Commercial fertilizers can prove to be expensive. But to have a healthy and thriving garden, you will need to use additives regularly to enrich the soil. You can choose inexpensive options like compost, manure, green manure, etc. These are excellent sources of nutrients and regular use of compost can cut your usage of fertilizers by half.

Moist farmyard dung or manure contains nitrogen and other required materials that are easily released into the soil. Don't turn your nose up yet. It makes your soil fertile and the environment right for your garden to flourish. Manure is actually used a raw material in compost, along with decaying organic matter like dead leaves. This can be used for flowers, trees, shrubs and even kitchen gardens. Manure is an easy and cheap option for your lawn's top dressing. You can also plow growing crops like clover or grass into the soil to improve fertility, otherwise known as "Green manure". Several species of medic are another important source of green manure. Belonging to the genus Medicago in the pea family, they have clusters of small, usually yellow flowers and compound leaves with three leaflets.
Commercially available manure products are: The Real Poop, Zoo Doo, Bat Guano, Earth Worm Castings and Kricket Krap.

Even manure manufacturers have a sense of humor! Products called "Poo-Pets" are available in the market, made of manure and shaped like small animals. These can be placed near the base of plants. Upon watering, these Poo-Pets release nutrients into the soil. Cute, isn't it?

Here is another great article about fertilizing your Lawn & Garden

If you like lawn care....These pages might also interest you:

All About Weeds, Common Lawn Problems, Controlling Lawn Diseases, Four Steps to a Great Lawn, How to Water Your Lawn, Inexpensive Lawn Fertilizer, Lawns in Shady Areas, Thatching, Turf Secrets, Types of Lawn Recreation, Care Free Lawns, Creating a Perfect Lawn, Earth Friendly Golf Courses, Feeding Your Lawn, Fertilizing Basics, Mowers and Pollution, Natural Ways to Fertilize, The Right Time To Fertilize, Types of Lawn Fertilizers