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“Think Green”…looks like
those may be major buzz words as we move into 2008. And as we thing green
in the garden, one question that comes up is this…what’s the difference
between synthetic fertilizers and natural fertilizers?
First, remember that
fertilizers are basically the essential chemical elements needed for plant
growth…nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, etc. And as far as plants are
concerned, they don’t care if the origin of those elements are natural or
man made, as long as the nutrients are available in the chemical element
form, which they can use. They don’t recognize synthetic or natural, but
the soil can.
Synthetic fertilizers
simply means “man made”, usually salt based compounds, and are usually
available in granular or liquid form. Many can be fast acting as they
dissolve in water, but today’s technology coats the nutrients so they are
released more slowly. In granular form, these nutrients are usually
attached to a carrying agent such as corn cobs, clay, etc, which makes up
the granular form. Most synthetic fertilizers are simply the nutrients
listed on the label, and the carrying agent. Sort of like taking a vitamin
pill.
On the other hand, the
chemical elements in natural fertilizers are generally derived from plant or
animal sources. They contain the basic nutrients, and in most cases many of
the minor nutrients, too…are available in liquid or granular, and tend to be
more slow acting, as they depend on microbial activity to release their
nutrients to the plants. Natural fertilizers can actually encourage
organisms in the soil that make the nutrients available to plants….sort of a
“feed the soil, not the plant” theory. And by creating a better healthy
soil, the nutrients become more readily available to the plants as they need
them.
Whether you chose to use
synthetic or natural fertilizers is up to you…and in some specific cases,
one may be better than the other. But either way, always read the label,
and never, ever over-use either one. |
