Horn meal is an organic fertilizer with a high nitrogen content and long-lasting effect. It is recommended for fertilizing various plants, including lawns under certain circumstances. Find out more about horn meal as a fertilizer: In our guide you can find out what specifically distinguishes it and what you should pay attention to when buying it.
Horn meal supplies the plants with all vital nutrients
Our recommendations
our recommendation
Dehner organic horn meal, for balcony and garden plants, 5 kg, for approx. 50 sqm
14.49 EUR To the product| grit | flour/semolina |
|---|---|
| nitrogen content | 13 % |
| contents | 5kg |
| odor intensity | medium |
| price/kg | about {PRICE/5} EUR |
Amazon reviewers praise the high quality of Dehner's organic fertilizer. It should be ideal for flower boxes (€16.99) and various plant beds. Basically, according to customer opinions, it also works very well on the lawn (light spots soon become juicy green again, yellow spots on the lawn quickly disappear from the fertilizer, etc.); For some, however, the price is a bit too high for large-area lawn fertilization. The horn meal seems to smell strongly; several buyers advise to gently work in the fine granules with a rake immediately after application in order to reduce the intensity of the smell.
Another note: some reviewers find the grain size more than grits.
our recommendation
Oscorna horn meal, 5 kg
19.52 EUR To the product| grit | flour |
|---|---|
| nitrogen content | 14 % |
| contents | 5kg |
| odor intensity | unknown |
| price/kg | about {PRICE/5} EUR |
Most customers at Amazon are enthusiastic about Oscorna horn meal. They praise the high effectiveness and describe the fertilizer as easy to use. Some reviewers also state that this horn meal is said to be good for clover. Here are other top-functioning areas of application mentioned by buyers of the flour: tomatoes, rhododendrons, box trees, privet hedges. The only disadvantage compared to the test-winning flour from Dehner: the Oscorna product is not of organic quality.
our recommendation
Ground horn meal 14% N 2.5 kg
14.49 EUR To the product| grit | flour |
|---|---|
| nitrogen content | 14 % |
| contents | 2.5kg |
| odor intensity | unknown |
| price/kg | approx. EUR {PRICE/2.5} |
Hack horn meal is recommended for anyone who wants to feed a very small area with high-quality organic fertilizer. It is declared to be easy to use and to support healthy plant growth.
Purchase Criteria
size of grain
The size of the granulation affects how quickly and sustainably the fertilizer works. The coarser the grains, the slower the agent deposits the nitrogen. For this reason, coarse-grained horn shavings (€32.93) with a grain size of five millimeters and more and horn semolina with a grain size of one to five millimeters are recommended if you are aiming for long-term fertilization. In contrast, the finest horn meal is ideally suited for fertilizing distributed over the year. Its grain size is less than one millimeter.
Summarized:
Horn meal: grain size 5 mm
our recommendation
Cuxin natural fertilizer Horn Gries MINIGRAN, 25 kg
49.49 EUR To the product our recommendation
Dehner organic horn shavings with long-term effect, for balcony and garden plants, 2.5 kg, for approx. 25 sqm
8.49 EUR To the productodor intensity
Horn meal and the other horn fertilizers often have a strong odor of their own, which human noses often find very unpleasant. When comparing different products, pay attention to the customer reviews to get an impression of the extent to which the smell is noticeable and disturbing.
tips
Do you stink (literally or figuratively) of scattering ground animal remains around your yard? Then simply use animal-free organic fertilizers to provide your green oasis with nutrients in the long term.
our recommendation
WOLF-Garten - Natura organic lawn fertilizer for 280 m² NR 18.9
34.99 EUR To the productprice
Depending on how many plants you want to supply with horn meal, it may be worth buying a larger pack right away. Usually the price per kilo goes down with heavier weight.
youtubefrequently asked Questions
What is horn meal?
Horn meal is an organic fertilizer that consists largely of animal proteins. It is made from cattle horn and hooves and acts as a pure nitrogen fertilizer. If you look at the ingredients of the horn meal, you can see that the special fertilizer only provides a little phosphate, sulfur and potassium. However, this is not a problem, since most German gardens are already sufficiently supplied with phosphate and potassium by nature. Under these conditions, horn meal can be used as a universal fertilizer with a clear conscience.
Here is an overview of the most important ingredients and characteristics of horn meal:
Nitrogen content: 10 -14%
Phosphorus content: 1-5%
Potassium content: 0-1%
Calcium content: approx. 6%
Magnesium content: 0%
Sulfur content: 0.008%
Organic matter content: 85%
Duration of action: 6-8 weeks
pH value: neutral
tips
The available horn meal products are usually imports from South America. There are comparatively few products that come directly from Germany or even from Europe. The reason for this is the lack of raw materials, as cattle in this country are often dehorned as young calves so that they do not injure each other in the stables. In South America, cattle usually graze on large pastures, which is why premature dehorning is generally not necessary.
