BREAKING DOWN THE BOTTLE
a form that is useful for plants. From there, the ammonia is transformed through chemical processes to other
useful synthetic nutrients like calcium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and phosphoric acid.”
The Haber-Bosch process is the backbone of modern
agriculture and represents almost 2% of worldwide
energy consumption. Without this source of nitrogen,
it would be impossible to feed the 7 billion people and
counting on the planet. It’s examples like this that help
shed light on some of the truly sustainable features of
certain non-organic processes and products alike.
One thing to keep in mind when using synthetic
nutrients is that one of the most common mistakes
growers make is overfeeding their plants. This can lead
to nutrient toxicities and premature/frequent reservoir
changes. In this scenario, some environmental contamination may occur when the unused nutrient solution is
dumped. The best way to prevent this is closely monitoring your plants’ needs using meters and a trained eye in
an effort to provide only what plants need and nothing more. Keep in mind that overfeeding can happen
whether you are using organic or synthetic nutrients.
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Maximum Yield USA | November 2015
Just because a product is not organic does not
mean it isn’t sustainable, safe or effective.
And just because a product is organic,
doesn’t automatically make it safe.
When used correctly, both synthetic
and organic fertilizers are safe to use.
It’s important to familiarize yourself
with the ingredients in the fertilizers
you buy, regardless of their classification. Choose products that have gone
through adequate analysis and inspections to ensure their quality. Visit the
Association of American Plant Food
Control Officials website (aapfco.org)
for resources that help promote the
safe and effective use of fertilizers
and the protection of soil and water
resources. You can also contact your
local department of agriculture for a
list of registered products that have
undergone the processes required for
legal commercial sale.