Many decades ago, bonemeal as a garden fertilizer source was rich in nutrients and did a fine job in promoting plant growth. It was treasured for providing organic phosphorus and nitrogen. But newer bone meal processing techniques now remove bone meal’s nitrogen, available phosphorus and other nutrients. The remaining phosphorus in bone meal is also slower to break down in our alkaline soils. With most of the nitrogen and micronutrients gone, bone meal is not a great fertilizer for the money. Fortunately, using quality compost in your garden usually provides adequate levels of phosphorus.
Growing Home: Bonemeal as a Fertilizer
