Fertilizing perennials, trees, shrubs, and the lawn is often a regular part of spring yard maintenance in the Quad Cities Metro Area. Over time, plants use up the available nutrients in the soil, and those nutrients need to be replaced or our plants may suffer. Adding fertilizer is the simplest way to deliver these nutrients, but most synthetic fertilizers don’t help to improve the quality of our soil. Instead, it adds a quick shot of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK) when we water, which is quickly absorbed by the plants. The remaining fertilizer washes right through the soil. 

In addition, excess fertilizer can get washed away and ends up in our local water systems, which can have a negative effect on our local flora and fauna. Too much fertilizer in our natural waterways has a long term impact. First, the fertilizer causes aggressive algae blooms, which can make waterways almost impassible. Then, when the algae dies, it sinks to the bottom and in the process of decay removes oxygen from the water. No oxygen means nothing else can live in that water, plants or animals, and the area becomes a dead zone. 

 

Our Choice: BioFlora Organics

At Meyer, we feel it is our responsibility not to contribute to this negative impact on our local environment. We want to leave a healthy ecosystem for our children and grandchildren to enjoy and take care of!

Our choice for fertilizing is BioFlora Organics products. BioFlora’s products contain balanced lower-concentrations of NPK, because they include higher levels of naturally occurring nutrient sources like seaweed. 

 

 

BioFlora’s goal is not to just make plants grow faster, larger, and produce more. They also aim to correct other issues in your garden beds, whether that’s lack of nutrients, disease, or poor soil. Once a soil problem is identified, the products work to repair the problem. BioFlora has a process that allows them to include higher levels of humic and fulvic acids in their product, which help to not only grow better plants but to improve soil quality over time. Humic and fulvic acid occur naturally in soil but are often depleted. Adding these back in not only helps our plants grow better, but it helps to improve the soil over time as well. 

BioFlora Soil Source

BioFlora Soil Source can help improve your lawn, flowers, fruit, and vegetable plants. Less than ideal results are often due to poor soil, or soil that has been depleted of nutrients. Soil Source introduces organic matter and humic acid that raises the level of beneficial microbes in the soil. This helps soil to retain more water and nutrients so it is readily available for plants. 

BioFlora Seaweed Creme

BioFlora Seaweed Creme can help your plants become more resilient to drought, stress, and freezing temperatures. It also boosts fruiting production and root growth. Many seaweed fertilizers are produced using high-heat and chemical processes to extract essential nutrients, but BioFlora does not use these harmful processes. Instead, they use an ambient temperature development process that retains the original integrity of the nutrients. 

BioFlora Dry Crumbles 6-10-1 +10%Ca

BioFlora Dry Crumbles are a slow-release granular fertilizer with lower-levels of NPK, but with increased calcium. Dry Crumbles can be used for the lawn, shrubs, trees, flowers, and even vegetables. Calcium is an essential part of the finishing process for fruits and veggies. Dry Crumbles also contains 48 other important trace minerals to help deliver vigorous plant growth and healthy soil.

 

 

Before you fertilize this year, double-check the products you already have, and find out how their use affects the environment around you. If you’re ready to switch to organic fertilizer products, come see us at our Moline Garden Center location; we’re an exclusive supplier of BioFlora Organics products. Our staff can help guide you towards the products that are right for your yard.