Fertilizer
Though fertilizer is not required for growing a garden, using some may lead to more success–at least until your soil has reached a high level of fertility.
There are two main types of fertilizer: chemical and organic fertilizer.
Chemical fertilizers are made from essential plant nutrients— Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). The amount of these elements can be modified to fit the needs of different plants.
Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, are made from natural materials such as manure, compost, and peat moss. They help keep the soil moist and increase the amount of healthy bacteria and fungi. These fertilizers typically take longer to benefit plants and can be more expensive than chemical fertilizers.
Sources: Clear Choices Clean Water Indiana, Eco Gardener, GeoPard Agriculture, Kellogg Garden, Unsplash
Though chemical fertilizers may show better results at first, we should avoid using them for several reasons.
1) Chemical fertilizers can be extremely harmful to the environment
Rainwater can carry excess nutrients from chemical fertilizers into nearby lakes or rivers, leading to nutrient pollution. This can cause algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and harm aquatic ecosystems, creating “dead zones”.
Producing chemical fertilizers releases enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses and contributes to climate change.
2) Chemical fertilizers do not improve soil condition
While chemical fertilizers support plant growth, they do not allow soil to become more nutritious. In fact, they often harm beneficial organisms in the soil such as earthworms.
3) High cost due to frequent application
Plants quickly absorb chemical fertilizers, so you have to apply fertilizer more often to sustain the health of your plants. This could be more expensive than simply using organic fertilizers.