# Milorganite lawn fertilizer



## 3MT

I'm thinking about going with an organic fertilizer for my lawn. I found  this stuff at both local big box stores and started to check out their  website, http://www.milorganite.com/home    Looks like good stuff, but I would like to know if anyone on here has  tried it or is using it. If you are using it how long? Are you  satisfied with the results? Any problems using it? I'm on a well and  concerned about the ground water but their site states that wells and  ground water are not affected by Milorganite. Their site also states  that the company has been in business for 80 yrs. if that is any  indication of the quality of the product. Any other information you  could pass along about this product would be greatly appreciated.


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## loboloco

Sorry, 3MT, we don't use organics except as a soil mix.  Then we take rabbit compost and plow it into the soil in the fall.  This gives it time to both breed and leach improving growth and reducing possible toxicity problems.  Never heard of that fertilizer either.


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## JEV

My father was a huge fan of Milorganite back in the early 60's when his new lawn was being established. We always had the nicest lawn on the street. If you can get by the fact of what it comes from, you'll be fine with it on your lawn.


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## weatherby

Yes....We have used Milorganite for years, BUT, not for what you are trying to achieve. I am in the landscaping industry and a big part of our business is fertilizing and weed control. 

Soil needs the correct balance of nutrients and micro-nutrients to allow cool season grass to stay healthy, it should have a balanced fertilizer applied at the correct rates through out it's growing season. Milorganite contains a high amount of Iron (4%) which is needed as a micro-nutrient in soil and it will also cause the turf to green up "IF" it is lacking in Iron but Milorganite is very low in the primary nutrients (N P K) only 5% nitrogen 2% phosphorus and 0% potassium. The nutrient a grass plant uses most of is (N) nitrogen, and without getting to technical, most mix's of cool season grasses need about 1lb of nitrogen per 1000 sq ft per growing season. So having said that, you can use Milorganite to fertilize your lawn, however, for your lawn to get the correct amounts of (N P K) you will have to apply it much more often which makes it a VERY expensive way to fertilize your lawn apposed to the more conventional fertilizers.

The bottom line is, in our industry, generally speaking, Milorganite is used to add iron to soil that is lacking in iron.

As far as your concern of contaminating your ground water? Well let me just say fertilizing your lawn correctly and responsibly is far less of a threat to your ground water than you might think it is, It's the irresponsible fertilizer applicators, be it a farm, golf course, or a landscape business like myself cleaning out there pesticide tanks or containers in a un-lawful manner or excessive spillage of pesticides in and around there filling site or applying over the recommend rate, that is the biggest threat to your ground water, because your well draws it's water from a under ground aquifer and that aquifer that your well draws it's water from can be the same aquifer that is being contaminated from miles and miles away even though you never put a drop of pesticide on your own turf .


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## hshields

"Milorganite" (and all sewage sludge biosolids products) contain large quantities of toxic industrial pollutants.

*WISCONSIN - Summer, 2007: Milwaukee, had to spend over $4 million to scrape tons of Class A sewage sludge "Milorganite" off 30 public parks and playgrounds because it was contaminated with toxic, carcinogenic PCBs (polychloride biphenyl ethers). Some PCB levels in the sludge exceeded EPA superfund limits and had to be disposed of at great expense in an EPA-licensed hazardous waste landfill. Between 2007 and 2009, PCBs in Milwaukee sewers have caused 3 more incidents of PCB contamination of its Class A sewage "biosolids" Milorganite. Industrial dumping was named as the source of the PCBs in sewers.*
*http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/4284*

*On February 22, 2010, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel revealed that Milwaukee sludge containing up to 1100 parts per million of toxic lead was spread on Kenosha, Wisconsin farm fields. It is unclear whether any of the lead contaminated sludge also ended up in the Class A Milorganite sludge. EPA regulations limit the lead in Class A EQ sludge to 300 parts per million.   **http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/85012452.html*


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## weatherby

Good point Hshields....That has also has been the same situation in Michigan from time to time.


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## 3MT

Thanks for all the replies. After reading those two articles, I don't think I want to apply it to my lawn. That doesn't say much for their QC/QA dept that does daily tests on that stuff. I think I'll keep using Scotts or maybe look into some other commercial fertilizers.


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## Cowboy

3MT said:


> Thanks for all the replies. After reading those two articles, I don't think I want to apply it to my lawn. That doesn't say much for their QC/QA dept that does daily tests on that stuff. I think I'll keep using Scotts or maybe look into some other commercial fertilizers.


 Doesn't say much about the government that are suposedlly making sure its safe either , but afterall they are the #1 producers of the main ingredient . 

 I do thankyou for starting the thread though 3MT , I had never heard about it untill you posted it and am looking into other fertilizers myself . I appologize for the slight thread jacking .


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## 3MT

No problem Cowboy. I'm glad others on the site that have experience with, or knowledge of this product, posted their replies. Much appreciated. Oh, that government stuff is probably more toxic then the Milorganite!


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## loboloco

Any decent trip 10 or other balanced fert will work.  Organic is basically for people with too much money and not enough sense.  In the end, it all came out of the back end of something.


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## muleman RIP

Chicken manure works good if you wait one year and grind it up good. It has to cook off before it can be put on without burning your grass. Sure makes things grow!


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