What are the pros and cons of fertilizers (both organic and non-organic) ?
Fertilizers are manufactured from N2 into water soluble nitrates. This chemical is often applied in excess of a crop’s needs in order to saturate the soil. However nitrate is easily shed from the soil. When rain leaches it out it takes other nutrients with it acidifying the soil. It takes things like magnesium and calcium out into the water yet plants need these as micronutrients. Composted manure is a typical organic that contains organic nitrogen compounds such as ammonium (NH4-), or nitrate (NO3-) so some is available immediately but not all thus over time more is fixed by bacteria for the plants as a natural slow release. This slow release of nitrogen is manure’s most important asset. It extends nitrogen availability and reduces leaching — of particular importance in sandy soils. The problem is manure needs to be tilled into the soil to be available to the soil bacteria while commercial fertilizer can be surface broadcast so application is easier. Fertilizer can be ordered custom
