Plants depend totally on the soil for nutrients. However, when we keep on growing more and more plants over the same land all the time, it gets deprived of ready-to-take nutrients. That’s the point where fertilizers come to help.
As we all know that two primary types of fertilizers are most common; organic and inorganic. While using inorganic fertilizers, we add the required nutrients to the soil externally. These inorganic composts consist of lab-made nutrients which the plant takes in.
On the other hand, organic fertilizers work by stimulating the healthy microbes and bacteria, present within the soil, to decompose already available nutrients in the soil and convert them into the form which plants can utilize.
Thus, in this way, your plants are not exposed to any harmful lab-made chemicals which not only harm the ecosystem but also give rise to chemical contamination in your bodies.
That’s the reason why experts strongly recommend using organic fertilizers and even the industry of such organic compost is flourishing day by day. The only problem is that choosing the best organic fertilizer from a dazzling amount of well-known products is quite hectic.
To simplify the process, we have used eight top-rated organic fertilizers and pen down our reviews and remarks regarding each product based on its NPK ratio, application method, effectiveness, suitability, and composition. Read on and discover the best organic fertilizer for your green and growing garden.
Table of Contents
Best Organic Fertilizer Comparison Table 2022
8 Best Organic Fertilizers
1. Jobe’s Organics 09524 Purpose Granular Fertilizer
The most important factor upon which we consider a fertilizer a good one is its optimum and balanced NPK ratio and that’s the same thing that makes this product stand the topmost position in our list.
Jobe’s organic fertilizer is a well-balanced and efficient granular fertilizer that is made up of all-natural ingredients. The elements that are used in the manufacturing of jobe’s organic fertilizer are potash sulfate, poultry manure, bone meal, and feather meal.
In addition to these ingredients, a specific amount of bacteria, fungi, and archaea culture is also added which aid to improve soil structure, enhance fertility, and facilitate the plants to uptake the nutrients.
The result of this granular fertilizer was exceptional over outdoor gardens and you can conveniently use them for trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, and edibles. In other words, if you are having multiple types of plants in your garden and don’t want to get a separate fertilizer for each, jobe’s fertilizer will be the ideal solution.
The only problem is that its odor was quite skinnier and stronger in the first few days of application. That’s why I decided not to apply it over the topsoil instead, I mixed it with the soil thoroughly and this trick worked. So, if you mix the fertilizer with the soil, you can minimize the odor to too much extent.
- Suits well to the trees, shrubs, flowering and vegetable plants
- Balanced NPK ratio
- Improve the soil structure gradually
- Active ingredient
- Easy to use
- On-time application
- A bit expensive
- Stinkier odor
If your outdoor plants are having trouble blooming blossoms or growing to the utmost height, this fertilizer will do miracles to them. Try to fence your yard so no pet could ingest these granules by getting attracted to this odor.
2. ClimateGard No-Kill Biodynamic Granular Organic Fertilizer
Climate Guard, as the name indicates, exert so much importance on adopting eco-friendly techniques and using biodynamic ingredients in the manufacturing process. Even the fertilizer is delivered in a cotton bag so no any of their customers could harm the ecosystem balance by plastic bags.
The main ingredients of this no-kill organic formula are humic acid, silica, micronutrients, and a perfect blend of living fungi and bacteria. These living microbes ensure soil structure and productivity better and better even for a long time after the application.
NPK ratio is also perfectly balanced and no fish or animal products are added to the composition, it’s the perfect fertilizer solution for those who genuinely care for the food chain and wildlife.
I applied this compost over the surface of the soil where I recently planted some trees and I was amazed to see the results. The trees started to thrive in a few days and I also noticed the landscape improvement. Besides trees, the same miraculous results are delivered by this ClimateGard No-Kill fertilizer over my house plants including aloe Vera, rubber tree, stromanthe, monstera, Hoya, and peace lily. Just within two to three weeks, they all turned into healthier and leafier plants which leads me to get better yields.
- Best for indoor plants and trees
- Biodynamic ingredients
- Balanced NPK ratio
- Sustainable packaging
- Eco-friendly and highly effective
- Slightly pricier
ClimateGard No-Kill formula is perfect for those who are looking for a less-scented, more Biodynamic, sustainable, yet, highly effective solution for indoor ornamental plants. Sustainable packaging truly encloses a punch of nutrients to impart a new life to your garden.
3. Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fertilizer
The NPK ratio of this Neptune’s Harvest organic fertilizer is 2-3-1 which means it possesses the highest concentration of phosphorus. However, this high phosphorus content helps to stimulate the growth of roots and catches more beneficial nutrients from the soil. In turn, the process of blooming flowers and fruit formation gets accelerated.
Besides these essential nutrients, the formula contains seaweed and Atlantic fish. Since the concentration of fish-based products is quite high, this fertilizer possesses a fishy smell that may last for several minutes.
I tried this fertilizer over the indoor plants and was thinking like I had made a big mistake. But Thanks to goodness that the smell didn’t linger indoors for much time and vanished in several minutes. Until now, I have used this formula over perennials, fig-trees, and tropical plants and it worked equally well for all.
