What is organic fertilizer? How to use them?

Over the years, there has been an increased use of organic fertilizers in various segments of the agricultural industry. Organic fertilizers are being used quite effectively in sustainable agricultural methods. It allows for healthy plant growth.

Also, there are different types of organic fertilizers available, and the composition of the organic fertilizers can easily be altered depending on the exact requirements of the plants that you are growing.

So, here we are going to talk to you about what is organic fertilizer and how exactly you can make use of organic fertilizers for farming. We will also talk to you about how exactly you can produce organic fertilizers using a pellet-making machine.

What is organic fertilizer?

Organic fertilizers are fertilizers that are mostly made up of plant-based or animal-based materials. These fertilizers are completely organic in nature and contain moderate amounts of essential nutrients.

Organic fertilizers are mainly used to mitigate the various problems associated with synthetic fertilizers. They also eliminate the need to provide the plants with fresh doses of fertilizers frequently.

Organic fertilizers gradually release nutrients into the soil so that the appropriate nutrient balance is maintained. This facilitates healthy plant growth. These fertilizers are also an effective source of soil microbes.

The microbes have a role to play in improving the soil structure. Organic fertilizers are also a safer alternative to synthetic fibres. They are capable of reducing nutrient deficiency in the soil. They are also quite good for sustainable agricultural methods.

You will find a lot of different materials present in organic fertilizers like cattle manure, poultry droppings, organic compost, domestic sewage, etc. All these materials are used to provide the plants with the desired supply of nutrients. The composition of organic fertilizers may vary depending on the kinds of ingredients used for making these fertilizers.

The fertilizers also prevent the toxin build-up in the soil which is yet another reason why so many people prefer using these kinds of fertilizers on a regular basis.

You also have the option to prepare your own organic fertilizers in an affordable way. You can make organic fertilizer for your available landscape from organic raw materials that are easily available to you. Organic fertilizers also serve as excellent food for the plants, making the plants strong and self-sustaining.

The plants also do not need to depend on a regular supply of synthetic fertilizers. They will automatically find what they need in the soil that has been filled with sufficient quantities of organic fertilizers.

Synthetic vs. Organic Fertilizers

Now let us talk about some of the major pros and cons of synthetic vs organic fertilizers:

Pros of organic fertilizers:

Improved water retention: Organic fertilizers have the capability of improving the soil structure for the plants to grow. This allows for better infiltration and water holding capacity. The soil will be able to hold the water for a prolonged span of time, thereby allowing the plants to grow in a much better way.

Reduced toxin build-up: Organic fertilizers do not have any kind of harmful chemicals in them. They are only made up of organic material. So, these fertilizers do not release harmful chemicals into the soil. As a result, there are fewer chances of toxin build-up in the soil, allowing for better plant growth.

Maintenance of a sustainable ecosystem: Organic fertilizers are really important for maintaining soil fertility for a long time. They also support an increase in microorganism activity in the soil. This not only improves the organic matter in the soil but a sustainable ecosystem is also maintained.

Easy removal of contaminants: By releasing the nutrients gradually into the soil, organic fertilizers ensure that the plants can absorb all the nutrients that are required for them to grow. This reduces the chance of over-fertilizing the crops. You are also able to enjoy an improved yield.

Cons of organic fertilizers:

The result is slow: It takes time for the organic fertilizers to break down and release nutrients into the soil. So, it may take a while for you to see the results. In fact, it may take a few months for you to actually observe visible results after applying the fertilizers.

Natural fertilizers are difficult to apply: Yes, it can be a tiresome job for you to apply natural fertilizers. The entire thing can get really messy, especially if you don’t know how to apply the fertilizers.

The amount of nutrients may vary: The amount of nutrients present in a particular quantity of organic material may vary depending on the kind of raw materials used to prepare organic fertilizers. So, you will again have to be careful in determining the nutrient level of the soil.

Pros of synthetic fertilizers:

Fast action: As synthetic fibres are made up of chemical substances, they work faster as compared to organic materials. This makes them an appropriate choice for plants that are already suffering from severe nutritional deficiencies.

They are easy to handle: Organic fertilizers come as dry granular pellets. They are also available in the form of water-soluble products. So, it becomes really easy for you to apply the synthetic fibres to the soil.

They are inexpensive: Synthetic fibres are a lot cheaper as compared to natural fertilizers. So, you will no longer have to spend a ton in getting the required amount of fertilizers for the soil.

Cons of synthetic fertilizers:

Synthetic fertilizers do not contain microorganisms: Synthetic fibres do not contain microorganisms. As a result, it becomes really difficult to maintain the structure of the soil.

Leaching of nutrients may occur: The rapid release of nutrients into the soil can make the nutrients unavailable to the plants. The nutrients may easily leach into the soil, making them inaccessible to the plants.

Synthetic fertilizers can be over-applied: With synthetic fertilizers, there is always a chance of over-application of fertilizers. This can again turn out to be really detrimental to the quality of soil. The toxic salt concentration can even make the plants unlivable.

