Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Organic Fertilizer

With 82% of U.S. households buying organic products, according to the Organic Trade Association, organic fertilizers are going to be an important tool for fertilizer users to consider when building programs. Here are 8 advantages and disadvantages to consider when using organic fertilizers in your program.

Fertilizers provide essential nutrients to plants in form of soluble salt compounds and directly affect plant growth. Overfertilization can lead to sudden plant growth with an insufficient root system to supply adequate water and nutrients to the plant.

What are the main components of fertilizers?

The main components of fertilizers include- nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Its rating describes the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in a fertilizer.

What are the drawbacks of using fertilizers?

The excess nutrients from the fertilizers run off into water bodies and cause algal blooms. These algal blooms sometimes restrict the passage of waterways. When the algae die, they sink to the bottom of the water bodies and reduce the oxygen content in water. Also, excess use of fertilizers reduces the fertility of the soil.

What are the three numbers on fertilizers?

The three numbers on fertilizers represent the primary nutrients. A bag of fertilizers labelled 10-10-10 contains 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 10% potassium. This label is a national standard and is known as the fertilizer grade.

What Is An Organic Fertilizer?

Organic fertilizer is usually made from plant or animal waste – think manure or compost. They can also be highly processed products with a compost or manure base.

What Are The Advantages Of Using Organic Fertilizer?

1. Soil Structure

Because of the organic matter present in organic fertilizer, soil structure is improved and as a result the soil’s ability to hold onto water and nutrients increases.

2. Microbes Thrive

Synthetic fertilizer consists of chemical molecules without carbon. These molecules can sometimes be disruptive and are not accessible to microbes. On the other hand, organic fertilizer is rich in organic matter, which helps microbes thrive. Organic fertilizer contains carbon as part of its chemical makeup; and it is the carbon, along with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that feeds microbes and enables them to make nutrients available for plants in a naturally occurring biological process.

3. Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly

Synthetic fertilizers runoff into our waterways harming marine life and water quality. Organic fertilizers do not run off as easily (if at all) and are associated with soil structure. According to the Organic Trade Association, organic fertilizer also increases species biodiversity by 30% compared with synthetic fertilizer.

4. Reduce Fertilizers and Pesticides

Although organic fertilizer can be more costly than synthetic, it can reduce the need for pesticides and the overall nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium requirements. Because of the reductions, organic fertilizer can be cost neutral and sometimes a cost savings.

5. Plant Damage Threat Avoided

Some synthetic fertilizers can cause plant damage to leaves and roots. This is less likely with organic fertilizers.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Using Organic Fertilizers?

1. Not All Products Are Created Equally

Not all products are created equally and many organic products produce inconsistent results. Make sure you are selecting a product that is industry vetted by reviewing any university studies or case studies.

2. Nutrient Levels Are Low

The level of nutrients present in organic fertilizer is often low. In addition, the nutrients are usually complexed in organic chemical structure; this means using organic fertilizer may not produce the pop of color seen with a chemical fertilizer. Using an organic fertilizer is a process, not an event.

3. DIY Compost is a Complicated Procedure

While you can produce your own compost, it’s a messy and complicated process that often leads to an inconsistent product and end-result.

What are Fertilizers?

Fertilizers are chemical substances supplied to the crops to increase their productivity. These are used by the farmers daily to increase the crop yield. The fertilizers contain the essential nutrients required by the plants, including nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. They enhance the water retention capacity of the soil and also increase its fertility.

Types of Fertilizers

There are six different types of fertilizers that are mentioned below:

Inorganic Fertilizers

Inorganic fertilizers are chemical fertilizers that contain nutrient elements for the growth of crops made by chemical means. The inorganic fertilizers are of the following types:

Nitrogen Fertilizers

Nitrogen fertilizers contain nitrogen necessary for the development of crops. Nitrogen is the main constituent of chlorophyll that maintains a balance in the process of photosynthesis. It is also a part of amino acids in plants and constitutes protein. Nitrogen fertilizers improve the production and quality of agricultural products.

Phosphorus Fertilizer

The main nutrient in a phosphorus fertilizer is phosphorus. The efficiency of fertilizer depends upon effective phosphorus content, methods of fertilizing, properties of soil and crop strains. Phosphorus found in the protoplasm of the cell plays an important role in cell growth and proliferation. The phosphorus fertilizer is beneficial for the growth of roots of the plants.

Organic Fertilizers

Organic fertilizers are natural fertilizers obtained from plants and animals. It enriches the soil with carbonic compounds essential for plant growth. Organic fertilizers increase the organic matter content of the soil, promotes the reproduction of microorganisms, and changes the physical and chemical properties of the soil. It is considered to be one of the main nutrients for green food.

Organic fertilizers can be obtained from the following products:

• Agricultural Waste
• Livestock Manure
• Industrial Waste
• Municipal Sludge

Advantages of Fertilizers

• The advantages of fertilizers are mentioned below:
• They are easy to transport, store, and apply.
• For supplying a specific nutrient we can select a specific fertilizer due to its nutrient specific nature.
• They are water-soluble and can easily dissolve in the soil. Hence, they are easily absorbed by the plants.
• They have a rapid effect on the crops.
• They increase the crop yield and provide enough food to feed the large population.
• They are predictable and reliable.

Disadvantages of Fertilizers

• Fertilizers have the following disadvantages:
• They are expensive.
• The ingredients in the fertilizers are toxic to the skin and respiratory system.
• Excessive use of fertilizers damages the plants and reduces soil fertility.
• Leaching occurs and the fertilizers reach the rivers causing eutrophication.
• Long term use reduces the microbial activity and disturbs the pH of the soil.

Uses of Fertilizers

• Fertilizers are used for various purposes. The uses of fertilizers are mentioned below:
• They are used to providing additional nutrients to the plants.
• They are added to improve the yield of the crops.
• Nitrogen-rich fertilizers are used for the greening of lawns.
• Organic fertilizers improve the texture and fertility of the soil.
• Gardeners use fertilizers to address certain needs of the plants such as nutritional needs.
• Fertilizers are added to potted plants to replace the lost nutrients.

Importance of Fertilizers

It is very difficult to meet the demands of the increasing population with such fewer resources. Loss of soil fertility, pests, and lack of nutrients has resulted in a decrease in agricultural production. This has increased the importance of fertilizers in agriculture.

Fertilizers can be important to the plants in the following ways:

• Fertilizers increase plants’ tolerance towards pests. This has reduced their reliance on insecticides and herbicides, thereby, producing healthier crops. Consequently, diseases have reduced, providing aesthetic value to the crops.
• Fertilizers improve the water holding capacity of the plants and increase root depth.
• The potassium content present in the fertilizers strengthens the straws and stalks of the plant
• The phosphorus present in the fertilizers helps in the faster development of roots and formation of seeds in the plants.
• Nitrogen in the fertilizers enhances the growth of the plants which can be characterized by the green colour of the plants.

Since the chemical fertilizers adversely affect soil fertility, biofertilizers were brought into use. These are substances that contain living or latent cells, and even micro-organisms. They provide the soil with the necessary nutrients and microbes for the growth of the plants. They help the soil to retain its fertility. They are environment-friendly and also destroy pathogenic components responsible for causing disease in plants. Acetobacter and Rhizobium are two such widely used biofertilizers.

Courtesy: best fertilizer company in united states