Lauren and Zora

Minerals in Fertilizer

What minerals differ between organic and non-organic fertilizers?

Initial Question

Simply put, fertilizer is plant food.

Fertilizer contains combinations of nutrients that plants need to grow.

Think of your body; it's a vessel for all the organs and parts it sustains.

Plants accept the proteins they receive each day, and unlike your body, they have no way to get

harmful foods out of their system, the plant dies, while humans have the ability to throw up.

What is fertilizer?

Plants have been known to need sixteen different chemical elements, which are then divided into mineral

and non-mineral categories.

Non-mineral nutrients are hydrogen, oxygen and carbon.

The mineral nutrients are dissolved in water and enter the plant through the roots. There are not always enough of

these nutrients in the soil, which is why many farmers use fertilizers. Mineral nutrients are divided into two groups;

macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients can be further divided into primary and secondary nutrients.

For natural plants to grow and thrive they need a number of chemical elements, but the most important are

nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Most packaged fertilizers contain these three macronutrients. Fertilizing

plants causes rapid and efficient growth.

Why do plants need fertilizer?

pH is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen in soil. An acid soil is soil that has a pH of less than 7.0. Alkaline soils are clay soils that have a high pH

level of 8.5 or greater.

Below a pH of 6.0, nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, are less available. When pH exceeds 7.5, iron, manganese, and

phosphorus are less available.

What is a pH level (in soil)?

Soil acidity and alkalinity (soil pH) is important because it influences how easily plants can take up

nutrients from the soil.

Plant roots absorb mineral nutrients when they are dissolved in water. If the mixture of water and

nutrients in the soil is too acid or alkaline, some nutrients won’t dissolve easily, so they won’t be

available for uptake by roots.A too low or high soil pH is toxic to grass roots and

if there is too much chemical build up, the chemicals can make way into the plants and

permanently ruin the pH of the soil.

Why is pH important?

Organic matter is anything that contains carbon, such as living or dead plants and animal material.

Organic matter ranges from kitchen waste and shredded leaves to well-rotted manure and compost.

Some forms of organic matter are mulch, soil and compost.

Adding organic matter to your soil can supply nutrients for plants by providing surfaces where

nutrients can be held, facilitate better drainage by loosening soil structure, store water and help

increase air drainage.

Organic Matter

Macronutrients can be further divided into primary and secondary nutrients.

Primary nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. They usually are lacking from the soil,

as plants use large quantities for growth and survival.

Secondary nutrients are calcium, magnesium and sulfur. Soil usually has a high enough amount of

these nutrients, so fertilization is not always needed.

Sulfur is found in sufficient amounts from decomposition of organic matter, which is an important reason for not throwing out grass

clippings and leaves.

Macronutrients

Micronutrients are the second division of mineral nutrients, and are essential for plant growth and only needed in small quantities,

hence the prefix 'micro'.

They are sometimes called minor elements or trace elements. The micronutrients are boron, copper, iron, chloride, manganese,

molybdenum, and zinc.

Micronutrients

nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium An N-P-K ratio encompasses the amount of

N – NitrogenP- Phosphorus K- Potassium

that is in a package of fertilizer.

Nitrogen is a primary nutrient in plant growth. Every amino acid in plants contains nitrogen as it an essential component for plants to manufacture

new cells. Nitrogen helps plants make proteins they need to produce new tissues. Plants have evolved to take up as much nitrogen as possible, even if it means not taking up other necessary elements. If

too much nitrogen is available, the plant may grow abundant leaves but not produce fruit or flowers.

Growth may actually be stunted because the plant isn't absorbing enough of the other elements it

needs.

Nitrogen

Phosphorus is a primary nutrient in plant growth.

It stimulates root growth and helps plants grow buds and flowers, improves vitality

and increases seed size.

It does this by helping transfer energy from one part of the plant to another.

To absorb phosphorous, most plants require a soil pH of 6.5 to 6.8.

Phosphorus

Potassium is a primary nutrient in plant growth.

It improves the overall vitality of the plant.

It helps plants make carbohydrates. It also helps regulate metabolic

activities.

Potassium

Pros

*They’re inexpensive.

*Standardized labeling makes ratios and chemical sources easy to understand.

Cons

* Long-term use of chemical fertilizer can change the soil pH, upset beneficial microbial ecosystems, increase pests, and even contribute to the release of greenhouse gases.

* Chemical fertilizers are primarily made from nonrenewable sources, including fossil fuels.

* Repeated applications may result in a toxic buildup of chemicals such as arsenic, cadmium, and uranium in the soil. These toxic chemicals can eventually make their way into your fruits and vegetables.

Chemical FertilizerChemical fertilizers (also called inorganic, synthetic,

artificial, or manufactured) have been refined to extract nutrients and bind them in specific ratios with other

chemical fillers.

Pros

*Organic fertilizer is usually made from plant or animal waste or powdered minerals.

*Organic fertilizers are renewable, biodegradable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly.

Cons

*Nutrient ratios are often unknown, and the overall percentage is lower than chemical fertilizers. However, some organic products are actually higher in certain nutrients.

*You may see a deficiency in your homegrown plants during the first couple of months until the first application breaks down.

Organic FertilizerOrganic or natural fertilizer in this case means that the product is minimally processed and

the nutrients remain bound up in their natural forms rather than being extracted or refined.

Recommended ProductsMake your own compost! Keep track of what foods you add

to make sure that your soil has all the nutrients it needs to keep your plants healthy.

Compost is a form of humus, which means that it enriches the soil by using organic matter.

It's not fertilizer in the sense that fertilizer is nourishment for your plants, whereas compost is used to increase the

fertility of soil.

In compost, you can use egg shell, coffee grinds, fruit and other natural components.

Compost

Chemical Fertilizer

Organic Fertilizer

Sources

"Pros and Cons of Organic vs. Chemical Fertilizers | Today's Homeowner."

"Understanding PH." Organic Gardening." "Soil PH."

"Fertilizer Basics: Organic Fertilizer, NPK Ratio | Gardeners.com." Gardeners Supply.

"What Are Chemical Fertilizers, and Why Do We Use Them?"

"The Five Types of Fertilizers." ------