Miracle Gro Shake 'N Feed All Purpose, is it organic?

[andy2019]

Do you know if Miracle Gro Shake 'N Feed All Purpose Plant Food is organic? It says it contains natural ingredients. Their NPK is surprisingly high, 12-4-8. Right now I'm using Down To Earth All Purpose and I know DTE is 100% organic and its NPK is only 4-6-2

 

[Chuck]

No, it is not organic. It is just another marketing gimmick to try to take away authentic organic marketing shares. It does have have some natural ingredients in it but the NPK is synthetic.

Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed All Purpose Plant Food :: Directions for Me

 

[Davedavey]

No, it is not organic. It is just another marketing gimmick to try to take away authentic organic marketing shares. It does have have some natural ingredients in it but the NPK is synthetic.

Miracle-Gro Shake 'n Feed All Purpose Plant Food :: Directions for Me

What do you call synthetic. you really think they can make millions and millions of tons of synthetic. Actually you can call it all organic. Just because it ain't ground up plant material or out of a cow's tail doesn't make it not organic. Because if you look it up you'll see most fertilizers are dug out of the ground there's massive deposits of it. Yes some is created by mixing natural products but doesn't that still make it organic????https://www.yara.com/crop-nutrition/why-fertilizer/production-of-fertillizer/

 

[Chuck]

What do you call synthetic. you really think they can make millions and millions of tons of synthetic. Actually you can call it all organic. Just because it ain't ground up plant material or out of a cow's tail doesn't make it not organic. Because if you look it up you'll see most fertilizers are dug out of the ground there's massive deposits of it. Yes some is created by mixing natural products but doesn't that still make it organic????https://www.yara.com/crop-nutrition/why-fertilizer/production-of-fertillizer/

I call synthetic fertilizers anything made from natural gas, oil and chemically derived acids. And they do make millions of tons of synthetic fertilizers. The NPK in these fertilizers may or may not have come from the ground in some fashion.
Nitrogen is the main component and the only component that cannot be mined in fertilizers. The P and the K in fertilizers can be mined but are radically changed by chemical processes.
Way back in 1909 there was a man named Fritz Haber. He figured out how to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia. At the time he didn't really understand what he had discovered but soon found out that he could make explosives and thus the mountains of ammonium nitrate that were left over after WW1. Someone found out that these leftover explosives made great fertilizers, so he and a guy named Bosch got together and the result is called the Haber-Bosch Process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen plants can use, todays synthetic fertilizer.
There are 3 ways of providing nitrogen to plants. Atmospheric nitrogen through lightning and rain. Biological nitrogen through consumption, excretion and decomposition. Industrial nitrogen fixation as I explained about Mr Haber. The biological means of providing nitrogen is called organic in today's vernacular.
This biological method is self-explaining. Something is eaten and excreted. Thus the manure. Something grows, dies, decomposes and reverts back to its beginning, NPK. The same P and K used in synthetic fertilizers is sometimes used in organic fertilizers only it is not adulterated by the use of acids. It is used as is in organic fertilizers.
Miracle Grow is finally seeing the light. They are producing a couple of authentic organic fertilizers and a compost. Unfortunately, they are still manufacturing synthetic fertilizers as well.

 

[oneeye]

If it weren't for synthetic fertilizers the world population would starve to death. What do you think they use on most, if not all commercial raised food crops? It ain't animal poop! If we all depended on only organic fertilizer the world population would suffer greatly because its so slow. I agree with Chuck organic is the best for home growers and small farmer, but for feeding the world we need to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia.

 

[Chuck]

If it weren't for synthetic fertilizers the world population would starve to death. What do you think they use on most, if not all commercial raised food crops? It ain't animal poop! If we all depended on only organic fertilizer the world population would suffer greatly because its so slow. I agree with Chuck organic is the best for home growers and small farmer, but for feeding the world we need to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia.

This is true. However, many large farmers are starting to use organic fertilizers and no-till methods. Perhaps someday things will change but, until then we will continue to destroy farmland and pollute vast areas of the oceans. Just look at the Gulf of Mexico off of Louisanna and the huge dead zone where the Mississippi River empties. All caused by unfettered use of synthetic fertilizers. Or the worn out land caused by synthetic fertilizers burning out the organic materials and leaving behind mineral salts. Organics are, just in the last decade, becoming widely used and understood. Not all good organic fertilizers are made from manure. Take alfalfa for instance. And cotton seed. These two examples are just a beginning. We have to start somewhere. Using synthetic fertilizers is akin to the point of diminishing returns. The more you use the more you must use to maintain the rate of production, simply because of the nature of synthetics and their destructive natures.

 

[oneeye]

Alfalfa, cotton seed burr, poultry mix and compost are my favorites. I never use synthetic fertilizers on my yard or garden and haven't in a very long time. When I was a landscaper, I had to use tons of it, and I got a good look at the damage it can cause in the long term. Most of the diseased yards with (TARR) "Take All Root Rot", "Brown patch", "St. Augustine Decline", "Necrotic Ring Spot" and many others were due to using excess Nitrogen over many years. All the runoff from rain goes into the water systems and poisons our lakes rivers and oceans. I agree with you Chuck.

 

[Meadowlark]

Alfalfa, cotton seed burr, poultry mix and compost are my favorites. ...

Oneeye,
Have you ever used alfalfa as a cover crop in the garden? Seems like it would be a natural. I found some seed for a variety of alfalfa that does well "supposedly" even in hot weather. Going to seed a row in the garden to see how it performs. I agree w/you it is a great slow release fertilizer.

 

[oneeye]

One time in the past, I found an old abandoned barn full of old rotten alfalfa bales with rusted wire. The hay loft was full and probably had over a 150 bales of rotten hay in there. They were so old that when I lifted the bales the wire busted. Everywhere, I used this alfalfa as a top dressing or an amendment the plants broke growing records in every case. Its was phenomenal and so alfalfa has always been a favorite mulch and shredded soil amendment. Today I have to pay $25 bucks a bale and so it's last on the get list now. I love alfalfa!!!!

 

[headfullofbees]

If it weren't for synthetic fertilizers the world population would starve to death. What do you think they use on most, if not all commercial raised food crops? It ain't animal poop! If we all depended on only organic fertilizer the world population would suffer greatly because its so slow. I agree with Chuck organic is the best for home growers and small farmer, but for feeding the world we need to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia.

The purpose of petrochemical fertiliser is labour-saving, not yield-enhancing.
I'd say the World's population is more endangered by petrochemical fertilisers.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

No its not organic. the only organic one I know of is the fish one.

 

[Leela]

This is true. However, many large farmers are starting to use organic fertilizers and no-till methods. Perhaps someday things will change but, until then we will continue to destroy farmland and pollute vast areas of the oceans. Just look at the Gulf of Mexico off of Louisanna and the huge dead zone where the Mississippi River empties. All caused by unfettered use of synthetic fertilizers. Or the worn out land caused by synthetic fertilizers burning out the organic materials and leaving behind mineral salts. Organics are, just in the last decade, becoming widely used and understood. Not all good organic fertilizers are made from manure. Take alfalfa for instance. And cotton seed. These two examples are just a beginning. We have to start somewhere. Using synthetic fertilizers is akin to the point of diminishing returns. The more you use the more you must use to maintain the rate of production, simply because of the nature of synthetics and their destructive natures.

YES! Check out SaveSoil.org - Soil needs our voices (agricultural soil is 52% degraded/DYING due to our modern methods of using the land - no Organic Soil, LESS nutrient food, LESS healthy life, eventually to No healthy life