ORGANIC GARDENING INGREDIENTS
B
uilding a better garden starts with a good nutrient regimen, and supplying your plants with an organic fertilizer
is less of a hassle than you might think. If the words composting and manure just popped into your mind, followed by a
delicate shudder, relax. There are many ways to supply your
plants with natural nutrients, and many great products are
available at your local hydro shop. A little basic information
will take you a long way.
Why Go Organic?
There’s a big difference between organic and chemical
fertilizers. Organic fertilizers come from plants and animals,
often having undergone a natural process of decomposition
that involves the activity of beneficial bacteria and insects.
Organic fertilizers contain essential plant nutrients as well as
abundant amounts of micronutrients.
“
There are many ways to supply your
plants with natural nutrients, and many
great products are available at your
local hydro shop.”
112
Maximum Yield USA | December 2015
Chemical fertilizers are inorganic, and their recipes are
targeted to supply the essential elements plants need most,
including the N-P-K on fertilizer labels (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). They can be formulated from a number
of ingredients, including petroleum derivatives, and may or
may not contain micronutrients. Unlike organic fertilizers
that become water-soluble and available to plants gradually,
chemical fertilizers are immediately available to plant roots.
In addition to providing nutrition, organic fertilizers also
replenish the soil by increasing its porosity and oxygen
content, and by supporting a rich network of beneficial
micro-organisms. Chemical fertilizers feed plants, but organic
fertilizers feed gardens.