What Is Organic Fertilizer?

Although we frequently hear about using organic products, what precisely are they? The organic product area of the garden center typically has mulches, organic fertilizers, pesticides, soils, and compost. However, if you were to get some organic fertilizer, what would you do with it and what is in it? In what way does it vary from non-organic or synthetic fertilizers?

What exactly is Organic Fertilizer?

The term “organic fertilizers” refers to substances with a specific chemical makeup and high analytical value that provide plant nutrients in an accessible form. Compost and manure are examples of organic fertilizers; they are made from plant, animal, or human excrement. Organic fertilizers are created using natural ingredients; this is typically related to our biodegradable wet suit. Biodegradable wastes are often broken down to create compost. Paper, leaves, leftover meals, fruit peelings, and even fruit juices are some examples of these wastes. An excellent supplement to the soil is organic fertilizer. It reaches the soil and gets it ready for planting.

For thousands of years, agriculture has been carried out without the use of synthetic chemicals worldwide. The first artificial fertilizers were developed in the middle of the 1800s. These organic fertilizers were affordable, effective, and convenient to ship in large quantities. In addition to its short-term benefits, the new artificial fertilizer technology has major long-term drawbacks, including soil compaction, erosion, and reductions in overall soil fertility. Toxic chemicals may also find their way into the food chain, raising worries about human health. Soil biologists started looking for solutions to mitigate these negative impacts while retaining increased productivity in the late 1800s and early 1900s. 

The application of organic fertilizers or natural fertilizers aims on focusing on using as many locally or agriculturally available renewable resources as possible. This fertilizer’s benefits included being affordable, enhancing the texture, arrangement, and airing of the soil, boosting the soil’s capacity to retain water, and promoting the growth of strong roots.

Many farmers in underdeveloped nations use traditional farming practices that are similar to organic farming but may not incorporate the most recent scientific developments in organic agriculture. These practices are not certified organic. In other instances, modern organic farming techniques have been adopted by farmers in poor nations due to financial constraints. Thus, the primary goal of this essay is to provide an overview of the impact of organic fertilizer on agricultural output. 

What is the source of Organic fertilizer?

Peat, animal wastes (usually from slaughterhouses), plant wastes from agriculture, and sewage sludge were the main sources of organic fertilizers. Slurry, peat, and animal waste from the production of meat are examples of naturally occurring organic fertilizers. Carbon-based substances known as organic fertilizers improve plant growth and productivity. Rather than being chemicals that have been refined and reduced, natural fertilizers are intricate mixtures that provide a variety of secondary and micronutrients. 

Important micronutrients can be found in organic materials including compost, wood ash, blood meal, bone meal, powdered rocks (such lime, rock phosphate, and greensand), manures, and wood ash. These materials also have a texture that improves rather than degrades soil quality. The focus placed by organic farmers on maintaining fertility with exclusively organic fertilizers.

Apart from the benefits organic farming offers to the environment and food quality, it also significantly lowers a farmer’s expenses and helps him become self-sufficient in terms of agro-input requirements. A combination of organic, environmental, social, and ethical goals is the focus of organic farming.

Types of organic fertilizers?

Naturally existing raw materials, such as those found in plants, animals, and minerals, break down to produce organic fertilizers. Different forms of organic fertilizers are categorized based on how they can be derived from their sources. The common categories of organic fertilizers are shown below.  

Vermicompost

Vermicompost, to put it simply, is earthworm casting. Vermicompost is the decomposed material left behind by earthworms, which consume organic waste and excrete material that is richer in macro- and micronutrients and growth-promoting agents. Vermicompost aids in the restoration of the soil microbial community, which includes phosphate solubilizers and nitrogen fixers. It also contributes significantly to improving the soil’s aeration, structural stability, optimal plant growth, and crop quality.  

Cow dung compost

The main ingredient in cow manure, sometimes referred to as cow dung compost, is digested grass plus grains, fruits, or vegetables, depending on the cattle’s diet. There are traces of grass, straw, bedding, grains, and other organic substances that were used to feed the animals in addition to cow dung. 

Plant growth can benefit from the substantial nutrient content of cow manure. This 3-2-1 NPK fertilizer is ideal for nearly all plant and crop varieties since it contains 3% nitrogen, 2% phosphorus, and 1% potassium. This is because it restores fields’ natural nutrient balance.

Cow Dung Powder

Since the earliest days of farming, cow dung has been used as an organic fertilizer because it works. Cow dung powder has a lot of organic matter and is nutrient-rich. Furthermore, cow dung powder has high ammonia levels and possibly harmful microorganisms. Because of this, before using it as cow manure fertilizer, it is typically advised that it be aged or composted.

Jivamrut 

Jivamrut is a type of liquid organic manure that is rich in biomass and natural carbon. It also contains the macro and micronutrients that crops need. Jeevamrut has shown to be more productive than other manures and can be used in conjunction with them. The end product of organic liquid fertilizer is intended for use in fermentation, a process that produces effective living soil microorganisms that increase plant production and growth while also providing an adequate supply of nutrients. 

These fertilizers are affordable, environmentally friendly bio-inoculants with significant potential to improve agricultural output in a sustainable manner. It can lessen the overuse of chemical fertilizers in the soil, which lowers the soil’s fertility. Jeevamrut is therefore the ideal alternative for chemical fertilizer.

Blood Meal

Blood meal fertilizer is made from dried animal blood, a byproduct of meatpacking industries.  It can be prepared from any animal’s blood that has been slaughtered for meat, although it is most commonly made from cow blood. The blood is collected, dried into a powder, and packed. A blood meal is a high-nitrogen supplement that can be added to the soil to improve its nitrogen content. It is an excellent natural fertilizer for plants that suffer from nitrogen deficit.

Bone Meal

Bone meal fertilizer is derived from animal bones. It is thoroughly crushed for use on plants. Bone meal is a great source of calcium and phosphorus. Calcium in bone meal strengthens plant cell walls and promotes healthy growth. Another important nutrient is phosphorus. Phosphorous is crucial for plant key processes such as root, flower, and fruit formation. It also encourages flowering, which increases the plant’s output.

Fish Meal

Fish meal is an organic fertilizer made from animal carcasses, obtained from dried fish remains after the water and oil have been removed. It is a good source of phosphorus, nitrogen, and other important trace elements. Because fish meal nourishes the soil’s microbial biomass, it increases their activity, promotes rapid root growth, and increases plant productivity.

Compost Manure

The biological breakdown of organic waste by microbes produces compost, an organic fertilizer. The final result is typically crumby, rich dark brown in color, and smells earthy. A great source of macro and micronutrients is compost. It helps to enhance the physio-chemical characteristics of the soil. Additionally, it supports increased plant output by boosting soil microbial activity. The practice of composting recycles organic wastes, including food wastes, and shields the environment from dangerous chemicals, giving people better opportunities.

Read Blog – Advantages of Vermicomposting