Synthetic fertilizers can cause unbalanced plant growth: The synthetic fibres release nutrients too quickly into the soil. This again makes it difficult for the plants to make maximum use of the available nutrients. This can also sometimes result in unbalanced plant growth.

Start a Fertilizer Business Plan in 2023

So, if you are about to start a business in the organic fertilizer industry, then you are at the right place here we are going to tell you how exactly you can design a plan for your fertilizer industry.

5 Popular Types of Organic Fertilizers

Here are 5 popular types of organic fertilizers that are used quite frequently in organic farming:

1. Manure
2. Compost
3. Bone meal
4. Rock phosphate
5. Chicken litter

Manure: Manure is one of the most common types of organic fertilizers that is used on a frequent basis to improve the fertility of soil. Manure is made from animal excreta, mostly cow dung and goat droppings. Manure is extremely good for plant growth. It contains a high level of organic carbon and nitrogen in it. It is also rich in potash and allows for better plant growth. It also contributes to sustainable agricultural methods and is available at a cheaper price.

Compost: Compost is another popular organic material which is mostly produced when organic matter is decomposed by the process of composting organic material. The organic material used for preparing compost is plant residue. Animal excreta is also used for the preparation of compost. A lot of farmers prepare their own compost from the available raw material. Vermicompost is also a popular kind of compost prepared by the earthworms’ activities.

Bone meal: Bone meal is a mix of ground slaughterhouse waste products which includes animal bones. It has high levels of amino acids and phosphorus in it. It is also organic and releases nutrients gradually into the soil, making it appropriate for plant growth. Bone meal can be used to produce a high-quality yield in a short time. You will also be able to ensure that the soil gets the successful quantity of minerals required for healthy growth.

Rock phosphate: Phosphate is one of the most important nutrients required for plant growth, and it is present in abundant quantities in rock phosphate. It is a sedimentary rock which has high amounts of phosphate material in it. It can be used to fix the phosphate levels of soil naturally, thereby triggering plant growth. Rock phosphate is available quite easily. So, it is not a very difficult affair to feed it to the soil as fertilizer. Also, the quantity of phosphate in the soil can easily be adjusted by adjusting the level of rock phosphate added to the soil.

Chicken litter: Chicken litter mainly consists of chicken feathers and droppings. It has excellent quantities of potash and nitrogen in it. It is a superior type of organic fertilizer that can be used for conditioning the soil. It also ensures that plants do not have to suffer from nutritional deficiency. Chicken litter is also easily available. So, you can easily get the desired quantities of fertilizers to apply to the soil at regular intervals. You can also use rock phosphate with other types of organic fertilizers to offer your plants a balanced supply of nutrients.

How to Use Organic Fertilizer?

Simply applying organic fertilizers to the soil is not enough. You need to understand how exactly you are going to add organic fertilizers. Only then will you be able to make the most out of your efforts?

It is also important for you to know whether your soil is actually in need of organic fertilizers. You can do a pH test on the soil to have a clear understanding of the nutrients that are already present in the soil and the nutrients that you require to apply through organic fertilizer.

Depending on that, you can determine the choice of organic fertilizer for your soil. You can also try to experiment with different types of organic fertilizers to have a clear understanding of which fertilizer works best for your soil.

The next thing that you need to understand is what would be the best way to apply organic fertilizer to the soil. For that, you must determine how much fertilizer you require to use. This is going to help you in ensuring that you do not over-use or under-use fertilizers. You should also know when exactly you need to use organic fertilizers.

Different crops have different nutritional needs. This mainly depends on the stage of growth of plants. So, you need to remain aware of the specific nutritional requirements of the plants that you are growing and depending on that, you will have to decide on when exactly you wish to apply fertilizer.

You will also have to be careful about how exactly you are applying organic fertilizers. As the organic fertilizers gradually release nutrients into the soil, it takes a considerable span for the nutrients to be taken up by the soil.

Here again, you will have to take into consideration the feeding habits of the plants and then apply nutrients to the soil accordingly. It is also important for you to remain aware of certain safety measures to be undertaken while adding fertilizers to the soil. Ensure that you do not apply too much fertilizer to the soil, as it may cause the plants to die of nutritional imbalance.

It is also important for you to determine the quality of raw materials being used in the soil. Yes, it is quite possible that you end up using raw materials that might not be actually suitable for your plants to grow. This can cause the plants to die early, causing massive damage to your agricultural yield.

So, if you do not want such a thing to happen, then a better idea for you would be to use good quality raw materials only. This will allow your plants to grow in the best way possible. You will also be really happy with the overall outcome of events.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are numerous benefits to using organic materials for growing crops. So, if you are in the agricultural business, it is high time that you consider preparing your own organic fertilizers.

This can easily be done by investing in the TCPEL pellet-making machine. The machine allows you to prepare large quantities of organic pellets from any available raw material. The pellets can be used to offer the required nutrition to the plants. This will give your business an excellent edge, and you will also be able to maximize your revenue. To know more about the TCPEL pellet-making machine, contact us, and we will give you the details.