We use organic and inorganic fertilizers to grow and add nutrients to our gardens in order for our plants, fruits and vegetables to grow faster and more efficiently. The most common fertilizers are chemical, inorganic fertilizers because they are relatively cheaper than organic fertilizers. Is cheaper always better? Some fertilizers are not as healthy or environmentally friendly as you think they are, they can cause damage to your soil, garden and our groundwater.
Chemical Fertilizer
Chemical fertilizers are produced synthetically from inorganic materials. They provide plants with 3 essential nutrients; phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium. Nitrogen can break down into nitrate and easily travel and seep through the soil, because it's water-soluble it can remain in our groundwater for a long time diminishing our quality of drinking water as well as the habitat and health of our aquatic animals. Drinking contaminated groundwater can have serious health effects for us as well; some long term exposure of contaminated water can cause certain types of cancer.
Long term exposure of chemical fertilizers can cause soil dehydration and destruction of plant tissue. The longer you use chemical fertilizers the more you'll end up needing in order to successfully grow crops.
Organic Fertilizer
Taking a more organic approach with your lawns and gardens. Organic fertilizers are made with remains or by products of organisms like fish extract, seaweed and manure and compost materials. Organic fertilizers can add nutrients to soil, increase soil organic matter, improves soil structures and water holding capacity. They can also reduce soil crusting and erosion from wind and water and slowly and consistently release nutrients to your soil and plants.
Some farmers using organic fertilizers like Neptune have even gone to hold world records for having the biggest vegetables.
Fun Fact- Sewer Sludge in fertilizers
Farmers in some countries use sewage sludge as fertilizers. You read that right. They apply human waste to crops and soils. Sewer sludge frequently tests positive for a host of heavy metals, flame retardants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, phthalates, dioxins, and a host of other chemicals and organisms. Out of all those and other thousands contaminants found in sludge, the U.S. government regulates exactly 10 of them. Sometimes the various contaminants in sewage are at low levels, some chemicals bind to the soil some don't, some seep into groundwater others are insoluble in water.