What are the advantages of horn meal compared to a mineral nitrogen fertilizer?
Compared to a mineral nitrogen fertilizer, horn meal has some advantages, but also two disadvantages.
Benefits:
- renewable resource
- less manufacturing effort
- often cheaper
- is first mineralized in the soil (virtually no salt damage, leaching into the groundwater and over-fertilization)
- Mineralization occurs gradually (long-term effect)
Disadvantage:
- Implementation depends on temperature and moisture (increased risk of leaching on warm spring and autumn days: the soil is warm and active, but the plants are not yet or no longer able to absorb nutrients)
- lower speed of action
What is the difference between horn meal and horn shavings?
Horn meal and horn shavings consist of the same raw materials and therefore have the same ingredients. They differ only in the consistency of the grain. While the flour is very fine, horn shavings are coarse-grained.
Whether a product with horn meal or instead one with horn shavings (€32.93) is the better choice depends on the intended use. If you want a quick(er) effect, you should buy horn meal. If you are aiming for a long-term effect with (even) more leisurely nitrogen development, you are making the right decision with horn shavings.
In the case of horn meal, the mineral ammonium nitrogen begins to be released after a few days. It then works for six to eight weeks.
In the case of horn semolina and horn shavings, the release takes longer, but also lasts two to four months (semolina) or four to six months (shavings).
Basically, horn fertilizers are basically nitrogen fertilizers that develop quite slowly.
What causes horn meal in the lawn?
Horn meal enriches the soil with nitrogen. With its high nitrogen content of 10 to 14 percent, horn meal promotes the healthy growth of many green creatures. This fertilizer has no influence on the pH value. This distinguishes horn meal from other fertilizers and makes it usable for the lawn as well as for some plants.
tips
Yes, horn meal works against clover. The latter feels most comfortable on low-nitrogen, phosphorus- and potassium-rich soils. Now, horn meal contains a lot of nitrogen and little phosphorus and potassium. Consequently, it is a tried and tested remedy for unwanted clover.
For which plants is horn meal suitable as fertilizer?
Numerous plants benefit from horn meal as an organic fertilizer. You can also feed lime-sensitive plants such as rhododendrons or blueberries with the organic fertilizer. Here is an example overview of plants that find it particularly beneficial to be fertilized with horn meal:
- tomatoes
- paprika
- pumpkins
- cucumbers
- Kale
- Brussels sprouts
- eggplants
- strawberries
- rhubarb
- herbs
- roses
- hydrangeas
- conifers
Horn meal is well suited for long-standing crops, but less so for fast-growing crops that will soon be cleared, such as radishes or lettuce. In any case, you must always keep a close eye on the nutrient supply of your lawn and beds. Sometimes the sole supply of horn meal is not sufficient.
Indoor plants should not be fertilized with horn meal. There are hardly any microorganisms in commercially available potting soil. However, this is needed to convert the organic fertilizer into usable nitrogen. In short, horn meal does not harm, but it also has no real effect in terms of nutrient supply when it comes to fertilizing indoor plants.
When, where and how should I apply horn meal?
- Fertilize vegetables in spring, strawberries, rhubarb, perennials and shrubs for the first time in autumn. Then fertilize at intervals of about six weeks.
- Use preferably on healthy garden soil with lots of humus. Under such conditions, the nitrogen is released more quickly than in locations that are too dry or too moist, soils lacking in humus or soils that have a pH value that is too low.
- Only rely on horn meal fertilization alone if all other important nutrient elements are sufficiently available in the soil.
- Before fertilizing with horn meal, remove moss and other weeds from the lawn (except for clover). Otherwise, invite it to spread further, since a horn fertilizer acts very fairly and also takes care of the uninvited plant guests.
- Mix horn meal with mature compost. The latter accelerates the release of nitrogen. It also provides other elementary nutrients and trace elements.
- Distribute horn meal evenly and widely on the moist garden soil. Then gently work in the fertilizer using a rake.
- Recommended dosage: 30 to 50 grams per square meter for the lawn and for light consumers; 70 grams per square meter for heavy consumers.
Is horn meal toxic to dogs?
That cannot be said with certainty. One reads and hears again and again about cases that ended very negatively for the four-legged friend (from temporary diarrhea to death). We recommend discouraging dogs from eating horn meal whenever possible. With a high-quality, pure organic product, however, nothing worse should happen even if the furry friend eats a bit of horn meal.
equipment
spreader
A spreader is helpful to distribute the horn meal particularly precisely and evenly.
our recommendation