Best Organic Fertilizer
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Chemical fertilizers provide basic plant nutrition, but do nothing to nourish and protect the viability of the soil.
Ideally, soil is a living, thriving ecosystem, with complex interactions between garden plants, earthworms, microorganisms and fungi. Organic fertilizer adds to this ecosystem, providing aeration, protection, organic matter, and nutrition.
Compost is the best organic fertilizer because it allows plants to take in nutrients at a natural rate. Plants are able to use resources as needed, and take up more from the soil as necessary. Unlike harsher fertilizers, compost will not burn delicate plant structures with salt build-up or artificially hasten the growth process.
The Colorado State University Master Gardener Program’s publication Using Compost cites the following benefits to using compost in your home garden:
- Nourishes soil microorganisms
- Enhances the food web of the soil ecosystem
- Releases nutrients gradually over the long term
- May suppress certain plant diseases that originate in the soil
The same source, however, cautions against using unfinished compost. Finished compost is dark and crumbly with a pleasant earthy smell. If there is any smell of ammonia to the compost, this indicates that the material is not finished decomposing, and is not yet suitable for use.
Ammonia is an intermediary in the decomposition of organic matter, and can damage the fine structures of the roots.
In the absence of good compost, animal manure can be a beneficial source of nutrients, microorganisms, and organic matter to build up the soil structure and ecosystem. Manure is usually available in larger volume than compost, so may be preferable for large projects.
For large agricultural operations, organic farming techniques can be more expensive than conventional farming.
For your home garden, organic fertilizer can be cheap. Compost, animal manure, grass clippings or raked leaves are just a few of the many free soil amendments you can add to your garden soil to increase nutrient content and water retention.
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