Deciding whether to grow your plants with organic or synthetic nutrients can be a tough decision to make.
Both organic and synthetic nutrients have their benefits, but they also lack aspects that the other may not.
Organic
Growing organic is obviously the most natural way to grow. Organic fertilizers and nutrients utilize biological components like animal and plant waste to promote a more natural growing environment.
A benefit of organic products is that they have a slower release time of nutrients into the plant, making it harder to overfeed or burn the plants. However, this can also cause problems if there is an issue that shows up late in the growth cycle, and a quick fix is needed to save the plant, as an organic product may not act as quickly.
Sustainability
Organic fertilizers and nutrients are renewable and sustainable, and over time can help create better soil. For outdoor growers, this creates a strong appeal for organic growing methods, as soil can be reused for multiple seasons.
Organics also have a greater chance of staying the soil, avoiding nutrient run-off. When quality of product and attention to natural growth is most important, organics are the way to go, though one can expect a higher price tag for organic products.
Synthetic
Another option for growers who want something more widely available that still produces a strong and complete product, synthetics are perfect for the commercial grower that demands consistency and quality.
Nitrogen, phosphate and potassium are essential for healthy plant growth. Synthetic compounds combine these elements into specific and exact mixes, so a grower can get the exact amount of specific nutrients they need, as opposed to working with and mixing organic products to find the right measurements and mix.
Not so sustainable
Synthetics are not without their downsides, however. One of the more prevalent cons to synthetics is the production of the nutrients themselves. Producing nitrogen and other compounds can be an expensive process, as well as taxing on the environment.
Additionally, it is much easier to overfeed and burn plants with synthetic nutrients. Compared to organic nutrients that take longer to work, synthetics work much quicker, and a grower used to using organic might use more than they need, damaging the plant.
A good analogy for organic and chemical fertilizers is the comparison between baking and cooking. Organics are like cooking. You can take away, add, and alter the recipe and find a unique delicious meal at the end of the day. Chemical fertilizers are like baking. You know what you have, and if you know what you precisely need you will end up with a beautiful loaf of bread. If you stray from the recipe, however, problems will arise.
While synthetic nutrients may be easier to use and more widely-available, organic nutrients can result in tastier, cleaner yields that an experienced grower (or newbie) may be looking for. Cultivate carries a variety of both organic and synthetic nutrients so you can just walk in and get the full scoop on the best products.