Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gardening

Curious what bone meal is? Here’s what you need to know

Cayla Leonard
By

There are tons of products and techniques for enriching your garden and helping your plants thrive, but some of them can sound pretty intimidating. Bone meal is certainly on the list of scary-sounding plant products. Is it actually made of bones, and what could it possibly do for your garden? If you’ve ever been confused or even a little grossed out by bone meal, don’t worry. We’re going to tell you everything you need to know about what bone meal is and how to use it.

What is bone meal?

Bone meal is a powder made from finely ground animal bones. The bones are sourced from farms or slaughterhouses, so the most commonly used bones are beef. However, you can find bone meal made from other common livestock, such as pigs or chickens. The animals are tested for disease, and the bones are boiled or steamed before being ground, so you don’t need to worry about sanitation.

Recommended Videos

Most gardening supply stores will carry bone meal, however you can make your own if you’re feeling particularly industrious. If you do want to make your own, we’d recommend using chicken or turkey bones, as they’re smaller and easier to grind without special equipment. Be sure to boil them thoroughly first, both to clean and to soften the bones.

Related
A pile of bone meal next to the equipment used to make it

How does it help your garden?

Bone meal contains a lot of phosphorus and calcium, two nutrients that plants need to grow and thrive. Phosphorus is associated with growth and blooming, while calcium helps with the building of cell walls. Additionally, bone meal breaks down very slowly, meaning that a small amount of bone meal can last for quite a while. This prevents nutrient overload and cuts down on the amount of time you have to spend fertilizing your plants.

Bone meal is also completely natural and organic. Some manufacturers may add other nutrients to the mix, which can affect its organic status. However, pure bone meal, being only animal bones, is fully organic. In fact, it’s one of the best organic ways to add a large amount of phosphorus and calcium to the soil.

How to use bone meal

Bone meal is used like any other fertilizer, in that it’s mixed into the top three to six inches of soil. However, it’s important not to use too much. Remember that bone meal stays in the soil for a long time before it fully breaks down, so if too much is added, you’ll have to wait a while for the soil to return to normal nutrient levels.

You should read any instructions that come with your bone meal, but typically it’s added at a ratio of 10 pounds per 100 square feet. If you don’t have a 100 foot garden, that’s 1 pound per 10 square feet. Test your soil before application, and don’t use bone meal if you already have an average or above-average amount of phosphorus or calcium in your soil.

Additionally, you should test your soil’s pH first. Bone meal is most effective in soils that are acidic to neutral. In soil that’s alkaline, plants have difficulty absorbing phosphorus. Applying bone meal to alkaline soil can lead to a buildup of phosphorus in the soil.

A hand holding and scattering bone meal

Are there any drawbacks or downsides?

Aside from needing to use bone meal specifically on acidic or neutral soil, bone meal can also occasionally attract animals. Scavengers may be drawn to the scent. However, this can be mitigated by adding a layer of mulch after mixing in the bone meal, a step that will help dampen the scent and keep out nosy pests.

A downside for some gardeners may be that bone meal is made from animal bones. If you’d prefer something else, you can use banana peels and nuts to add phosphorus to your compost instead. However, these don’t have as much phosphorus as bone meal, nor do they last as long in the soil.

If you’re concerned about the potential mistreatment of the animals whose bones are being used, there are some things you can do. Getting bone meal from a reputable source helps, but since some brands don’t disclose where specifically their bones come from, it can be difficult to be certain. A better option may be looking for local sources of bone meal. You can look for it at your local farmers market, or get in touch with local farmers and butchers. If you buy local, you’ll be able to speak directly with the farmers and ask them about how the animals are cared for.

Bone meal may have an intimidating name, but it can do a lot of good for your garden. It’s easy to use, has a lot of benefits, and only has a few potential drawbacks. Remember not to use too much, and test your soil’s pH and nutrient levels beforehand. Your plants will thank you with healthy, vigorous growth.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard
Contributor
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
Blazing stars will fill your summer garden with color: A liatris care guide
Growing and caring for liatris
Tall purple liatris (blazing star) with butterflies

There are many wonderful plants you can add to your summer flower garden for stunning color, from tall and bright sunflowers to short and sweet zinnia. If you’re planning your garden now, you should definitely consider adding liatris, also called blazing star, to the mix! This tall, drought-tolerant, native perennial has stunning purple flowers. It’ll even attract butterflies. Here’s everything you need to know about planting and caring for liatris.
Planting liatris
You can plant liatris bulbs in the spring or fall, but you can transplant mature plants during any season. Choose a location with full sun and well-draining soil to plant your liatris in. Blazing stars can tolerate some light shade, but they won’t thrive unless they get at least 6 hours of sun each day. Spacing is important when planting liatris, as they can grow to 2 feet high and 1.5 feet wide. Plant your liatris bulbs 12 to 15 inches apart so they have plenty of space to grow.

In addition to having well-draining soil, it should also be average or poor. Many plants prefer soil that's rich with organic matter, but liatris has an unusual quirk! The flower stalks will sometimes bend or flop over if the soil is too rich.

Read more
Take advantage of hydrangeas’ color-changing quirk – how to get beautiful blue hydrangeas
Make your soil acidic to turn your hydrangeas a beautiful blue color
Hydrangeas with blue flowers

Hydrangeas are known for two things -- impressive, showy flowers and their tendency to change color based on the pH of the soil. This makes them highly appealing, but also unpredictable. If you don’t take the soil into account, your bright blue hydrangeas could turn out to be pink or purple instead. With careful planning, you can take advantage of this quirk to ensure your hydrangeas are the striking shade of blue you want them to be.
Getting started
First, check what variety of hydrangeas you have. Not all hydrangeas change color! Bigleaf hydrangeas, especially the mophead and lanceleaf cultivars, are the ones that change color. However, white hydrangeas of any variety will not change color.

Test the soil’s pH before you get started. This lets you know how much you’ll need to change it, or if you need to change it at all. If your soil pH is already between 5.5 and 4.5, it’s acidic enough to turn your hydrangeas blue.

Read more
Texas sage: This colorful shrub can withstand almost anything
Here are tips on caring for Texas sage
A black and blue butterfly on a Texas sage shrub

If you’re in need of a beautiful, hardy shrub that can withstand almost anything, then Texas sage is a great place to start. With silvery leaves and purple flowers that resemble true sage, this robust shrub looks amazing on its own or as part of a larger garden. If you want to add this lovely flowering shrub to your garden, then you’re in the right place. Here’s a simple care guide to help get you started.
Planting Texas sage
Texas sage is tolerant of poor soil, heat, and cold, so it’s typically not an issue to grow it outdoors. However, if you’re lacking in space or want to liven up your home, it can also grow in a container. In fact, its tolerance of poor soil makes it easier to grow in a container than many plants, as it doesn’t need fresh soil as often. A container that's around 12 inches in diameter is typically big enough for a Texas sage plant.

Whether indoors or out, you’ll need to make sure it has proper drainage. The most common problems with Texas sage come from overwatering or poor drainage, but you can avoid this by testing your soil’s drainage or choosing a container with drainage holes.

Read more