subject: Why Organic Lawn Fertilizers Are Good For You [print this page] Why Organic Lawn Fertilizers Are Good For You
Old time gardeners may find changing their habits difficult. For those who have grown up using synthetic lawn fertilizers and have been using them for years, the idea of taking care of their lawn in a different way may seem foreign. But as more and more homeowners learn more about the types of chemicals used in their everyday lawn products, many are choosing to take a different path. They're choosing to go organic.
Homeowners make choices for many reasons. And there are a slew of very good reasons why you might consider using organic fertilizers for your lawn. Number one is that they are often cheaper than the synthetic store bought fertilizers. In fact, if you have the yard space, you can easily make your own. Once you make the initial investment of composting tools, you rarely have to purchase anything else for your fertilizer needs.
Number two is that every lawn needs to have a good source of nutrients if it is to thrive. Now, a number of people figure that because man-made synthetic plant foods have been tested in a lab that they are the best that money can buy. However, actually, some of the best food sources for your lawn come from organic foods such as manure, blood meal, and other completely natural sources. These foods are loaded with nitrogen that can be easily digested by your grass. Organic fertilizers release nitrogen at a slow, steady pace and over a longer period of time. On the other hand, many of the water soluble synthetic fertilizers, although they will reach the plant roots immediately, tend to dissipate quicker into the lower soil layers, meaning that you will have to feed them more often.
Thirdly, there are a lot of individuals who are truly concerned with the land that they live on and their effects on that land. They have the belief that they are responsible for leaving the land to their offspring as well or better than they found it. They believe that the use of chemicals has a negative effect on the land itself, possibly poisoning it for both current and future generations. They take their stewardship of the land seriously and feel that using synthetic chemicals violates their responsibility to the land.
And finally, there is the whole issue of safety. Especially safety for yourself and your family. A lot of people think, with a large degree of justification, that the synthetic foods that we so casually soal our lawns with are poisonous substances. The reasoning goes, if they aren't poisons, then how can they kill all of the "bad" insects that they are so efficient at eliminating. And, if they are poisons, how can they possibly not affect us as well? For these people - using synthetic fertilizers is a risk that they're not willing to take with the health of their children or their pets.
When it comes to using an organic fertilizer, the problem that most people have with it is the smell. However, even that's not a problem if you use one of the many dehydrated organic fertilizers that are on the market today.
Some people will never change what they are used to. And, regardless of how many benefits one may give for using organic fertilizers, some people have very strong opinions and will never change their ways. If, however, you are on the fence, do something different this summer and try organics. You may decide that it's not as bad as you thought.
