[mtbr50]

I've read quite a few references to it and all of them say it's readily soluble in water. The labels on all of the blood meal I've used say it's water insoluble. What's up with that?

[guineapig]

It could be that all the references say this nutrient is the quickest available to the plant out of all the Nitrogen sources.....perhaps you are confusing this quick nutrient
availability with water solubility and the two are actually very different.....

This same question ran through my head, however, about Blood Meal and Bone Meal Teas......why wouldn't they work?

So no Blood or Bone Teas? Not even for Halloween? Muahahahahaha......

kind regards from a guineapig

I was reading one of my product mags and there is a liquid bone meal now. It is made by Aggrene Liquid bone meal 0-12-0 and it costs 8.95 but no Blood meal.

[3BM]

Blood meal has a high protein content. These protein compounds will not readily disolve in water, which may be why they term it water insoluble. Have you ever smelled wet blood meal? It is quite possibly the most rank smell I have ever encountered. Anything smelling that foul seems easy to avoid. I know, I know all fertilizers smell bad, after all aren't we talking about shit here? Fish emulsion smells pretty foul, but I can tell you that wet blood meal beats it hands down.

Try Alfalfa meal in teas as a nice alternative. Alfalfa is partially soluble, and contains high N as well as P and K. It also contains a wide range of micronutrients, hormones, amino acids, vitamins, and a fatty acid growth stimulant called triaconatol. Try this mix:

4 gal water
1 cup Alfalfa meal
1 tsp Molasses

Well I hope that helps.

3BM

[mtbr50]

It could be that all the references say this nutrient is the quickest available to the plant out of all the Nitrogen sources.....perhaps you are confusing this quick nutrient
availability with water solubility

Could be, but that isn't the case. Here's just one of the references:

11. Blood and Bone meal - this classic combo can be found almost everywhere these days. However blood meal is very expensive. Bone meal can be even cheaper if purchased in 20 lb bags from feed stores. Since blood meal is totally soluble, it can be added to compost tea recipes.. With a NPK around 11-0-0, it has the highest total nitrogen ratio of all natural fertilizers, and may burn plants if used improperly. Steamed bone meal has a recorded NPK around 0-11-0. Usually steamed bone meal has a total N from 1-6%, 11% soluble P but 20% total P, and 24% calcium. Raw bone meal has more total N but none of the P is water soluble.

Ripped from Gardenweb.com

Have you ever smelled wet blood meal?

Unfortunately, yes . That's why I bury it in the lower portion of the pots now.

Alfalfa tea be good stuf. I'll just stick with it. Thanks!