Replace Conventional Fertilizers with Organic Fertilizers

Q. I want to replace all my chemical fertilizers with organic formulations. The problem is that I’m not finding any organic fertilizers for landscape trees and shrubs such as podocarpus and photinia. Is it possible to make my own? Please tell me what you recommend.

For the USDA National Organic Program find fertilizers that are OMRI Listed or Approved for the USDA NOP. Other countries, places and people have different definitions of "organic".

A. The definition of “organic” can be difficult. To some people organic means free from pesticides and mineral fertilizers. To others it’s things like fish emulsion, kelp meal, bone meal guano, etc. To others it means strict adherence to the USDA definition of organic. In the United States the term organic usually means it’s a listed product of OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) which recommends products for the USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP).

OMRI Listed - USDA NOP

            There are fertilizers in bags listed as OMRI approved. I would look for the word “Organic” mentioned somewhere on the bag. Technically, a product cannot mention the word organic unless it’s recommended for USDA’s organic program. One that comes to mind is the OMRI Listed fertilizer called, “All Purpose” manufactured by Grow More. It resembles a mineral fertilizer when you open the bag but it’s one of the “organic” types.