A Few Fertilizing Factoids

“Feed the soil and the soil will feed the plants.”

Plants don’t eat like you and I, they don’t have big gobs that scarf down every fat and carb molecule in sight (oh, sorry, that’s just me).

There’s something called the soil food web–a symbiotic relationship among all the elements of the soil, including microorganisms, earthworms  and macro organisms, inorganic decomposed stone (and not so decomposed!), all manner of organic matter including dead things–all existing together and benefiting one another. Well, maybe not benefiting the dead things…

I want to grow beautiful things and have a beautiful garden not so much for the sake or the plants or garden but as part of the greater beauty of creation. I look at the sky and I’m amazed at the blueness of it.

And when there’s a tornado in New Brunswick I’m astounded at the power of it.

God’s creation is beyond our understanding, and appreciation.

I’d like to do it as little harm as possible, and even maybe do it some good, as a “good steward”.

So here’s some “factoids”:

1. Adding inorganic  fertilizers (I won’t identify the brands, but they’re the ones that DON’T say “organic”) will give your plants some of the nutrients they need (N–Nitrogen, P–Phosphorus, K–Potassium). Maybe a lot more than they need. At the expense of some of the microorganisms, who may find the “salts” too strong and die off as a result.

2. Even organic fertilizers can be overused: they will be slower to break down and filter into the groundwater, but if applied more than the plants need, they WILL filter into the groundwater. Any fertilizers should only be used if needed.

3. Every living organism need more than just N-P-K, but typically the inorganic fertilizers don’t have the iron, manganese, boron etc that we all need in trace amounts. Many of the organic ones do. Read the label.

4. Using organic mulch in moderation is probably the safest way to benefit the whole soil food web: slow to break down so less leaching of nutrients into the groundwater, feeds many of the inhabitants of the ecosystem, which benefits the whole, amends the physical quality of the soil, making it lighter and allowing root penetration.

And now: a completely unrelated poll:

Challenge:

What are your thoughts about use of fertilizer? Yes or no, good or bad, relevant or irrelevant? Let’s get a discussion going. Comment, share, question, dispute (nicely).