Using Neptune’s harvest fertilizer is also quite easy. You just need to mix a tablespoon of formula with water and that’s it. Don’t forget that the formula is a concentrate that might react with your skin. Thus, it’s better to wear protective gloves and fence the yard.
- Suits almost all types of plants
- Best-valued product
- Easy to apply
- Concentrate with high efficiency
- Longer shelf life
- Powerful odor
- Cannot be stored in diluted form
Neptune’s fertilizer is the answer for all those who are looking for an organic solution for growing healthy, happy plants with easy application at a superb price. Ideal to grow grass over barren lawn patches.
4. Jobe’s Organics Fertilizer Spikes
This job’s organic fertilizer comes in the form of spikes which eliminates the need of mixing and measuring the formula with water. You just need to dig the spikes into the plant beds and you are good to go.
However, the number of spikes needed to add may vary from plant to plant and it mainly depends upon the size of your pot. These spikes are equally nice for both indoor and outdoor plants.
One pack of jobe’s organic fertilizer spikes comes with fifty spikes and one-time spikes insertion, at the start of spring, is enough to keep your plants thriving for the entire following year. We used these spikes over the small tomatoes and lemon plants and they have turned into huge bushy trees up till now.
These spikes enclose beneficial living microbes that break down the nutrients and fertilizers present in the soil. When plants uptake these decomposed nutrients, it boosts the plants’ growth rate and their resistance to diseases.
- Extremely easy to use
- Shows amazing results on veggies and fruit plant
- No stinky odor
- High phosphorus concentration
- Effective for a complete year
- Affordable
- Spikes may attract pets
This job’s spike fertilizer can unlock so many benefits for you if used properly. The usefulness of these spikes on veggies and fruit plants is just outstanding. However, make sure to dig the spikes within the soil enough so they won’t appear over the surface afterward.
5. Espoma EOFW30 Organic Fall Fertilizer
The main ingredients of this organic fertilizer are potash sulfate, poultry manure, and feather meal. Thus, the very first and most highlighted feature of this fertilizer is that it will not harm pets and children due to not having any chemical reagent.
In addition to this, this plant food also doesn’t harm the ecosystem by releasing harmful chemicals to the soil. Likewise, it saves our food chain from getting contaminated.
The NPK ratio in this soil food is 8-0-6 which means nitrogen is present in the highest concentration. Since nitrogen is the main reagent that helps the plant to grow and develop bigger and healthier roots, using these fertilizers will enable your plants to grow vigorously.
The feature which makes this nitrogen fertilizer different from other nitrogen feed is that it releases nitrogen into the soil at a slower rate. In other words, nitrogen won’t disrupt the plant’s surroundings by disturbing the nutrient content there.
Instead, it adds to the soil in a dripping fashion which makes the plants stay healthier for a longer time. Plus, it also prevents the harm resulting from heavy chemical contamination like root burning.
After nitrogen, the second-highest element delivered by this fertilizer is the potassium which imparts tendency and resistance to the plants and makes them able to resist diseases and extreme weather conditions including hot summer days and chilled winter nights.
- No toxins or heavy chemicals
- Safe for kids and pets
- Boost up the tendency in plants
- Better growth
- Long-lasting results
- High nitrogen content
- Nitrogen released by the drip-feed mechanism
- Involve animal abuse
- Expensive
This plant food is the perfect choice for those who have pets and want to trigger the overall health of their house plants. We have found this fertilizer equally fine for almost all types of plants and it’s surely proved to be a champion in the long run.
6. Joyful Dirt Premium Organic Fertilizer
If you are looking for high-quality, water-soluble, organic, and all-natural fertilizer then you should give a chance to joyful dirt premium fertilizer. This formula contains a huge amount of nutrients and mycorrhizal microbes which help your plant to grow at an exponential rate without using too much water.
I was a bit concerned about the powerful effects of mycorrhizal fungi over the sensitive indoor plants at first since this formula proved to be quite effective towards my outdoor shrubs. However, it was a pleasure to see how the manufacturer crafts this formula so that it drips only the required nutrients to the soil.
My carissa bonsai plant was facing severe leaf damage and leaf fall but this formula turned the leaves perkier in just two days and after a week, the leaves stopped completely. The product is quite concentrated and acts at a super-fast pace.
- Easy to use
- Super fast and effective
- Best for indoor plants
- A perfect blend of mycorrhizal microbes and nutrients
- Water-soluble
- Emit gross smell
- Cannot be stored in dilute form
Using the joyful dirt fertilizer is also quite easy since all you need to do is to sprinkle the dirt over the soil and water the plants. However, it’s recommended to store it always in the dirt form rather than in the form of a liquid solution. By doing so, the formula might emit an unbearable smell.
7. Milorganite 0636 Organic Nitrogen Fertilizer
While establishing a good and refreshing lawn within the house, the problem that is reported mostly by the homeowners is the less dense grass patches. These patches can seriously affect the entire grace of your lawn and it doesn’t matter how many different types of plants you grow in your yard, these patches would still catch the attention at first glance.
