When it comes to choosing the right fertilizers, you're always stuck deciding between which is the best one to use, a chemical type fertilizer or an organic lawn fertilizer? It's hard to pick the right one with so many options available on the market right now. Even professional lawn care providers have varying opinions. There's always this debate and confusion about which is better to use between the two fertilizers.
Grass fertilizers serve as the source of nutrients for your lawn. They help the grass have that lush and thick green lawn. There's not that much difference between the two when it comes to providing nutrients. But when it comes to how it affects the health of the soil, there are major differences. It is all because of the composition of the fertilizers. Using a chemical fertilizer does not necessarily mean it has a negative effect on your lawn. Or if it's a natural lawn fertilizer, it's better. Regardless, if it's an organic lawn fertilizer or synthetically made, when fertilizers are not used properly, it can damage the plants. To help you understand and choose the best fertilizer for your lawn, we will break down the differences and weigh the pros and cons of each.
Difference Between Organic vs Chemical Fertilizer
Chemical Fertilizer - A chemical or synthetically-made fertilizer is the most commonly used fertilizer since its widely available than the purely organic fertilizer. They come in a variety of forms such as pellets, granules, and liquid. They are made from rocks, petroleum products, other non-renewable sources, and organic materials. Although organic materials are one f the main ingredients, this type of fertilizer is not considered purely organic. This is because manufacturers refined the materials, stripping them off of their natural substances and combine them with chemical fillers such as phosphorus, sulfur, and potassium.
Organic Fertilizer - Organic or natural lawn fertilizers are usually made from plants such as vegetable scraps and leaves, animal waste, or powdered minerals. They are not readily available than the chemically made ones and their form may also differ depending on their composition. Organic fertilizers retain their natural form when applied, delaying the release of the nutrients since microbes need to break down the materials first before the nutrients reach the soil.
Comparing Chemical Lawn Fertilizer vs Organic Lawn Fertilizer
Organic Lawn Fertilizer
PROS
Made from natural materials
Environmentally friendly
Children and pet friendly
Improves and promotes the structure of your soil
Minimal toxic buildup since the material will decompose over time
Renewable, biodegradable and sustainable
Does not require multiple application
CONS
Slower to see results since nutrients are released slowly. The material needs time to break down before it reaches the soil.
Takes a lot of time to apply
Expensive and less available than the chemical fertilizers
The ratio of the nutrients are not balanced and not guaranteed
Chemical Lawn Fertilizer
PROS
Easy to apply
Cheap and widely available since its the most commonly used fertilizer type
Ratio of the nutrients the soil and plant needs are balanced
Nutrients are released right away because the material dissolves quickly
Results are seen within days
CONS
Using chemical fertilizers regularly can build up unwanted chemicals which can damage the soil and grass
Over application can cause burns
Can give quick results but short-lived
Your lawn may need more mowing due to rapid growth
More application is needed since it dissolved quickly
3 Main Groups of Fertilizer
It is important to recognize the 3 main groups of fertilizers and understand what they provide to your lawn. Most fertilizers include one or more of these properties:
NPK Fertilizers – NPK stands for N- Nitrogen, P- Phosphorus, K- Potassium. This fertilizer is the most used type since the bag is labeled with bold numbers at the top, which is a national standard known as the fertilizer grade. The number label represents the amount of primary nutrients in 1 bag in percentage, 10%. NPK is important as these are the main things your lawn needs. Nitrogen is responsible for the growth of the leaves. Phosphorus is responsible for the growth of the roots and Potassium is responsible for the overall function.
pH Fertilizers - This fertilizer group is responsible for alkalizing the soil acidity. A lot of fertilizers do not include pH fixing properties. If the one you are using does not include this, make sure you add a second fertilizer to neutralize the pH level.
Humate Fertilizer - This fertilizer contains substances that play an important role in soil fertility. When plants end their life cycle, and organic matter is returned to the soil. This compound is slow to decompose and stays on the soil for years. This substance makes up the humus, which is composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur. It is responsible for root and mass growth and stabilizes soil temperature.
10 Best-Reviewed Lawn Fertilizers
Below is the list of the 10 best-reviewed and highly recommended products available online by gardeners and specialists. Check out the links to find more information for each product:
DIY Compost
If you are on a budget and got a lot of time in your hands, you might want to try making a homemade compost. Preparation and materials and are easy to find. You can start collecting them from your yard, fridge or kitchen.
Materials
Vegetable scraps
Eggshells
Fruits Scraps
Coffee grounds
Dry leaves
Grass clippings
Shredded wood chips
Preparation
Combine all the materials and make sure it's damp. You can add water if it's dry but don't add too much or it will become too soggy. If this happens, the materials will rot instead of compost.
Stir the compost thoroughly once a week. Monitor the temperature and make sure it's between 130 and 150 degrees.
When it's dry and crumbly, it means it's fully cooked and ready to use. You can then start applying your DIY natural lawn fertilizer.
Choosing the Right Fertilizer
When it comes to choosing the right grass fertilizer to use for your lawn, there is no right answer. Both chemical and natural lawn fertilizers give you results. But the result may differ depending on the application and compatibility of it with the current health of your soil. As a homeowner, you have to understand first your lawn and do testing to know which one works best. Testing will help you determine which one works, the synthetic ones or the purely organic lawn food.
Check out other tips and how to's for your lawn from Tedious Blog here. Make sure to subscribe to our mailing list and be the first to know about new updates from Tedious.
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