Fertilizer? Organic or Chemical for plants?
Image by John Donaghy
Planting pineapple on an incline on parish grounds in Dulce Nombre
Question by ax7brit101: Fertilizer? Organic or Chemical for plants?
I am doing a science fair project and i need help! Which is better for your plants chemical or organic fertilizer?!?
Add your own answer in the comments!
7 Responses to Fertilizer? Organic or Chemical for plants?
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Organic, definatly. mother nature knows a lot more than we do !!
keif_1
December 25, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Organic all the way!
GX Grounder
December 25, 2011 at 3:18 pm
organic, worms get killed by chemical fertilizers, and they aerate the soil
C L
December 25, 2011 at 3:43 pm
organic definetlely. mother nature knows best and it’s good for the evironment.
Em
December 25, 2011 at 3:44 pm
Since you are asking which is better for the plant the answer is either one. The plant doesnt know the difference between a chemical source or an organic source of fertilizer. More important in your decision on what fertilizer to use is how it will be released to the plant . Many organic fertilizers are dependent on microbial activity to break them down and make it available to the plant. No microbes, no fertilizer release. Some chemical ferts only need warm water to release the fert. An organic fertilizer can be just as dangerous to the enviorment as a chemical one. It all depends on the amount of fert you are using. Base your decision on climate surrounding the plant you are fertilizing. BTW…Chemical fertilizers do not kill worms.
psu2000
December 25, 2011 at 4:38 pm
As one answer stated, the plant doesn’t know the difference. However, the soil does.Chemical fertilizers both harm and deplete the soil so in the long run anything planted in that soil will also know the difference.Organics are derived from things that naturally occur in soil and the best soil is always rich in organic matter. That is why I think it semantics to talk about the plant not knowing the difference. After all we’re just as full from food that’s bad for us as we are from the most nutritious. In the long run though, our bodies know the difference.
reader
December 25, 2011 at 4:42 pm
Generally Organic –
Chems are faster acting, so if you are doing a growing experiment short term (less than 60 days) you’ll probably have better results with the chemical ones.
Organics work differently, they start a cycle of decomposition in the soil that then feeds the plants, indeed mimicing mother nature. But it takes awhile for that cycle to begin. So the companies generally add a bit of fast acting nutrients to bridge that gap.
Biggest difference is that Chemical ferts are like drugs, plants get addicted and they keep needing it, and will suffer without it. Organics allow a soil cycle to begin that will allow the plant to ‘eat on its own’ and not need a ‘fix’ all the time.
Finally Chemical ferts are generally made from petrolum which as we all know is become of short supply and expensive.
Travis
December 25, 2011 at 4:58 pm