Product Description

Nitrogen for the Long Haul — One Feeding Carries 6–10 Weeks

Old Cobblers Farm Wicked Organics Feather Meal is a single-ingredient organic fertilizer: hydrolyzed poultry feathers, ground to a 12-0-0 meal. Feathers are keratin — a tough, water-insoluble protein — and that's the secret to how this product feeds. Soil microbes break the keratin down gradually, mineralizing its concentrated 12% nitrogen over 6–10 weeks rather than releasing it all at once. The nitrogen doesn't dissolve away in the first rain; it's released as soil life works, right through the season.

That makes feather meal the nitrogen for long-season, heavy-feeding crops: corn that feeds from planting to tassel, brassicas building heads over months, fall garlic and overwintering alliums, and leafy greens on a steady cutting rotation. The gradual mineralization is also gentler than highly soluble nitrogen sources, lowering burn risk — though measured rates and watering-in still apply. One honest note the label keeps: microbes do the releasing, so warm, moist soil speeds it up and cool, dry soil slows it down. Apply 2–4 weeks before the last frost and the soil is ready to feed when your crops are.

Key Benefits

Feeds 6–10 weeks — Soil microbes mineralize the keratin protein gradually — one application feeds for 6–10 weeks, carrying long-season crops without repeat feedings.

Concentrated organic nitrogen — At 12% N, feather meal is among the most concentrated organic nitrogen sources — long duration without bulk.

Doesn't wash out — The nitrogen is mostly water-insoluble: it releases as soil life works rather than dissolving away in the first rain.

Lower burn risk — Gradual mineralization is gentler than highly soluble nitrogen sources, lowering burn risk on sensitive plantings — measured rates still apply.

Made for long-season crops — Corn, heading brassicas, fall garlic, leeks, and cutting greens — crops that feed for months get nitrogen that lasts months.

Honest about the clock — Microbes do the releasing, so warmth and moisture speed it up and cold slows it — which is why the label says to apply 2–4 weeks before last frost. Plan with it, not around it.

Where to use it: vegetable beds and long-season crops (corn, broccoli, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, leafy greens, garlic, onions, leeks), turfgrass, and larger plantings — anywhere you want one nitrogen application to carry weeks of growth.

Application Instructions

-New garden beds: 3–6 lbs per 100 sq ft, mixed into the top 3 inches
-Poor/depleted soil: 2–5 lbs per 100 sq ft
-Transplants: 1–2 tablespoons per planting hole
-Side-dress (established): about ½ cup per plant every 4–6 weeks, mixed into the top few inches
-Lawns/larger areas: 25–50 lbs per 1,000 sq ft
-Trees & shrubs: 1–2 lbs per inch of trunk diameter, base to drip line
-Containers: 1–2 tablespoons per gallon of soil
Steps:
1. Time it ahead: apply 2–4 weeks before the last frost date (or before planting), giving soil microbes a head start on mineralization.
2. Mix it in — feather meal must be incorporated into the soil where microbes can reach it; it does little sitting on the surface.
3. Water thoroughly after applying; moisture is what lets soil organisms begin the breakdown.
4. Let it run: one application typically feeds 6–10 weeks. Reapply every 8–12 weeks if the season demands it.
When and how often: pre-plant (2–4 weeks before last frost), then once per growing season for most crops — reapplying every 8–12 weeks only if needed.
What NOT to do: do not surface-apply without incorporating, do not expect fast results in cold or dry soil — microbial release needs warmth and moisture — and do not exceed the rates just because it's gentle.

Ingredients

Feather Meal / Hydrolyzed Poultry Feathers (100%)
The only ingredient — poultry feathers, hydrolyzed (steam-processed to unlock the keratin) and ground. Soil microorganisms mineralize the keratin protein gradually, releasing nitrogen over 6–10 weeks; the protein also feeds the soil life doing the work. Poultry-derived — noted for those who avoid animal-derived products.

Product Specifications

– Analysis: 12-0-0 (P₂O₅ and K₂O each <1%)
– Nitrogen (N): 12% — 0.6 lb actual N per 5 lb bag, mostly water-insoluble (slow-release)
– Release Period: 6–10 weeks, via microbial breakdown (faster in warm, moist soil)
– Derived From: Feather meal (hydrolyzed poultry feathers) — single ingredient
– Product Line: Wicked Organics — the organic line from Old Cobblers Farm
– Form: Organic
– Coverage (5 lb): Approx. 100–200 sq ft (gardens); 100–200 sq ft (lawns at listed rate)
– Feeding Schedule: Pre-plant 2–4 weeks before last frost; once per season, reapply every 8–12 weeks if needed

Wicked Organics Feather Meal Fertilizer