Organic fertilizers are being used in this day and time by big agricultural businesses and backyard gardeners alike. Aside from the health benefits of going organic, there two major reasons for this, the first one is the high demands of customers for organic produces and another reason is the certification earned for going organic and being a supporter of the ecological balance.
The average person, however, may wonder if there's any substance to all these buzz words. Are synthetic fertilizers really that bad for agriculture and dangerous to animals and people? Are organic fertilizer really all that much better and safer? If so, why? And what are "organic fertilizers" anyway? This article will try to answer these questions for you.
WHAT ARE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS?
Non organic fertilizers are made from synthetic or artificial chemicals while the organic fertilizers are made from natural elements and materials. It may seem easy to differentiate the inorganic with the organic, but there are some facts about the organic that can be misleading. One example of issue is the misunderstanding of the composition of the mineral limestone, saltpeter and mine rock phosphate. People know that these are technically inorganic, but they are used for centuries as safe and good organic fertilizers since these are natural minerals.
Actually, organic fertilizers are directly created from various organic materials that are already decayed and rotted naturally. Just like the decaying process of dead plants and animals, the original compositions of the body become a biomass of high quality nutrient making the broken components of water and minerals the organic materials.
The most common example of this is compost, which many backyard gardeners make themselves from organic waste, dead leaves, grass clippings, leftover food, etc. Another example is animal manure, which is also very high in nutrient content and has been used in agriculture as a fertilizer for thousands of years. Finally, some plants are used directly as fertilizers, like seaweed and peat moss.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH INORGANIC CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS?
Almost all non-organic fertilizers are synthetic, which means there is a large chemical content in every pack or bottle of that fertilizer. And since the material was not from natural sources, the inorganic chemicals may harm the body of the consumers. Not only that, continuous use of chemically based fertilizers will eventually damage the environment, which will affect every thing as the entire ecosystem is thrown off balance.
The most common form of chemical pollution occurs when it rains, and the synthetic chemical fertilizers get washed out of the soil into the rainwater runoff. This agricultural runoff flows into the ponds and streams, where they frequently kill the fish and other water life. These chemicals also eventually leech down into the groundwater that people and animals drink.
Lastly, inorganic fertilizers are absorbed by crops and plants. Once people eat the produce that came from those crops, the chemicals will stay in their body and will result in health problems. Eating produce with chemicals for only a single time may not harm anyone, however if you continue to consume products grown with inorganic material, you will eventually see its bad effects on your health.
WHAT MAKES ORGANIC FERTILIZER BETTER?
Organic fertilizers are made from natural occurring organic materials, which include plants and animal matter, and because of this there was no problem introducing it into the local environment.
In terms of encouraging crop growth, however, organic fertilizers are just as good as synthetic fertilizers. Whereas synthetic fertilizers are concentrated, organic fertilizers are more diluted throughout a large amount of biomass. On the one hand, this means you have to use more organic fertilizer to achieve the same effect as a smaller amount of synthetic fertilizer. On the other hand, however, this means that the nutrients are released into the soil gradually, at a slower, more consistent rate over the course of the crops growth cycle. This prevents the boom-and-bust cycle that some synthetic fertilizers can create in crops.
Finally, a 32-year study in Sweden between organic and synthetic fertilizers found that, although both greatly encouraged crop growths over unfertilized fields, organic fertilizers encouraged a higher yield than synthetic fertilizers (65% compared to 50%).
We hope that some of the questions that you have had concerning the use of organic versus inorganic fertilizers and how it can be used for lawn care, organic gardening and organic farming. There is much more to learn on this subject before you use organic fertilizers, you should do your own research to ensure which organic fertilizers are right for your garden.
DISCLAIMER
The article is intended for informational purposes only. We strongly recommend you conduct your own research using expert & scientific sources, and authority government sites to determine the right fertilizer and techniques to use for your garden or farm, as the information here has been taken from secondary sources and given in good faith
The average person, however, may wonder if there's any substance to all these buzz words. Are synthetic fertilizers really that bad for agriculture and dangerous to animals and people? Are organic fertilizer really all that much better and safer? If so, why? And what are "organic fertilizers" anyway? This article will try to answer these questions for you.
WHAT ARE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS?
Non organic fertilizers are made from synthetic or artificial chemicals while the organic fertilizers are made from natural elements and materials. It may seem easy to differentiate the inorganic with the organic, but there are some facts about the organic that can be misleading. One example of issue is the misunderstanding of the composition of the mineral limestone, saltpeter and mine rock phosphate. People know that these are technically inorganic, but they are used for centuries as safe and good organic fertilizers since these are natural minerals.
Actually, organic fertilizers are directly created from various organic materials that are already decayed and rotted naturally. Just like the decaying process of dead plants and animals, the original compositions of the body become a biomass of high quality nutrient making the broken components of water and minerals the organic materials.
The most common example of this is compost, which many backyard gardeners make themselves from organic waste, dead leaves, grass clippings, leftover food, etc. Another example is animal manure, which is also very high in nutrient content and has been used in agriculture as a fertilizer for thousands of years. Finally, some plants are used directly as fertilizers, like seaweed and peat moss.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH INORGANIC CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS?
Almost all non-organic fertilizers are synthetic, which means there is a large chemical content in every pack or bottle of that fertilizer. And since the material was not from natural sources, the inorganic chemicals may harm the body of the consumers. Not only that, continuous use of chemically based fertilizers will eventually damage the environment, which will affect every thing as the entire ecosystem is thrown off balance.
The most common form of chemical pollution occurs when it rains, and the synthetic chemical fertilizers get washed out of the soil into the rainwater runoff. This agricultural runoff flows into the ponds and streams, where they frequently kill the fish and other water life. These chemicals also eventually leech down into the groundwater that people and animals drink.
Lastly, inorganic fertilizers are absorbed by crops and plants. Once people eat the produce that came from those crops, the chemicals will stay in their body and will result in health problems. Eating produce with chemicals for only a single time may not harm anyone, however if you continue to consume products grown with inorganic material, you will eventually see its bad effects on your health.
WHAT MAKES ORGANIC FERTILIZER BETTER?
Organic fertilizers are made from natural occurring organic materials, which include plants and animal matter, and because of this there was no problem introducing it into the local environment.
In terms of encouraging crop growth, however, organic fertilizers are just as good as synthetic fertilizers. Whereas synthetic fertilizers are concentrated, organic fertilizers are more diluted throughout a large amount of biomass. On the one hand, this means you have to use more organic fertilizer to achieve the same effect as a smaller amount of synthetic fertilizer. On the other hand, however, this means that the nutrients are released into the soil gradually, at a slower, more consistent rate over the course of the crops growth cycle. This prevents the boom-and-bust cycle that some synthetic fertilizers can create in crops.
Finally, a 32-year study in Sweden between organic and synthetic fertilizers found that, although both greatly encouraged crop growths over unfertilized fields, organic fertilizers encouraged a higher yield than synthetic fertilizers (65% compared to 50%).
We hope that some of the questions that you have had concerning the use of organic versus inorganic fertilizers and how it can be used for lawn care, organic gardening and organic farming. There is much more to learn on this subject before you use organic fertilizers, you should do your own research to ensure which organic fertilizers are right for your garden.
DISCLAIMER
The article is intended for informational purposes only. We strongly recommend you conduct your own research using expert & scientific sources, and authority government sites to determine the right fertilizer and techniques to use for your garden or farm, as the information here has been taken from secondary sources and given in good faith
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