We use Milorganite organic fertilizer regularly and love its dual benefit as a deer deterrent. Good for lawns and gardens, there’s yet another reason you can feel good about this innovative fertilizer.
The US Nation’s Largest Recycling Program
The origin of Earth Day, coincidentally, is home to the world’s longest-running and nation’s largest recycling program: Milorganite organic fertilizer.
Through research conducted in the early 1900s it was found that the resulting product was useful as a fertilizer safe for lawns and gardens. “It’s a form of recycling we normally wouldn’t think about,” said Milorganite Director of Marketing, Jeff Spence.
But Earth Day and Milorganite have more than Milwaukee in common. They’re both about turning waste into something better.
Over 90 Years in Business
It’s remarkable to consider that Milorganite is 94 years old as of this article update in 2022. Milorganite, produced by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District’s (MMSD) is an organic-nitrogen fertilizer. That’s the result of some early adopter, long-range ecological thinking and observation of natural alchemical results.
Nutrients are reclaimed from wastewater using large-scale processes that mimic nature.
“This year Milorganite is celebrating its 90th anniversary [2018] of commercial production. We’re proud to have been stewards of the environment long before it was even a concept. Here we’ve been doing it for nine decades.”
Nearly 9.8 billion pounds of nutrient-rich material has been diverted from landfills in nine decades. Recycled from the algae produced from a natural metabolic process, Milorganite organic fertilizer helps to grow healthy plants and lawns.
If you feel discouraged about environmental issues, take heart. The earth is actually better today in so many ways that it was 100 years ago!
In the early 1900s, Milwaukee’s waterways were essentially open sewers.
Fertilizer Without Harm
We first learned of Milorganite organic fertilizer when seeking solutions for deer problems. The deer devoured our sunchokes and elderberries and even tomatoes and squash leaves.
We love supporting local businesses and often get great tips from our local Ace Hardware store and the local feed and seed mills. So we headed over to ours and spoke with an old-timer there. When we asked what he used as deer repellent, he said he’s always used Milorganite organic fertilizer.
Milorganite repels deer while fertilizing your yard and garden. So we looked into it further and discovered that it was indeed a fertilizer proven to help deter deer. Since that day we use Milorganite organic fertilizer every year.
What a great discovery! We love products and ideas that can serve more than one purpose. You can keep the deer away while feeding your plants the nutrients they need to thrive! A win-win situation.
A Government Agency that Produces Product, Solutions and Revenue
We really like that Milorganite was created by a government agency trying to find a positive solution to a potentially negative situation. It’s encouraging how the conception of this idea created a solution that created more solutions.
Since 1926, Milorganite has been helping to maintain your lawn and garden without harm to the environment. Even better, while helping to keep the Milwaukee environment cleaner for Wisconsin residents and all others downstream from there, by supplying organic nitrogen fertilizer for professional and residential use. And no, Milorganite is not “sludge”, but rather the heat sterilized micro-organisms that clean sludge.
Milorganite says: “While revenue generated through the sale of Milorganite products does not make up for the entire cost to produce and market it, our belief in beneficial reuse and recycling makes producing our value added products the clear choice.”
For more information on Milorganite and for lawn care tips, visit this article. You can purchase Milorganite fertilizer from local home stores as well as online from Amazon. Try to order from the companies that include free shipping through Amazon Prime. It saves time and money to have it shipped to your doorstep.
So try to order from those sellers who are on the Amazon Prime program. If you’re not already a member, it’s worth it if you order a lot through Amazon, and also enjoy movies and music.
Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial
It saves time, money — and our backs — by not having to haul heavy stuff from store to car to home. Easier to have an Amazon delivery to our doorsteps. #WorthIt!
Remember, if you have problems with deer eating your plants, check out this article on best deer repellents.
Milorganite cleans up waste and converts it to something useful — an organic fertilizer that also deters deer!
Conditioning Straw Bale Garden Beds With Milorganite Organic Fertilizer
Coleman discusses and demonstrates using Milorganite for our straw bale gardening.
You can see part 1 in this article on straw bale garden beds.
I’m LeAura Alderson, a garden, herb and plant enthusiast with a passion for discovering the many edible and medicinal benefits of the plants all around us, including the weeds! I’m a writer, editor and media publisher for our family of websites.
While I was certified in fitness and life coaching, I am NOT a health practitioner. However, I’m a lifelong health enthusiast, with a keen interest in healthy, organic foods and making home remedies and the content we share is from our own experience and usage as well as that extracted from scientific research so that you can explore further on your own.
Always seek the advice and guidance of your health practitioners first and foremost.
As a family we’re steadily expanding our gardening, experimentation and knowledge around all things gardening, edible landscaping, fresh organic foods and self sustainability with farming in our future. I also own and manage iCreateDaily.com, a site all about transformation through creation, and the power of positivity, optimism and mindset.