The Secret to Healthy Plants: Organic Fertilizer

This year I have a secret weapon that will make me a garden hero! I’m using an organic fertilizer (Alaska® by Pennington® Pure Kelp Plant Food). It is a natural organic alternative to synthetic fertilizers, made from North Atlantic Sea Kelp. {I know what you’re thinking…and no…it doesn’t smell}.

Note: Post and giveaway sponsored by Central Garden & Pet, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.

First of all, congrats to Livivua for wining a $25 American Express Gift Card from our Spring Fling Must-Haves for a Neglected Lawn post!

alaska fish fertilizerYes, we’re doing it again (enter to win at the bottom of this post). But first, allow me a brief garden confession: I was not born with a green thumb. Whew, feels good to get that off my chest. Just as I only post easy recipes that I have actually made myself, I’m only qualified to share gardening tips that I have actually used. File this under the “if I can do it, so can you” category!

I LOVE decorating with flowering plants, especially in containers in patio or porch spaces. My track record? Not great. This time, however, I have a secret weapon! I’m using an organic fertilizer to make me a garden hero! Alaska® Fish Fertilizer 5-1-1.  It works for for indoor and outdoor plants. In fact, I used it three ways: container plants for the patio, 2 new apple trees, and an indoor plant.

1. Container Plants

I used it on potted flowers for the back patio.

container plants

Just mix 1 tablespoon with 1 gallon of water. (or, 1/4 Tablespoon per quart). Yes, it’s sort of muddy looking, but it shakes up well.

organic fertilizer measuring

We mixed it in a recycled orange juice jar. Pretty, huh?

mixed organic fertilizer

Plant and pour – now we wait and watch!

mixed organic fertilizer

2. Small Trees

To help our newly planted apple trees. We used a stronger solution mix for these, 4 Tbsp per gallon of water.

fertilizing apple trees organic

3. Indoor Plants

And on our malnourished peace lily in our living room. Here we only needed 1 teaspoon per quart.

organic fertilizer on peace lily

It is a natural organic alternative to synthetic fertilizers, made from North Atlantic Sea Kelp. {I know what you’re thinking…and no…it does not smell}.

Here’s how it works – Sea Kelp has 11 essential nutrients that enrich the soil and makes plants stronger. It stimulates micro-organisms to build soil content and doesn’t cause plant burn. And it’s all-natural!

For those with a spirit of adventure, you can also use it for hydroponic gardening systems as well!

hydroponic garden
(photo via MarthaStewart.com)

Are you ready to put on your garden hero cape? Would winning a $25 American Express Gift Card help? Enter to win by commenting below about how you use plants in flowers in your outdoor decor by May 31, 2013 at 9 pm EST and you just might be our next lucky winner!

Central Garden & Pet partnered with bloggers such as me to help educate us all about their products. As part of this program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the use of the products. Central Garden & Pet believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Central Garden & Pet’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. A winner will be chosen by random and gift card fulfillment will be handled by a third party.

10 comments
  1. Nice work on the indoor plant system. Especially with the recyclable ideas and creations. The containers are ones that I would probably invest in nowhere! lol. I have so many in my pantry right now. Love this article. Thank you and namaste

  2. Nice orderly nutrients and delicates for the garden. Keeping a garden much later however now within. The living that is contained in the area of expertise is always giving and receiving. The plants tell us so much.

  3. That looks like a great product. I know that fish byproducts are great for plants. I see it has more nitrogen for the blossoms and leaves too. I use worm castings for my garden vegetables, but I’ll have to keep an eye out for this stuff for my flowers. Thanks! 🙂

  4. I’m terrible using plants and flowers as part of the outdoor decor, but I love my lilacs, lilies, and roses.

  5. Dragon Wing Begonia! By far the most stellar plant when it grows huge and has glossy leaves not to be compared to anything else and red blooms that take your breath away!!

  6. Mandevilla. They have tons of blooms all summer long, and are always a great conversation piece.

  7. Irises brighten my garden area with their delicate bloomd and cheerful yelloe color. My butterfly bush gives pretty colors with its blooms and brings beautiful fluttering friends!

  8. You have great taste – Geraniums are my FAV as well! 🙂 Bet they look awesome in a rustic urn. And I’m drooling over the thought of a garbage-can-hiding-pallet design!

  9. Geraniums are my go to flower. Very hardy and actually thrive even though I’m surrounded by Fir Trees that release sap and needles. I used to always do orangey red but this year I fell in love with multiple pink ones. I have red and white ones though in a rustic urn that sits in front of my brand new pellet design that I made to hide my garbage cans. Enough rambling…Thanks for the opportunity to win!

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