Hi - here are some relatively inexpensive things I buy that pretty much cover all the bases:

rabbit food - a.k.a. alfalfa pellets
poultry manure - "Black Hen' is the brand I find here
bone meal
composted cow manure - $1.59/40# bag @ Home Depot

Some additional things you can use are:

milk - powdered or canned, diluted w/ water
corn meal
molasses - also diluted w/ water

You can search for discussions/FAQs about these items here on G'web for more detailed info.

& my most expensive purchase (but it lasts me all year) is Maxicrop powdered seaweed extract, used as a foliar feed &/or soil drench. I order mine from Pinetree Garden Seeds - they specialise in products for the smaller, home garden.

& of course the most inexpensive (i.e. free) 'fertilizer' for your garden is homemade compost! Check out the Soil & Compost forum for tons of good info....

Happy Gardening, HTH

o What does your soil analysis state is the deficiency?

o Different crops have different requirements. There is not a one-size-fits-all consumer product or organic amendment out there, despite what the advertising campaigns from Madison Ave tell you. Some require more N. Others Ca. Still others a 'balanced' amendment. Others still don't care much. Some recoil at overapplying a nutrient.

o Once you determine your crop and soil deficiency, using the search function on this forum will reveal a wealth of discussions about what particular amendment works best for what need/deficiency. Seemingly no end to what works for some.

Dan

As Dan states you need to talk with the people at your local office of the University of Florida Coopperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done to see what your soil might need, Then you can also dig into your soil with these simple soil tests,
1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains� too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell.

5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.
to see what else your soil needs.

Here is a link that might be useful: UF CES

For our blueberries we use a fertilizer for acid loving plants such as something you may use on azailyas. For Our veggies we use compost and compost tea. If you have not started a compost pile I wouldthink that this would be the most cost effective thing you could do. Google compost tea on the net and you can find a lot of information.

I suspect that Carol's suggestions might be close to what a newbie is looking for.

Invest in the cost of a soil test before trying to find the right fertilizer. Knowing the nutrient levels, pH and level of organic matter content will guide you in your purchases.

Kimmsr's bottle test will test you your type of soil and percentage of organic matter.

Start with good compost and some aged cattle manure. Let the soil test direct you in further needs. It will save you a lot of needless or misguided spending.

Good gardening.

FYI, here in FL, hardly anybody plants in the existing soil & only adds fertilizers - most of the soil here is mostly sand, teeming w/ nematodes & needs copious amounts of organic matter to produce veggies. Many folks prefer containers &/or raised beds for that very reason You simply can't go wrong piling on the compost & mulches (spoiled hay, straw being the best), IMPE.

TT might want to check out the FL Gardening forum - there are a number of other organic gardeners there...

Thanks all! Will do! :)