Conventional fertilizers often do not keep what they promise. Fortunately, there are numerous ways to naturally enrich your houseplant's substrate with nutrients. Try it with horn shavings. In this article you will find all relevant information about the production and application of the organic material.

Horn shavings are a by-product of meat production

Interesting facts about horn shavings

What are horn shavings

Horn shavings (€32.93) are a so-called secondary fertilizer because they are actually just a waste product. Horn shavings (€32.93) are obtained from animal hooves. In order to utilize an animal for slaughter as completely as possible, manufacturers plane the hooves and grind the material into shavings.

Are horn shavings poisonous?

Horn shavings are a natural product that does not contain any toxic substances. However, they are not suitable for consumption. Also, be careful not to inhale the dust when applying to the potting soil.

Are there quality differences? What to look out for when buying?

The material is basically always the same, but there are different types of products. Horn shavings are differentiated based on their degree of grinding. You can choose from the following categories:

  • Horn meal: grinding less than 1 mm
  • Horn meal or semolina: grinding around 1 - 5 mm
  • Horn shavings: grinding greater than > 5 mm

How effective are horn shavings as houseplant fertilizer?

Horn shavings act like a long-term fertilizer. It can take up to three months for benefits to become noticeable. Nevertheless, the material has the advantage of being very sustainable.
Horn shavings provide your houseplants with the following nutrients:

  • Horn meal: 10 - 13% nitrogen, 5% phosphorus and 7% calcium
  • Horn semolina: 12 - 14% nitrogen, 6 - 8% phosphorus and 7% calcium
  • Horn shavings: 9-14% nitrogen, 6-8% phosphorus and 7% calcium

Another advantage is that the pH of the substrate does not change during use. As a result, over-fertilization is practically impossible.

Note: But be careful, horn shavings also have disadvantages. The scent has a stimulating effect on pets, for example. It can happen that your cat digs in your flower pots. Likewise, you must decide for yourself whether you can justify the use of animal body parts from an ethical point of view.

application

The application of horn shavings is comparatively simple. It is best to apply the material to the substrate in autumn so that the nutrients are available to your plants in spring.

Category:

Indoor plants