If you are also facing this problem then Milorganite organic fertilizer can solve your problem. Why this fertilizer? Because the manufacturer has added the highest concentration of iron in the formula that you seldom find in any other fertilizer.
Since iron imparts resistance and strength to the plants and makes the land more fertile, your grass would grow greener, and also the barren patches would fill up with greenery. Since this fertilizer is mainly designed to treat grass problems, you can use it any time of the year as there’s no specific season to spruce up grass.
Other fertilizers available in the market that come with the basic purpose of sprucing up grass, usually act by dehydrating the grass. When the excess water from the grass is removed, it seems fuller and denser.
However, this fertilizer doesn’t act on this principle. Instead, the iron content present in this grass works on growing the new grass while the grown-up grass is kept hydrated which looks more erect and fresher. However, it possesses a little aroma which also serves as a good way of keeping the animals away from your yard – especially the deers.
- Best organic fertilizer for growing grass
- Show improvements in a few days
- Easy application
- No special time to use
- High amounts of iron
- Not safe for kids and animals
I used this grass food in my lawn and I can see the improvements just within a week. Plus, the bag encloses a great quantity of fertilizer and since it needs to besprinkle over the lawn every 5-6 months, one bag will be enough to keep your grass look fluttering for years.
8. Worm Castings Organic Fertilizer
As the name implies, this plant feed comprises only the worm castings. In other words, you won’t get any kind of filler in the name of fertilizer like wooden chips or manure. The main objective of this fertilizer is to build up the soil to make it the perfect growth medium for your plants.
Besides the main ingredient; worm castings, this fertilizer also possesses some trace elements and minerals. The worms feed these minerals and convert themselves chemically and physically into a stronger form which helps them to decompose the bigger organic matter present in the soil.
Thus, in this way, these worm castings act as the active partner of soil which adds the simpler organic matter to the soil to be taken up by plants. As the amount of decomposed matter increases in the soil, it gets more and more fertile, thus, making it easier for your plants to grow.
Besides making the soil fertile, it also becomes air and water absorbent. Plus, the microbial culture present in the formula helps in better root development which ensures the plant’s overall health. The soil feels quite fluffy, soft, and seems black which is a plus point.
- Make soil airer and fertile
- 100% natural worm castings
- Treat the problems from the root cause
- Odorless and easy application
- Suits indoor and outdoor plants equally
- Bugs may attract to the soil
The best part of this organic supplement is that it is completely odorless due to not having chemicals or manure in the formula. This feature makes it completely compatible to be used in both indoor and outdoor environments. The application process is also quite easier since you just have to mix this fertilizer with the soil and wait for a few days to see the miracles.
Buying guide
Physical nature of fertilizerMainly the fertilizers are commonly available in two physical forms to purchase. The first type is the liquid fertilizer which is a mixture of water and nutrients formula. Liquid fertilizers work faster than dry ones but you need to dilute this liquid concentrate first and then spray it throughout the garden. Plus, it’s better to use it during the daytime.
The second type of fertilizer is the one available in granular form. These fertilizers come in the form of small rocks on being dry which dissolve to soil on getting subjected to water. Using granular fertilizer is usually easier since you just need to sprinkle over the garden at any part of the day. However, granular fertilizers work slowly.
While shopping around for fertilizers, you’ll go through two types of plant food. The one, which is obtained from all-natural sources like animal and poultry waste, feather meal, dead or decaying material, and alfalfa meal. Such types of organic fertilizers are more eco-friendly and also prove to be safe for kids and pets.
The other type of fertilizers is the lab-made ones which are manufactured with lab-made nutrients and micronutrients. No doubt these synthetic fertilizers come with the perfect NPK ratio and act quickly but still, they are not safe for kids and pets and give rise to chemical contamination.
Some fertilizers work on drip-feeding systems by which they keep on releasing the nutrients within the soil slowly. In this way, the plants keep on enjoying these nutrients for longer periods but you will also see the outcomes at a slower pace.
On the other hand, fast-releasing fertilizers possess the ability to mix with the soil readily and release their content into the soil to make it better. In this way, the plants take up these nutrients immediately and show outcomes efficiently. However, the results of such fertilizers are not long-term and you need to apply this plant food to the soil more frequently.
FAQs?
Final verdict
All the organic fertilizers mentioned in this article are top sellers and high rated. However, the top-three products which we liked the most are
Jobe’s Organics 09524 Purpose Granular Fertilizer due to its balanced NPK ratio, wide range of suitability, active ingredients, and easy application.
Neptune’s Harvest Organic Fertilizer due to its longer shelf life, a wide range of suitability, affordability factor, and high efficiency.
Espoma EOFW30 Organic Fall Fertilizer due to being safe, having a higher concentration of nitrogen, and drip feed nutrient releasing system.
Remember that the final decision is solely yours. However, to make sure of buying only the best organic fertilizer, keep the factors mentioned in the buying guide in your mind while shopping around.