I think you can apply any of the organic fertilizers, like fish emulsion, alfalfa, cotton seed, feather or corn meals and of course, composts. Whatever is available locally is good. But to really fertilize, you need to address what your soil lacks and to do that you need a soil test. It will then tell you what you need in the fertilizer to address your soil's needs and make for the best health for your plants.

Lastly, look at the three major components of fertilizers, NPK. I concentrate on Nitrogen when the plant is in it's spring and fall growth periods. Phosphorous during bloom time and (K)Potassium for fall root structure and disease resistance.

I hope this helps. Ed

Well, The smell of the Fish Emulsion does not last long but if you don't want to use it any of the regular bagged fertilizers will do. I use either Plant Tone or Flower Tone as I like the organic fertilizers. I always use the bagged fertilizer first thing in the spring when the daylilies start growing and it would do just as well in the fall.

fish emilsion smell don't last long. sbout a hour possibly 3. I used it yesterday on my plants and the smell was gonr in s hour.

The Liquid Fish Fertilizer smells worse than the Seaweed does. The stink lasts longer for me too but still, its not like it lasts that long. If you get rain, it will wash it right in.

Kay, I seldom fertilize here and when I do, I use triple 13. I'm not as ticky as some folks and where I live, there isn't much to chose from so I go with what I can get!...Ellie

Kay, in the fall I combine and use two organic fertilizers - Milorganite and PlantTone. Some people object to Milorganite, but it doesn't burn ( neither does PlantTone) and it at least temporarily deters deer. In the fall I like to plant deer food ( pansies) and broadcast Milorganite around them.
The fertilizer is here, all ready to go once I get the last dozen orders dug and shipped ( hopefully next week); a few plants that have been in pots all summer planted, mulch touched up, and once all that is done, then the fertilizer will go down. I'm hoping to get all of this done over the next week if the weather will cooperate!

Floota, saw your post where you mentioned that Milorganite temporarily deters deer. I've used it for two or three years, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. How often to you apply it? Maybe I'm not applying often enough.

DD

I try to reapply after rains as needed.

I did use the fish emulsion, it wasn't bad, and the smell was gone pretty much by that evening. I have also used the milorganite in the fall, I always use it early spring. When I visited Hanson's this past summer, I asked him about fall fertilizer, and he said that he uses milorganite if he has it.
cindy

I TRIED a couple bags of that milorganite 2 yrs ago, mainly cause i read if keeps deer away.no one handles it here and it has to be sprcisl orfere snd itd too ecpendive here, too, so i just usedd it once.it done nothing about the deer.

I've used milorganite successfully for the deer, for 2 years now. It has to be applied early in the season, it has to be applired liberally, and as floota said, you have to reapply it after it rains.

You need to break the deers habit of walking through your gardens and eating. Start early in the spring.

I know when I need to re-apply it as I see they have been in and nipped at something.