Chemical fertilizers vs. "Organic"

[fgately]

Please post some opinions here. I am really trying to come to some decision as to what to do, and I am sure this is a question others may have.

Ok, so I get the reason why we should avoid, for almost any reason, the use of pesticides near our torts. But I am not sold on the idea of not using chemical fertilizers. I absolutely guarantee that just about everything all of us have eaten recently was grown with the use of chemical fertilizers. Even the original founder of Greenpeace has said that if the world went all "organic" millions more people would starve all over the world. Organic is far more expensive to do, WAY more work, not as efficient, produces far less, and it is still debatable if it is even better for the animals (us included) who eat it.

The chemical fertilizers I want to use would help me attain a fuller and greener lawn, and more robust edible plants for my slow moving yard buddies to eat. Most of it is in the pelleted type forms. After I apply it, the tiny pellets dissappear into the lawn, or I rake them into the soil for bedding plants, so the torts have almost no chance of eating it. (I seriously doubt my torts would eat it anyway.) I do not use "weed and feed" as that does have some poisonous chemicals.

What do you people think?

Looking forward to opinions....

 

[GBtortoises]

I can't speak for pros and cons of the use of chemical fertilizers because I have never used them, we didn't when I was growing up on the farm either. All we ever used and all I've ever used at home is organic fertilizer in it's basic form-poop. Mainly cow and horse manure. Probably not practical to use on a lawn, but I'm not a manicured lawn type of guy so I wouldn't know that either. Whatever comes up, comes up at my place! But horse manure and cow manure work great in vegetable and flower gardens and if a tortoise does happen to get ahold of a little it's not going to hurt them.

 

[Yvonne G]

Here's a site that gives the pros and cons:

http://www.dannylipford.com/diy-hom...ing/debate-over-organic-chemical-fertilizers/

And question #2 in this link tells how soon animals can graze after fertilizing:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-195067.html

 

[fgately]

Thanks GB and em! Composted manure for the bedding plants is great, and I think I will stick to that.

As for the lawn, I still think the pelleted type of fertilizer is the best.

I haven't read the links, but I will.

By the way, is it a good idea to leave out some chicken eggshells for them to crunch on if they need the extra calcium. I read somewhere it wasn't, but that would be pretty normal for them to come across and eat, eggshells in their natural habitats right? BTW, I boiled the shells to make sure there was no bacterial issue.

 

[OurZoo]

Thanks GB and em! Composted manure for the bedding plants is great, and I think I will stick to that.

As for the lawn, I still think the pelleted type of fertilizer is the best.

I haven't read the links, but I will.

By the way, is it a good idea to leave out some chicken eggshells for them to crunch on if they need the extra calcium. I read somewhere it wasn't, but that would be pretty normal for them to come across and eat, eggshells in their natural habitats right? BTW, I boiled the shells to make sure there was no bacterial issue.

Frank,

I know this is not the answer to your question - but it just a thought . . . sometimes we have to make a choice between having a lush green lawn and having our "friends" tooling freely around the yard (and that even includes your little Frankie).

Have you considerd worm castings? There is a product called Worm Glow, that is completely organic, having just worm poop, kelp, & volcanic rock and it works wonders as a soil amendment (even in this heat). Figuring you probably have very similar soil to us (can you say rocks?) Worm castings certainly have improved our soil/lawn/plant conditions. Heck, just reading the bag makes me feel better about what we are putting on/in our ground. It is a bit more expensive than fertilizer and we get ours at Armstong's, so maybe even more so, but the peace of mind when it comes to our chickens and tortoises (who poke around at everything) is worth it to us.

Just a thought ,
Sandy

 

[fgately]

Just a follow up to this thread.

I found a completely organic lawn fertilizer at Lowes. It is made from chicken feathers, bone meal, blood meal, meat meal, and a couple of other completely organic ingerdients. Only a little bit more expensive than the non-organic stuff too! So I'll use this for the lawn, and composted manure for the bedding plants.

Aiming for healthy and happy torties! Hoping they will be so happy, they will bless us with some babies next year.

Thanks all.