Organic Fertilizer vs Synthetic Fertilizer – What’s the difference

Amending soil with fertilizer becomes essential to improve the proper growth of plants, shrubs, and trees. There’s no doubt about using fertilizer in your garden or lawn.

If you ask any gardener for advice on buying fertilizer, they’ll suggest you get a fertilizer that is good for both soil and plants. Most synthetic fertilizers can render the soil hard and sucked up after each use, while organic fertilizers help to keep the soil soft at all times. However, organic fertilizer can’t show quick and good plant growth like synthetic fertilizer.

This debate has continued for ages: either to use synthetic fertilizer or organic fertilizer. As an enthusiastic gardener, you should be wary about fertilizer types and their uses, advantages, and disadvantages.

What are the differences between organic and synthetic fertilizers?

Let’s get it clear, although they are different forms of fertilizers, both of them help provide the essential amount of macronutrients, micronutrients, and trace minerals to help grow plants. However, each plant and soil type has a different need from a fertilizer.

This is where you determine what type and form of fertilizer to use. Each compound fertilizer is packed with essential macro and micro-nutrients. You should be careful about choosing a fertilizer with a higher amount of one nutrient over another.  Some fertilizer has slow-release organic properties, while others start working immediately upon implementation.

Organic Fertilizer

• Organic fertilizers are prepared by composting organic materials like animal waste, fish meal, cottonseed meal, blood meal, bone meal, fish emulsion, liquid seaweed, milk, leaves, vegetables, plant food, etc.
• Unlike synthetic fertilizers, organic fertilizer helps to amend the soil quality for a longer duration.
• Organically derived fertilizers don’t directly provide nutrients to plant roots but stimulate beneficial soil microorganisms to improve the structure of the soil. The soil microbes play a pivotal role in converting organic fertilizers into soluble nutrients that plant roots can absorb.
• Alaska Fish Emulsion Fertilizer 5-1-1 is the primary example of organic fertilizer.

Synthetic Fertilizer

• Synthetic fertilizers are prepared by combing various inorganic chemicals in the lab. The variation in nutrient proportion may depend on the type and use of the fertilizer.
• The big advantage of using synthetic fertilizers over organic is that synthetic fertilizer provides immediate results. It’s packed with a higher dose of N P K that can immediately provide nutrients to the plant roots through soil water.
• Plumeria 10-30-10 is the primary example of synthetic fertilizer

Can I use synthetic fertilizer in Organic production?

Synthetic fertilizer is strictly avoided in organic production because the chemicals can easily seep into the nearby water source and may contaminate the soil.

A list of synthetic substances is still used in organic production as long as these do not contaminate crops, soil, or water.

For your personal garden, it’s best to use a combination of natural and synthetic fertilizers. Many soil experts recommend using organic fertilizer to help amend the soil quality and provide a long-term boost to the plants. In contrast, synthetic fertilizer will provide the much-needed NPK doses for the flower’s quick and healthy growth.

What are the pros and cons of using Organic fertilizer?

Using organic fertilizer over synthetic fertilizer has many great benefits.

1. Organic fertilizer is made from all-organic products with a combination of brown materials like plant leaves.
2. When used properly, it won’t burn or damage plants.
3. Organic fertilizers stimulate beneficial soil microorganisms to help improve the structure of the soil. Soil microbes convert the organic fertilizers into soluble nutrients that plant roots can absorb at a rate they can use.
4. Organically derived fertilizers often provide the secondary and micronutrients plants need that are usually absent in synthetic fertilizers.
5. Organic fertilizer has a lower NPK analysis (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium). They feed plants for a much longer period of time.
6. The nutrients are released at a rate plant can use, greatly reducing the chance of leaching or run-off. By slowly releasing nutrients into soil water, the plant roots absorb all the nutrients they need to grow without stressing out.

Some of the less known disadvantages of using organic fertilizer are as follows;

• Depending on the type of fertilizer used, it can be more expensive than using synthetic fertilizers. The fish emulsion may cost 2x more than normal organic fertilizer.
• Some organic fertilizers are in their raw form that may take extra effort to distribute over large areas.
• The poor quality soils depleted of beneficial microbes may delay results from organic fertilizer. You will be required to stabilize the pH level of soil before adding organic fertilizer.
• The organic fertilizer made from fish meat and carcass such as fish emulsion may produce a rancid smell that can attract rodents and pests.

What are the pros and cons of using synthetic fertilizer?

Some of the major benefits of using synthetic fertilizer are as follows;

1. Synthetic fertilizers are highly water-soluble and are taken up by plants almost immediately. You can start seeing the result pronto.
2. They are readily available in great amounts and are generally cost-effective than organic fertilizer.
3. The nutrient amounts mentioned in the label at highly accurate. You can use the blend as per your specific need.
4. It’s precious in commercial crop production where stable and improved growth in a short time is necessary.
5. Depending on your garden soil, you can choose from different forms of compound fertilizer; pellets, granules, liquid, tablets, spikes, and controlled-release.

Like mentioned before, using synthetic fertilizer comes at a cost.

