These days, everyone from backyard gardeners to big agri-businesses are increasingly using organic fertilizers. This is due in part to an increased consumer demand for organic produce. It's also partly due to the positive press earned by "going green" and eco friendly.
To ordinary people, organic fertilizer may sound unfamiliar, and its importance may not be valued highly because of lack of information about it. There are too many questions actually regarding the organic substances and among those questions are: What are organic fertilizers, how will it affect people, will it be safer to use this, why convert into organic from synthetic fertilizers? Here in this article, we will attempt to answers these questions for you.
WHAT ARE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS?
Basically, inorganic fertilizers are made from synthetic, manufactured chemicals, and organic fertilizer are made from naturally occurring organic material. This is a bit of an oversimplification, however, and sometimes the line between organic and inorganic fertilizer can get a bit blurry. For example, naturally occurring minerals such as limestone, saltpeter, and mine rock phosphate, although technically inorganic (they come from rocks, after all), have been used as fertilizers for centuries and are just as safe as organic fertilizers.
Organic fertilizers are actually a composition of natural compounds made from natural compost or mineral deposits. Some examples of natural compounds are animal manure and other organic materials that rot and decay over time. As the plants and animal matters decay, the organic materials are slowly broken down to enrich the soil resulting to higher level of soil organic matter.
The very simple example of organic composition is compost. Compost is from organic wastes of natural living things such as animal manure, plants, leaves and fruit and vegetable waste. Many agriculturists and backyard gardeners prefer to use animal manure, aside from different plants and leaves, as fertilizers for longer period of time now because of its proven nutrient contents.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH INORGANIC CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS?
Many inorganic fertilizers contain synthesized chemicals that do not occur naturally in nature, and thus can become harmful. The introduction of such chemicals, if used extensively over time, can throw off the local environment and ecosystem.
Chemicals used as fertilizers will extensively affect everything and everyone. This happens because when it rains and the chemicals are washing into the soil. As the rainwater flows through the varied bodies of water, more and more living things in and out of the water are affected. The chemicals will also reach the groundwater, which is where drinking water comes from.
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?
When organic fertilizers are used and introduced by farmers into the local environment the materials are naturally occurring plant and animal matter and they do not have the negative affect on the environment found with inorganic fertilizers.
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 you have found the answers to your questions regarding organic fertilizers within the words of this article. This is just the tip of the iceberg and further reading is advised. If you are planning to use organic fertilizers on your backyard or farms, try doing some more research so you can learn about the right organic fertilizers for your type of garden and its benefits. Organic gardening, organic farming and organic lawn care, like most subject requires serious study to implement the best tools and techniques for best results.
DISCLAIMER
The article is intended for informational purposes only. The information has been taken from secondary sources and should not be considered scientific or expert. We recommend you conduct your own research with expert & scientific sources to determine the right fertilizer and technique for your garden or farm.
To ordinary people, organic fertilizer may sound unfamiliar, and its importance may not be valued highly because of lack of information about it. There are too many questions actually regarding the organic substances and among those questions are: What are organic fertilizers, how will it affect people, will it be safer to use this, why convert into organic from synthetic fertilizers? Here in this article, we will attempt to answers these questions for you.
WHAT ARE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS?
Basically, inorganic fertilizers are made from synthetic, manufactured chemicals, and organic fertilizer are made from naturally occurring organic material. This is a bit of an oversimplification, however, and sometimes the line between organic and inorganic fertilizer can get a bit blurry. For example, naturally occurring minerals such as limestone, saltpeter, and mine rock phosphate, although technically inorganic (they come from rocks, after all), have been used as fertilizers for centuries and are just as safe as organic fertilizers.
Organic fertilizers are actually a composition of natural compounds made from natural compost or mineral deposits. Some examples of natural compounds are animal manure and other organic materials that rot and decay over time. As the plants and animal matters decay, the organic materials are slowly broken down to enrich the soil resulting to higher level of soil organic matter.
The very simple example of organic composition is compost. Compost is from organic wastes of natural living things such as animal manure, plants, leaves and fruit and vegetable waste. Many agriculturists and backyard gardeners prefer to use animal manure, aside from different plants and leaves, as fertilizers for longer period of time now because of its proven nutrient contents.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH INORGANIC CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS?
Many inorganic fertilizers contain synthesized chemicals that do not occur naturally in nature, and thus can become harmful. The introduction of such chemicals, if used extensively over time, can throw off the local environment and ecosystem.
Chemicals used as fertilizers will extensively affect everything and everyone. This happens because when it rains and the chemicals are washing into the soil. As the rainwater flows through the varied bodies of water, more and more living things in and out of the water are affected. The chemicals will also reach the groundwater, which is where drinking water comes from.
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?
When organic fertilizers are used and introduced by farmers into the local environment the materials are naturally occurring plant and animal matter and they do not have the negative affect on the environment found with inorganic fertilizers.
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 you have found the answers to your questions regarding organic fertilizers within the words of this article. This is just the tip of the iceberg and further reading is advised. If you are planning to use organic fertilizers on your backyard or farms, try doing some more research so you can learn about the right organic fertilizers for your type of garden and its benefits. Organic gardening, organic farming and organic lawn care, like most subject requires serious study to implement the best tools and techniques for best results.
DISCLAIMER
The article is intended for informational purposes only. The information has been taken from secondary sources and should not be considered scientific or expert. We recommend you conduct your own research with expert & scientific sources to determine the right fertilizer and technique for your garden or farm.
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