The Dirt-Cheap Green Thumb by Rhonda Massingham Hart

Author:Rhonda Massingham Hart
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Published: 2009-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

Organic or Synthetic?

A common misconception is that synthetic fertilizers are better than organic. Another misunderstanding is that organic is better than synthetic. You can make political or environmental arguments for synthetic or organic fertilizer, but the plants can’t tell the difference as long as the proper nutrients are available. However, don’t forget the many benefits of adding humus to your soil, which only organic amendments can supply.

Brand names mean nothing to plants. It’s the fertilizer analysis that counts — the list of three, sometimes four, numbers noted on the bag. They stand for the percentage of nitrogen (designated by the international chemical symbol N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and, when present, sulfur (S) in the product, in that order.

As mentioned in chapter 1, these are the major elements plants need (except sulfur, which is a secondary element). Trace elements are also necessary, but manufacturers may or may not list them on labels. Organic fertilizers are much more likely to include these than chemical formulas are.

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