Gardening is one of the most wonderful activities a person can pick up during a lifetime, but it does take work, dedication, and patience. Your plants need appropriate care in order to thrive and your gardening journey doesn’t begin and end with planting them and letting the sun, rain, and soil take care of them from that point on.
Making a proper compost or enriching the soil with fertilizer is one of the vital steps in the process of growing a beautiful garden. What is the difference between those two and which fertilizer to choose if you decide to go for this solution? Here is all you need to know.
Compost vs. fertilizer: pros, cons, and effects
As mentioned previously, both compost and fertilizer represent the means to keep the soil rich in various nutrients necessary for plants’ proper growth.
The main difference between them lies in the fact that compost is created by combining organic substances and letting them decay before adding them into the soil. Fertilizer, on the other hand, is bought in stores, containing a variety of natural and synthetic materials.
Which one is “better” for your garden?
Each of these solutions should be used in a specific way and both can be a tremendous help to you in the garden, but which one is better? Both come with a list of pros and cons, but here’s the gist to have in mind.
Compost is amazing for the soil as it aerates, promotes healthy microbe growth, helps the soil keep its moisture, and controls the appearance of weeds. Fertilizer, however, takes caution to use as you risk buying the wrong one or using it in incorrect quantities. This can lead to creating a chemical imbalance in the soil, ending up doing more harm than good.
On the other hand, compost takes a lot more time and effort to make and use, while fertilizer is a ready-made solution that comes in a wide variety of sorts created to target the problem your soil might be having specifically. All it takes is learning how to buy a proper one.
How to recognize the right fertilizer?
Stepping inside a store with gardening supplies and viewing all those shelves with different sorts of fertilizers can be a bit intimidating at first. Knowing which one to buy is not an easy decision. To help you make the right selection, here is a list of things to consider before making a final purchase.
- Prepare to make a soil test
The number one mistake new gardeners usually make is thinking that they can “wing it” when it comes to deciding which fertilizer to buy. The preparation is half of the job done, as even the most experienced person in the store can’t advise you which product to buy without knowing the state of the soil and what it actually needs.
A proper soil test will detect everything you need to have in mind before venturing to make a purchase. It will determine the fertility and health of your soil by measuring the pH levels and identifying nutrient deficiencies.
- Liquid or granular fertilizer?
The main differences between liquid and granular fertilizers are in the way they should be added to the soil, how quickly they can be absorbed, and their salt content. For example, liquid-based fertilizers work very quickly, while the granular kind is slowly released into the soil.
Each has its uses and advantages, so researching which one is the best for your garden would be the best course of action.
- Picking the main nutrient
Every experienced gardener will tell you that, for a plant to grow well, it needs these three main nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). However, it’s the ratios of these ingredients that make a huge difference.
Nitrogen-enriched fertilizers are made to boost green top growth on lawns. Phosphorous-heavy version promotes root growth, while fertilizers rich with Potassium help with chemical reactions.
- Follow the instructions to the letter
Once you’ve conducted a soil test, researched and decided which type of fertilizer to use and which main nutrient your soil and plants need, you’re ready to go to the store and choose the right solution for your garden. This is the best time to talk to someone in the store, asking for their recommendation based on all the information you brought.
Keep in mind that choosing between organic or synthetic fertilizers is also an option, the latter having a higher content of nutrients and different ways of absorption.
Once you make a purchase, make sure to read the instructions printed on the packaging of your fertilizer and follow them thoroughly. The manufacturers know best, so don’t make any decisions on your own—it’s easy to get carried away and disrupt the natural state of your soil if you’re not careful.
Author Bio
Joshua Sharp is a professional essay review service writer and blogger from Oxford, working as a journalist in a local college paper. He is interested in traveling, learning about new cultures, and making social connections.
Joshua started his career as the author of a blog exploring cultural differences. He’s worked in media, art, public relations, and news. Also, he is fond of psychology.