphorus is an essential element for healthy plant growth. It plays several key roles:
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Promotes early root formation and growth
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Aids development of flowers, seeds, and fruit
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Enhances plant stress tolerance and winter hardiness
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Allows efficient water use by plants
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Assists with photosynthesis and chlorophyll production
Along with nitrogen and potassium, phosphorus is one of the three macronutrients that plants require in relatively large amounts. Calcium is needed for cell wall structure and other processes. Bone meal provides steady feeding of both minerals.
When to Apply Bone Meal Fertilizer
Spring:
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Work bone meal into garden beds before planting vegetables and flowers. Band it 2 inches below seeds or sprinkle in planting holes for transplants.
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Add a small amount to bulb planting holes to spur root growth.
Summer:
- Side dress vegetables, perennials, trees, and shrubs with a light application of bone meal every 2-3 months.
Fall:
- Mix bone meal into soil when planting spring flowering bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.
How to Use Bone Meal in Gardens
Follow package label rates when using bone meal fertilizer. Too much can overfeed plants and damage roots.
Typical application rates:
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Gardens – Use 3-5 lbs per 100 square feet.
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Bulbs – Add 1 teaspoon per hole, mixed into soil.
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Trees & shrubs – Spread 1-2 lbs around drip line and water in well.
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Containers – Mix 1-2 tablespoons into potting soil.
Work bone meal into the top few inches of soil, then water thoroughly to dissolve nutrients. It provides a slow, steady release of phosphorus lasting up to 4 months. Reapply midseason on hungry plants like tomatoes.
Mixing a small amount of bone meal into potting soil gives container plants an extra boost. When repotting houseplants, sprinkle a teaspoon in the bottom of the pot before adding fresh soil.
Bone meal also makes an excellent natural fertilizer for lawns. Apply in early spring and fall at 5-10 lbs per 1000 square feet.
Organic Bone Meal Fertilizer Options
Many brands offer high-quality organic bone meal fertilizers. Look for pasture-raised, cruelty-free sources.
Down To Earth – An OMRI listed, vegan bone meal alternative made from poultry litter. NPK is 3-15-0.
Dr. Earth – Provides fast and long term feeding with endomycorrhizal fungi. NPK ratio is 3-15-0.
Espoma – An all-natural, organic bone meal from a leading manufacturer. Lasts several months.
Jobe’s – Widely available organic bone meal fertilizer derived from poultry. Feeds up to 3 months.
Neptune’s Harvest – A fish and bone meal blend fortified with seaweed. OMRI certified.
Why Use Organic Bone Meal?
Organic bone meal fertilizers avoid synthetic chemicals and processed sewage wastes used in conventional phosphorus fertilizers. They break down slowly, releasing a steady supply of nutrients into the soil for gradual plant uptake.
Using natural organic bone meal and other amendments improves soil health over time. Beneficial microbes thrive, soil absorbs and retains more moisture, and plants can access nutrients more efficiently.
Organic fertilizers like bone meal also appeal to people wanting to avoid using animal products in gardening. Vegans look for plant-based alternatives like rock phosphate that supply needed nutrients.
With its abundance of phosphorus and calcium, organic bone meal fertilizer is an ideal way to boost plant growth, flowering, and fruiting for a healthier, more productive garden. Work it into beds and containers to see the bone meal difference in your plants.
Not Suitable for All Soil pH Levels
Studies from Colorado State University show that plants can only use phosphorus from organic fertilizers like bone meal when the soil has a pH level of 7 or less. If your soil is tipping towards alkalinity, bone meal fertilizer will have no real impact. Make sure to know your soil pH before amending it.
Only the right amount of bone meal fertilizer is good for your garden. Too much can take the nutrients out of the soil. An excess of bonemeal upsets forces the nutrient balance in the soil and the chlorophyll production of plants.
Bone Meal Fertilizer Benefits
There are a number of reasons to consider bone broth fertilizer as a nutrient-rich soil amendment.
Organic Bone Meal: A Slow Release Phosphorous Fertilizer – The Rusted Garden 2013
FAQ
Does bone meal actually help plants grow?
Can you sprinkle bone meal on top of soil?
When should you not use bone meal?
Which plants like bone meal?