• Although they grow plants pretty quickly, they do nothing to amend the soil quality. The chemicals used contribute less to the ecosystem of the soil.
• The overuse of synthetic fertilizer can decrease soil fertility over time due to chemical nitrogen stimulating excessive microorganism growth that depletes organic matter in the soil.
• Nitrogen and Phosphorus are highly water-soluble agents hence the chances of run-off to nearby water sources are very likely.
• More mowing and continuous reapplication of fertilizer is necessary to keep the results from fading.
• An accidental spill or over-application can burn plant roots and leaves.
• Although it gives a quick boost to plant growth, this is short-lived.

What are the costs associated with organic and inorganic fertilizer?

Organic Trade Association (OTA) reported that 82% of U.S. households are buying organic products.

Because it helps in improving the soil ecosystem, many householders choose organic over synthetic. Most commercial growers go for synthetic because it’s cheaper and fast-producing.

Homeowners use inorganic fertilizer in cases where organic fertilizer cannot provide sufficient nutrients to particular plants.

According to Fixr.com, an average 8,000 square foot lawn will cost between $50 and $95 to apply the organic fertilizer. If you choose inorganic fertilizer, expect the cost to be between $25 and $80.

You can buy synthetic fertilizer in larger bags that last for a long time, hence saving a lot of cost in the long run.

Frequently Asked Questions about fertilizers

We’ve tried giving comprehensive answers to some of the most asked questions by gardeners when choosing a fertilizer.

Q. Does synthetic fertilizer contribute to global warming?

A: When the application of synthetic fertilizer goes unchecked, it can create problems in the entire ecosystem. When soil is exposed to abundant nitrogen in its active form (as in compound fertilizer), microbial reactions release N2O emissions. N2O is the major greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and methane.

BloombergQuint reported that,

N2O has a far greater global warming potential than either methane or carbon dioxide, almost 265 times more by weight than CO2.

Moreover, the Nitrogen and Phosphate salts leaching into groundwater increase its toxicity causing water pollution and damage.

Q. Can I experiment with both Organic and Synthetic fertilizer?

Yes, you can use both organic and synthetic fertilizers for different purposes. Add organic fertilizer to rebuild soil health over time. The slow-release contents will keep reacting with soil microbes to produce healthy bacteria. Synthetic fertilizer can be added just before and after planting to provide the necessary boost of N P K.

You should consult with a soil expert before trying to experiment with multiple fertilizer types.

Q. What is better, organic farming or inorganic farming?

The organic form of farming is always encouraged over in-organic farming because it’s beneficial to your soil. The organic matter helps produce essential bacteria that keep the soil moist and healthy. Moreover, the slow-release fertilizer keeps providing nutrients to the plants for a long time. The leaching or run-off of organic nutrients is less likely to contaminate groundwater or gas off to the atmosphere.

Q. Is there any difference between organic farming and traditional farming?

A: According to the Rodale Institute,

The essential difference between organic and conventional (traditional) farming is that conventional farming relies on chemical intervention to fight pests and weeds and provide plant nutrition through the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.

The organic form of farming relies on natural principles like biodiversity and composting to produce food.

Organic farmers practice techniques used for thousands of years such as crop rotation and the use of composted animal manures.

Q. Is organically produced food better?

A; On average, organic foods or organically produced foods cost 50% more than conventionally produced foods. If you’d ask, is organic food more nutritious than regular food? Then we’d have to say no.

Organic foods are not healthier, per se, in terms of nutrients. You are still getting the same benefits in regular food as you are in organic foods. However, organic food doesn’t contain traces of pesticide and growth hormones used in regular food, leading to various forms of psychophysiological problems.

UCDavis Health reported that,

Exposure to pesticides may lead to the development of Parkinson’s disease, fertility issues, and cognitive decline later in life.

Q. Is Urea an organic fertilizer?

A: Urea is a water-soluble compound that contains carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. It’s a synthetic fertilizer that provides plants with a quick boost of nitrogen to promote green leafy growth.

The use of Urea is prohibited in organic farming because it contains harmful chemical contents. Biuret is the most common impurity produced by Urea that impairs plant growth. The loss of nitrogenous compounds to the atmosphere and runoff is both wasteful and environmentally damaging

Q. What are the differences between organic pesticides and non-organic pesticides?

A: Pesticide or insecticide is used to repel insects from damaging plants, flowers, and crop production. Inorganic fertilizers and pesticides do not contain carbon and are usually derived from mineral ores extracted from the earth. Organic pesticide contains carbon in its chemical structure.

Both types of pesticides are effective at controlling pests with the only difference being that synthetic pesticide often acts quickly than organic pesticides.

Q. Can hydroponic be organic?

A: Hydroponics is a type of horticulture that uses mineral nutrient solutions in an aqueous solvent to grow plants instead of soil. Organic hydroponic agriculture avoids using synthetic inputs such as fertilizers or pesticides. The nutrients are derived from organic plant and animal matter.

Q. Why does organic produce cost more?

A: Organic food costs more because the production process is more expensive than regular food. Also, the market for organic food is smaller than regular food. If the demand for organic produce grows, the supply could be scaled up, bringing down the price.

Q. Is eating raw organic vegetables dangerous?

Certainly not! Many vegetables are safe to eat raw, including organically produced vegetables. However, it would help if you researched which vegetables are bad for you in their raw state.