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Chemical or Organic Fertilizer, You choose!
A chemical fertilizer is defined as any inorganic material of wholly or
partially synthetic origin that is added to the soil to sustain plant
growth. Many artificial fertilizers contain acids, such as sulfuric acid and
hydrochloric acid, which tend to increase the acidity of the soil, reduce
the soil's beneficial organism population and interfere with plant growth.
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Generally, healthy soil contains enough nitrogen-fixing bacteria to fix
sufficient atmospheric nitrogen to supply the needs of growing plants.
However, continued use of chemical fertilizer may destroy these
nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Furthermore, chemical fertilizers may effect plant health. For example,
citrus trees tend to yield fruits that are lower in vitamin C when treated
with high nitrogen fertilizer. Fungus and bacterial disease resulting from
the lack of trace elements in soil regularly dosed with chemical fertilizers
is not uncommon. This lack of vital micronutrients can generally be
attributed to the use of chemical fertilizers.
On the other hand organic fertilizer such as manure treated with CBPA
adds nutrients to soil, increases soil organic matter, improves soil
structure and tilth, improves water holding capacity, reduces soil crusting
problems, reduces erosion from wind and water, improves water holding
capacity and improves buffering capacity against fluctuations in pH levels.
Excerpt from www.ecochem.com |
