A growing organic-gardening movement advocates avoiding chemical fertilizers. Such gardeners use only organic material such as animal manure and compost as fertilizer.a At one time organic materials were available only from farms. But today treated organic fertilizer can often be bought at nurseries as easily as chemical varieties.

Too, some gardeners who live in the city have found that organic fertilizers can be obtained at little or no cost. In most cities there are horse stables and zoos that often allow gardeners to take or buy animal droppings for fertilizing purposes. Then there is treated sludge. When mixed with grass clippings or straw, sludge can serve as excellent fertilizer. It may be obtained from sewage plants. The fertilizer applied to many beautiful golf courses is actually nothing more than sludge that is sold under a trade name and at a high cost.

If you prepare the soil at the time of the growing season, it may be a little harder to work. Weeds should be pulled and the ground turned as soon as it is dry enough. Then a treated fertilizer might be added. It is usually not wise to add fresh manure at this time, as it is likely to burn the plants. The surface of the soil can then be raked level to prevent hollows where water will collect.