Winterizer

[Marcos]

Originally Posted by Smallaxe

This is exactly where I would like to be proven - right or wrong.

Milorganite is primarily manufactured for the purpose of recycling sewage, away, from the lake. [Lake Michigan]. Using it as fertilizer, the iron, is just a side effect as far as I can tell.

The second point that makes me believe that iron is a natural part of the equation is that - iron passes through the human body as readily as anything else.

It would make no sense for a sewage treatment plant to spend additional money to add iron - in the hopes of - enticing people to buy it. Especially when, very few people are even aware of benefits of 'Fe', in the beautifying of the turf.

This is Milorganite's History page from their web site:

http://www.milorganite.com/about/history.cfm

As you can see, not word 1 mentioned about iron past or present.
This specific question may be worth a call or two to their 800 number, what'ya think?

Oh, sure, I'm not debating whether iron is a naturally-occurring element or not. It has it's esteemed 26th place on the periodic table.
And no doubt there's X amount of digested Fe that is processed into Milorganite right along with the turds.
But is that X amount sufficient to total 4%?

As far as your point about relatively few people not knowing the benefits of Fe on turfgrass, I take exception to that.
'Ironite' has been seasonally marketed quite heavily nationwide the last couple of decades on radio & TV, newpapers & magazines since it left its early origin of golf course greens and entered the retail market:

http://www.ironite.com/

Like Milorganite, Ironite perennially suffers from an onslaught of criticism from organic gardeners, especially, because of a problem with arsenic & lead at ppm levels.

But to the point....I think that because of super-aggressive & very well-timed marketing by a namesake company like Ironite, generally more folks know about the (short-term, cosmetic) benefits of iron than you may think.

[Smallaxe]

Originally Posted by Marcos

This is Milorganite's History page from their web site:

http://www.milorganite.com/about/history.cfm

As you can see, not word 1 mentioned about iron past or present.
This specific question may be worth a call or two to their 800 number, what'ya think?

Oh, sure, I'm not debating whether iron is a naturally-occurring element or not. It has it's esteemed 26th place on the periodic table.
And no doubt there's X amount of digested Fe that is processed into Milorganite right along with the turds.
But is that X amount sufficient to total 4%?

As far as your point about relatively few people not knowing the benefits of Fe on turfgrass, I take exception to that.
'Ironite' has been seasonally marketed quite heavily nationwide the last couple of decades on radio & TV, newpapers & magazines since it left its early origin of golf course greens and entered the retail market:

http://www.ironite.com/

Like Milorganite, Ironite perennially suffers from an onslaught of criticism from organic gardeners, especially, because of a problem with arsenic & lead at ppm levels.

But to the point....I think that because of super-aggressive & very well-timed marketing by a namesake company like Ironite, generally more folks know about the (short-term, cosmetic) benefits of iron than you may think.

Maybe where you are at, or in your media market, but I have never heard an ironite commercial. First I knew abut the stuff's existance is from this forum. When people think about what's in a bag of fertilizer - they think its 'magic' if it's "Scott's Turbuilder" but not so good if it's another brand.
Heck, we even have people on here who have been spreading Scott's w/pre-m, w/out realizing they are handling herbicide. They read the back of the bag and visualize a 'barrier', not a root inhibiting chemical.

I had read a rather extensive history about Milorganite last year. It wasn't very informative about the contents and procedure of removing heavy metals etc., so I am not surprised you didn't find anything about iron either. Just that it is safe and FDA approved.
I haven't checked to see if its dissolvable in water. I will leave that testing jar outside.

[Marcos]

Originally Posted by Smallaxe

I had read a rather extensive history about Milorganite last year. It wasn't very informative about the contents and procedure of removing heavy metals etc., so I am not surprised you didn't find anything about iron either. Just that it is safe and FDA approved.
I haven't checked to see if its dissolvable in water. I will leave that testing jar outside.

Yeah, Good point!....I wouldn't want a jar of Milorganite soaking in water anywhere near our kitchen!

And wouldn't it be logical that engineers in Milwaukee would use some sort of magnetic process to separate elemental iron from other non-magnetic metals that come across their poop line?

[starry night]

Concerning the 4% iron: It just seems quite a coincidence that it would contain just that amount. Enough to be effective on lawns but not too much.
I think I've seen some other brands of fertilizer adding that amount this year.

[Marcos]

Originally Posted by Marcos

Oh, sure, I'm not debating whether iron is a naturally-occurring element or not. It has it's esteemed 26th place on the periodic table.
And no doubt there's X amount of digested Fe that is processed into Milorganite right along with the turds.
But is that X amount sufficient to total 4%?


This specific question may be worth a call or two to their 800 number, what'ya think?

I called their 800 number today and was immediately dumped into perpetual hold w/ clasical wait music; so I e-mailed them a Q about Milorganite's 4% iron and its origin.
I will post whatever response I get, if any.

[Smallaxe]

Originally Posted by Marcos

I called their 800 number today and was immediately dumped into perpetual hold w/ clasical wait music; so I e-mailed them a Q about Milorganite's 4% iron and its origin.
I will post whatever response I get, if any.

Cool, ... I'm curious if something is added now.

Another thing I thought of, is that a similar product in the NE had 6% iron. I still bet it is a naturally occuring element in the sludge. We'll see...

Don't you hate telephones nowdays... Every business and gov't agency should be forced to learn and respond - politely - by email. After all it would save everyone time and money...

[quiet]

Hmmmm. Interesting. Down here our suppliers carry Houactinite from the Houston sewage system. It's listed as a 6-3-0 w/1% Iron. Milorganite is 6-2-0 w/4% Fe.

Now I don't live in Houston. I live near Austin.
I used to live in Madison, WI, but not Milwaukee.

So I can't really say whether my crap has 50% more P and 75% less Fe than it did when I lived up North. And yet, it's somehow comforting to know that at age 54, I'm still crappin' out that 6% slow release N.

And the beer farts haven't really changed from the switch from Blatz to Lone Star.

[starry night]

Originally Posted by quiet

Hmmmm. Interesting. Down here our suppliers carry Houactinite from the Houston sewage system. It's listed as a 6-3-0 w/1% Iron. Milorganite is 6-2-0 w/4% Fe.

Now I don't live in Houston. I live near Austin.
I used to live in Madison, WI, but not Milwaukee.

So I can't really say whether my crap has 50% more P and 75% less Fe than it did when I lived up North. And yet, it's somehow comforting to know that at age 54, I'm still crappin' out that 6% slow release N.

And the beer farts haven't really changed from the switch from Blatz to Lone Star.

That's great !

[quiet]

That's why I've attained the status "Senior Member."

You don't get this kind of insight from newbies.

[ted putnam]

Originally Posted by quiet

Hmmmm. Interesting. Down here our suppliers carry Houactinite from the Houston sewage system. It's listed as a 6-3-0 w/1% Iron. Milorganite is 6-2-0 w/4% Fe.

Now I don't live in Houston. I live near Austin.
I used to live in Madison, WI, but not Milwaukee.

So I can't really say whether my crap has 50% more P and 75% less Fe than it did when I lived up North. And yet, it's somehow comforting to know that at age 54, I'm still crappin' out that 6% slow release N.

And the beer farts haven't really changed from the switch from Blatz to Lone Star.

I was reading through the posts and kinda laughing to myself thinking "Well, they probably eat more Bratwurst up there. Maybe that's a good source of Iron." then I read your post and nearly lost it... Too Funny!