Has anyone ever used this organic, pelletised product as a slow-acting fertilizer for their fig trees?

I like the idea of slow-release, organics, working over the course of a few months.  Plus it contains some trace minerals.

Appreciate some opinions, or suggestions.

Frank

Frank,

Milorganite is made of humen waste.
It's an awesome product for the lawn. Gives you the stink for a while though.

Your are talking about the big white bag with the picture of a green lawn right?

Milorganite is a great fertilizer, but I wouldn't use it on any food crops. It's made from composted sewage, or it used to be here in Philly

I am very GLAD that I asked this forum about this product.

Human sludge/waste is not very appealing, and the smell...which I didn't consider...will attract disgusting house flies, and God knows what else, near my house and garden. 

Thanks for the warnings. 


Frank

I believe that Milorganite (at least in FL) used to contain warnings not to use it for crops.  It also had a cancer warning.

As said, it was great on the lawn (or what passes for grass in Florida).

Andrew

You could produce very special figs for your very special "friends"

The concern w/ Milorganite and food crops was due to heavy metals from industrial waste entering the sewage system.  Industrial waste containing heavy metals and other chemical compounds is not normally dumped into the domestic sewage today.  Milorganite claims to test for heavy metals on an ongoing basis and exceeds epa standards. I have used it on and off in my vegetable garden since the late 50s w/ no problems.
That being said there are better organic fertilizing approaches for potted figs but they do require weekly or bi weekly application.  Fish emulsion and Peruvian Seabird Guano are my choices.   Both have distinctive odors and neither attracts any more bugs than the ripe figs do.

After reading this topic and some of the responses given I felt I should chime in. First a little background, I am an Industrial Maintenance worker. I have worked in both the metal industry and now work in the laundry industry. Industrial discharge is in your municipal sewer systems. It is the only place for it to go. Most is treated by the company discharging the waste prior to discharge. Not all. Each municipality has its own standards relating to the types of treatment they can do to the discharge. This is what leads to the differences relating to where you are and what standards you must meet to discharge waste. A good example is discharge standards allow some quantities of material here in the city of Tampa that are not allowed in the county. One of the toughest counties in Florida is Orange county. Think Disney World. Most industrial facilities in Orange county can not even use sodium chloride in their water softeners they have to use potassium chloride.
  
Back to Milorganite, as with all fertilizers a check of there website and a check of there complete analysis is the best policy. Remembering of course that checks are random analysis not analysis of each bag. I am reminded of the story that came out when the Obama's wanted a garden at the White House and analysis of the soil showed higher than normal concentrations of lead. Care to guess what was one of the products the gardeners had been using on the lawn to keep it green. As cmdrzog stated I believe there are better choices for organic fertilizing. 

Most of the mealy-type organic fertilizers that I have tried in the past, all smell like "decomp" after a few warm days, and houseflies constantly buzz around the containers seeking a good dead body.  Disgusting.....

After reading about all the demerits re: "Milorganite" I also think that there are better choices for organic fertilizers.

Maybe I'll take a trip to the local "Pot-Grower's" store, and see what they have in non-stinking organics.

Thanks for the information.

Frank

Anyone laying sod in the near future should try to apply this product on the soil before the sod is applied and after it is applied.

Frank,
LOL, the stink goes away in most cases over night. Give the lawn a good bath at night after you apply it. In many cases you will be amazed in how green your lawn looks.

Not saying this product will bring back a dead lawn, there are different remedies for that. But it help with an already established lawn.

BUT, I will NOT used it on my figs!

Many many years ago I did a brief stint in a waste water treatment facility here in Philly. There are federal regulations about what is allowed to return to the rivers, but I am not familiar with regulations regarding what is done with the sludge that is collected. The plant I worked at produced a fair amount of methane gas that was used to run the plant, so they were pretty efficient about what they did. The sludge was sent to a central location from all 3 waste water facilities and composted. Huge piles of stinking steaming crap all over in a huge facility. This was turned to Milorganite. Some was offered free to residents, but always with the warning not to use on food crops. Not in a million years would I put this stuff on my figs or any food crop, regardless of the assurance of heavy metal testing. 

The caveats just keep getting worse as each posting is added to the forum.

As I have originally posted, I was going to use this as a fertilizer for my fig trees...until I learned about its questionable and objectionable provenance. 

I will not be used for my fig trees...and, I hate that "Eau de Crappe" whiff, however short-lived.


Thanks for the warnings.

Frank

I have used Milorganite on my sodded lawn in the past and it works great as a slow release fertilizer.  The "aroma" doesn't smell like sewage but it is unusual and sometimes will persist for a week here in GA.

I use it now on the perimeter of my garden to ward off varmints.  It has worked great for me to keep out deer and rabbits.  I spread out a few handfuls about once every week or two and that seems to work very well.  Using that little, I don't notice any smell a few hours later.  And no attacks at all from deer or rabbits on my crops the past 2 seasons when in use.

I have one dog, however, that would eat a whole bag of the stuff if I let him.

The original questions were for application on my containerized, fig trees.

After reading all the above information, I will pass.  However the additional uses for this product will be helpful for others on the forum.

Frank

Come on Frank, you can do it. ( said in Adam Sandlers voice )

I stopped buying cheap 'Top Soil' from big boxes for very similar reasons...

Don't you all feel "Relieved" to know this now?

I do Rafed big time. Thank you so mach. I don`t use my sh... why should i use others.

Eden,

You didn't get it bud. LOL

LoL. I do now. LoL

LOL, means Laughing out laud. I'll email you later what I meant Eden.

I am like the diesel truck on - 20 F take a wild to crank. 

LOL Eden,

Don't beat yourself. We all had to learn, don't forget that.

LOL I am still laughing. Dam you Rafed. LOL

I have been using milorgonite for years on my plants and flowering gardens.  The stuff does smell for a day or so but the deer and woodchucks do not like the stuff at all.  There is nothing worse than finding all the flowers gone after the deer have had their fill - wait a year for the flowers to come, feed the deer and be left with lots of empty plants.

I do not use this stuff, as you have all agreed, on any foodstuff plants but it is effective and inexpensive as deer, woodchuck and rabbit protection.  

d