From all-purpose organics to the seaweed-based fertilizer that carnivorous plants love.
or mixed into soil. Most houseplants are happy with any of these media; which you use mostly depends on your ease-of-use preference — just make sure to measure how much you’re using according to the directions on the label.Organic fertilizers derive nutrients from a “natural source of decay that releases nutrients,” says Satch. They are less likely to burn plants if you use too much, but tend to be less potent, pricier, and smellier than synthetics.
Synthetic fertilizers are stronger, nutritionally complete — “like a Centrum multivitamin for humans,” says Satch — and hold a higher risk of burning plants. Your plants will be happy with either. According to Oakes, “Plants don’t really distinguish between organic and synthetic fertilizers,” although “organic fertilizers tend to build up the soil, helping promote healthy microbial activity.”
The USDA does not offer organic certifications for fertilizers as it does with organic foods. This means the term is used less strictly, but the lack of a USDA organic certification isn’t a demerit. Independent groups fill that role, including the nonprofit Organic Materials Review Institute , which Kristin Monji, founder of landscaping firm, describes as “the gold standard for products in the horticulture industry.
In general, synthetic fertilizers represent the simplest, cheapest path to complete plant nutrition, but there are also plenty of options for gardeners who prefer to spend a little extra money and time on organic practices. Organic fertilizer is also good for gardeners who are more concerned about avoiding damage to their plants than getting optimized results quickly — you may get slower growth, but organic products won’t wreak as much havoc if you accidentally use too much.
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