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Hi All! I am an organic gardener. And I think it’s probably safe to assume that everyone else reading this is also an organic gardener. But do you ever really stop to ask yourself why? We all know it’s better for us and our environment, but what makes it better?
Well, I’m here to explain to you why chemical fertilizers (and other man-made chemical treatments for our plants) are bad for us and our environment. It doesn’t hurt to learn a little about why you do what you do, now does it?
Every different chemical fertilizer has different side effects, but most of them all share these general (and bad!) characteristics. By the way, I use Protogrow in my gardening, and it shares NONE of these characteristics or side effects!
High Nitrogen Content
- Man-made chemical fertilizers are extremely high in nitrogen. Nitrogen is good for plants, but not too much at once! Chemical fertilizers are made as “quick release” formulas, releasing a lot of nitrogen at once to spur growth. Organic fertilizers are naturally “slow release”, giving your plants the perfect amount of nitrogen as they need it.
- The excess nitrogen that your plants can’t use is absorbed into the surrounding soil. This causes little salt crystals to form. The crystals will suck up the water in the soil (which should be available for your plants) and will literally cause your plants to suffer dehydration. This is called “fertilizer burn” and will definitely damage, if not kill, your plants
Soil Depletion
- Chemical fertilizers do not contain any of the trace minerals that organic fertilizers contain naturally. So, it makes sense that as your plants grow and use the trace minerals available to them in your soil, if those minerals are not replenished, your soil becomes depleted.
- Studies done over the past few decades have shown that our fruits and vegetables of today offer much less nutrition than they did even 30 years ago.
- You can’t deny that the increase in chemical treatments for our plants has a direct correlation to the decrease in our plants’ nutrition levels!
Microbial Death
- In our soil, there are microbial organisms whose job it is to eat the waste in our soil and break down organic matter. These organisms also act as tiny Rototillers and continuously turn over our soil for us.
- By using chemical fertilizers, these harsh chemicals kill off these microorganisms, eventually making our soil null and void of life. Our soil becomes useless and nothing can grow in it. Organic fertilizers feed these organisms because it contains organic matter they can eat and thrive on.
Water Contamination
- Excess fertilizer drains into our water supply. Whether it be creeks, rivers, lakes, or our oceans, it’ll end up in some body of water. We may have advanced filtering systems to ensure our drinking water is safe, but our fellow creatures, who also inhabit this planet, do not, and they end up suffering the consequences.
Long Term Effects
- As if the above mentioned side effects weren’t enough, the long-term side effects of chemical fertilizer is never-ending.
- We consume foods treated with these chemicals, and therefore, we are consuming these chemicals.
- Because quick release formulas spur quick growth, the plants grown with chemical fertilizers don’t mature correctly and offer less nutrition.
- Because these plants are weak, they can’t fend as well for themselves against pests and disease, so we end up dowsing them with more chemicals to combat these problems.
The Bottom Line…
Organic fertilizers, such as Protogrow, have no bad side effects (except maybe the smell!) and offer only beneficial qualities. Now that you know a bit more about why you garden organically, be sure to share your knowledge!
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