Many of us think about this which is the best if we compare chemical fertilizer vs organic fertilizer, look at both the short-term and long-term effects of these. Carefully assessing the advantages and disadvantages of both methods will help you decide which method is right for your farms.
Release of Nutrients
Organic fertilizers is associated with gradual, slow release of nutrients. This is beneficial to most gardens, as a sudden influx of nutrients can actually be harmful to your plants. Excess nutrient salts can cause fertilizer burn on soil, leaves and roots specially when rain is less or not irrigated properly. Plants may initially exhibit rapid growth of lush, dark green foliage only to later appear scorched or wilted.
The quick release of nutrients associated with chemical fertilizers can also increase nutrient loss during raining or watering. Free mineral salts dissolve easily in water and leach away. This means that chemical fertilizers usually need re-application more often than organic alternatives.
Nutrients in organic fertilizers are usually bound up in organic matter and are gradually released over a period weeks, months, or even years as they are processed by soil organisms. Use of organic fertilizer and carbon-based nutrient management systems can cut nutrient leaching by up to 50 percent compared to conventional farming practices.
For most farms, the slow-release approach from organic fertilizer is the most sensible choice both for convenience, plant health, and preservation of water quality.
When plants have been severely nutrient-deprived, however, a quick supply of readily available chemical fertilizer can be the best tonic for rejuvenating growth. If plants have severely yellowed leaves or stunted growth, a small dose of liquid fertilizer will quickly give the necessary nutrients in an easily absorbed medium.
Growth of Plant
Often, plants grown using readily available chemical fertilizer will initially appear taller and healthier than plants grown with organic fertilizer. This rapid growth may be esthetically pleasing, but is less sustainable over the long term than a slow and steady growth rate achieved with organic fertilizer.
Additionally, many chemical fertilizers only contain the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. These three nutrients create rapid plant growth, but other minerals such as calcium and magnesium are often overlooked. For best plant health and, if you are growing food crops, most nutritional value, a complete nutrient profile is preferable. Organic fertilizers, which mimic natural soil conditions, naturally contain a wide array of soil nutrients.
Effects on Soil
If there is one thing organic gardeners are more passionate about than their plants it is the health of their soil. Chemical fertilizers provide basic plant nutrition, but do nothing to nourish and protect the viability of the soil.
Ideally, soil is a living, thriving ecosystem, with complex interactions between garden plants, earthworms, microorganisms and fungi. Organic fertilizer adds to this ecosystem, providing aeration, protection, organic matter, and nutrition.
Environmental Effects
For many people, the environmental implications of each fertilizer type are the most important factor. Nutrient leaching is a significant source of water pollution. Organic fertilizers such as well-rotted manure,compost, or other solid organic matter are less prone to nutrient loss than chemical fertilizers.
In addition to preserving clean water, choosing organic fertilizer reduces greenhouse gas production and improves sustainability of the farm. In a study comparing chemical fertilizer vs organic fertilizer, researchers found that organic farming practices reduced fossil fuel consumption by 30 percent while increasing organic matter and nitrogen content for long-term soil viability.
Cost
For large agricultural operations, organic farming techniques may be more expensive than conventional farming. In years of drought, however, the increase in organic matter created by organic methods do greater yield when soil moisture is a limiting factor. In arid climates, this increased drought resistance may compensate for higher operating costs.
For your farm, organic fertilizer may be cheap. Compost, animal manure, grass clippings or raked leaves are just a few of the many free soil amendments you can add to your garden soil to increase nutrient content and water retention.
Chemical or synthetic Fertilizers vs Organic Fertilizers
In the end, the choice to use organic or chemical fertilizer remains a personal one. For most home gardeners, the satisfaction, cost effectiveness and long-term sustainability of organic fertilizer makes it a positive and practical option.
