Blood meal is a fertilizer for plants.

All fertilizers used in growing garden and vegetable crops can be divided into mineral and organic.

Mineral fertilizers – mineral compounds obtained chemically. They are used to nourish plants and improve soil composition.

Organic fertilizers (organics) – organic compounds obtained by processing plant and animal waste. They contain plant nutrients that influence growth and fruiting and improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil.

One of the varieties of organic fertilizers is blood meal.

Description of blood meal fertilizer

Animal by-product processing is a waste-free process. Everything is recycled, including animal blood.

Blood meal obtained by processing animal blood in different ways:

Method 1: the blood is heated to high temperatures, then the water is removed, the mixture is sterilized, dried, cooled, and ground.

Method 2: malt sprouts are added to the source material, the mass is sterilized and dried under excess pressure, then the raw material is cooled, crushed, and pressed.

The resulting substance has a strong specific odor, is dense and free-flowing in consistency, and is black-brown in color.

Nutritional information:

• dry matter – 900g/kg;
• protein – 910g/kg;
• fat – 5g/kg;
• ash – 55g/kg;
• lysine – 77g/kg;
• cystine and methionine – 25g/kg.

The value of fertilizer from animal blood in the amount of nitrogen - 11 - 12% of the volume of all substances, in availability and effectiveness of use, in ease of delivery and storage.

Other microelements are present in the flour in small doses and, to enrich the composition, it is mixed with bone meal, rich in phosphates.

Benefits of blood meal based on its composition:

• provides the plant with nutrients;
• ensures growth;
• promotes good fruiting and quality of fruits;
• helps to eliminate some plant diseases associated with nitrogen deficiency;
• increases crop yield;
• improves soil structure;
• affects the composition of the soil, significantly improving it;
• The smell of blood repels rodents.

The properties of flour allow it to be used as a fertilizer and in animal feed.

Blood meal as a fertilizer, how to use it

As an inexpensive and readily available product, blood meal is widely used in growing various garden crops, gardens, and parks, affecting the appearance and quality of plants.

Crops for which blood meal can be used as a fertilizer:

• vegetable crops (greenhouses, open ground);
• fruit trees and bushes;
• flowers;
• lawn grass;
• potted plants.

Tips for use as a soil fertiliser: Spread the mixture evenly and dig in with a spade (bayonet-sized). Fertilize in the spring – March, April.

Fertilizer rate for each culture it is different and it should be followed in order to avoid a negative result:

1. Planting seedlings: Add two or three cups of flour to the hole, then bury the seedling. Watering is essential. Fertilizer can be added to the soil around the tree trunk.
2. Vegetable crops: three glasses per 1 m².
3. Flower and ornamental crops: three glasses per 1 m².
4. Lawn seeding: two to three cups per 1 m².

Liquid fertilizer for plants in pots and tubs:

• pour blood meal (50g) into a container;
• add water (10 liters);
• stir the mixture daily;
• The mixture is prepared for 5-10 days.

 Warning

Before using blood meal as a fertilizer, it is essential to familiarize yourself not only with the positive effects of the fertilizer, but also with its features that can harm plants:

1. Lack of other microelements in the composition, besides nitrogen.
2. Increasing the dosage may burn the plant.
3. Should be used for alkaline soils – will ensure balance of soil composition.
4. The shelf life is short—six months. After this period, the flour's quality deteriorates.
5. The nitrogen in the flour is quickly used up (6 weeks), so this fertilizer is good to use as a top dressing for plants in spring and summer: first to increase green mass, then immediately before flowering.
6. Use only as directed on package.
7. Flour is stored in a cool, ventilated area, away from sunlight.

Proper and judicious use of blood meal as a fertilizer will ensure a good harvest and delight you with beautiful greenery in your plot and garden.

Reviews

Zhenya

It's a shame that blood meal isn't as common in the post-Soviet space as it is in Europe. They no longer use bone meal, which is high in phosphates. Blood meal is very common in Germany, and Germans are meticulous about the dosage, as too much of this fertilizer is bad, and too little is also bad.

Sergey (answered the question about the role of albumin in the composition of blood meal).

The blood of every animal contains a lightweight protein called albumin. It delivers nutrients, such as amino acids, to cells and also removes waste. Simply put, it is essential for cellular homeostasis.

Katerina Ivanovna

I've always been interested in unusual fertilizers and tried various types. I heard about blood meal and decided to give it a try. I read that it's rich in nitrogen, so when nitrogen fertilizer was needed, I applied blood meal to my roses in March. I also used it in the spring—nitrogen is essential for plant growth: I simply added two tablespoons of blood meal per square meter to the soil and loosened it.

I didn't use it directly on my houseplants—the smell wasn't very pleasant. I mixed small amounts of blood meal and bone meal and added it to the soil around my indoor rose. The rose started growing, sprouting more shoots, and the bush became bushy. And, unexpectedly, the spider mites disappeared.

I'm going to try the flour on flowers and lawn grass to compare it with other fertilizers.

I liked the ease of use.