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Organic versus inorganic fertilizer - Coggle Diagram
Organic versus inorganic fertilizer
Background/introduction needs to not only explain what fertilizer is but why we would need to use it in the circumstance of our garden beds on campus
Plants still need some other nutrients from the soil and/or absorbed from their leaves to produce their own energy and grow
Nature struggles to replenish nutrients in the soil
so decrease in yield over time
Basics of organic versus inorganic fertilizer
Organic natural products and the "old school" way of doing things
Inorganic is synthetic and provides very rapid, concentrated nutrients
Characteristics to consider in an urban environment like our garden beds
Ease of use
Storage
Nutrient content
Bioavailability of nutrients
Long term impact on the soil
Price
Need to think of safety for pets and people because of the environment
Pros and cons of Organic
Usually can be more messy and sometimes have an odor (needs to be considered because of the setting)
Harder to store/has a shorter shelf-life
Can provide a wider array of nutrients
Less bioavailability so it has a less predictable extended release
Mostly shown to improve the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the soil BUT there are exceptions
In the urban environment they are seen to overall be safe
Inorganic Pros and Cons
Easy to use, but are highly concentrated so caution is needed
Easily storable and long shelf-life
very concentrated and have many options of various nutrient contents
Usually is a rapid release of nutrients
Some studies indicate that they are harmful to the biotic and abiotic factors of the soil after continued use
Affordable
Due to the setting, they can be harmful to not only the plant if overused, but to pets and humans