Bone Meal

[David Nicholson]

Maybe this is a local phenomena but over the last week I've searched a number of garden centres to top up my supply of ground, sterilised bone meal and can't find any anywhere. All of those tried did have stocks of a product that appears to be now called "Bone Meal Root Builder' which is a pelleted product much in the same style as chicken fertiliser.

I add bone meal to my potting mix in fairly unscientific proportions (eg in handfulls) and I bet if these were to be measured one would not greatly differ from 'tother. With the pelleted stuff I would have no idea how much I would have added.

Anyone else spotted this?

[David Shaw]

I have not been able to buy bonemeal in a powder form for a good number of years, David, I expect that it is something to do with 'ealth & safety and not wanting poor veggie growers to inhale the dust. I just use the pelleted stuff as I did the powder. It seems to be the same with most of the powder materials sold to gardeners.

[David Nicholson]

Thanks David. I was able to buy powdered bone meal last year and it came as a surprise to me that it didn't seem to be available any more. My problem still is will my handful of powdered be equal to a handful of the new stuff or will I have over-egged it? (to mix a few metaphors   )

[Lawrence]

Hi David
The nursery I now work for sells "traditional" bonemeal, not much good to you in Devon I know, but  it is made by Vitax which may help you in your search for a local supplier

[David Nicholson]

Cheers Lawrence, all the garden centres I tried stock Westland but I think I know where to look now.

[Yann]

bone meal is not sale anymore in EEC in powdered form due to sanity problem(Inhalation and animal virus). I know only one manufacture authorised to produce powder and sold under different brands (Solabiol in FR, Vitax in UK), the corn are sourced from organic cows. The main production is sourced from industrial livestock (full of drugs, etc).

[Yann]

David, making my annual order from Elixir Garden i've seen bone meal in powder :
https://www.elixirgardensupplies.co.uk/bone-meal-organic-garden-fertiliser.html

[David Nicholson]

Thank you Yann but I now have a choice of traditional powdered bone meal brands from Doff and Vitax from a local garden centre.

[ChrisB]

I got the same shock last time I bought it David.  I picked up some Q4 stuff on sale though, and it smells an awful lot like bone meal to me, but a better gauge is that our dog, Poppy says it's bone meal!  Give it a try....

[Erika]

Hello, Now is the time I repot dormant bulbs. I always add bone meal to it but wondered what sort of proportions to add i.e. 10cm pot? Although these are repotted now they are not watered until cooler weather.  Is it okay to leave the granules in the dry soil? I’ve been doing this for years  but thought I’d pose the question. Thanks, Erika