Since the trend is for farming methods to become more sustainable, the market for organic fertiliser is expanding. Improved crop quality and soil health are just two of the many advantages of using organic fertilisers, which also have a major positive environmental impact.
According to Jason Sparrow, agricultural specialist at Kynoch Fertilizers, using organic fertilisers regularly is one of the greatest ways to make sure your soil is getting all the nutrients it needs.
What are organic fertilisers?
Materials that can be added to soil or plants to supply nutrients and support growth are known as fertilisers. Naturally occurring fertilisers are known as organic fertilisers. Soil health and crop resilience are supported by increasing soil carbon, which also contributes to maintaining or increasing the amount of organic matter in the soil.
“Organic fertiliser is anything that contains organic carbon. We know that organic carbon is the building block of all life on earth along with hydrogen and oxygen. So, organic fertiliser is any animal waste or manure, plant material perhaps even compost, anything that is made up of natural substances that are worked back into the soil,” he explains.
Know the nutrients
According to Sparrow, nutrients are necessary for plants to flourish. You must be aware that for plants to thrive, they require a variety of nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, you also need to understand when and how plants require these nutrients.
Potassium: Potassium-rich plants are great for encouraging resilience to stress.
Nitrogen: Nitrogen should be used in the early stages of leaf and stem development of a plant, and used in the season when the plants start flowering.
Phosphorus: Phosphorus aids in strong root growth at the start of the growing season, especially in developing root crops or new transplants.
He adds, “The nutrients come in different ratios and amounts depending on the source of your manure. It is often that your nitrogen and potassium is usually a lot higher and your phosphorus is a bit lower but it does supply your mainstream elements.”
Types of organic fertilisers
Mineral sources, animal dung, and leftover plant and vegetable materials are the sources of organic fertilisers. The rich biological structure of organic fertilisers is one of their main advantages.
Manure: It is composed of excrement from animals like goats and cattle. Goat dung is high in potash and nitrogen, while cattle manure is a significant source of both organic carbon and nitrogen.
Compost: It is organic matter that has broken down via composting. Animal excrement and vegetable and plant waste can be used as organic materials in this context.
Rock phosphate: It is a sedimentary rock with a significant phosphate mineral content. It is employed organically to raise the soil’s phosphate levels.
Chicken litter: It is made up of sawdust and chicken dung. It is rich in potash and nitrogen. It is regarded by many as being better than chemical fertilisers for preparing the soil for harvest.
Bone meal: Is a mixture of animal bones and other ground-up abattoir waste products. It is an excellent supplier of amino acids and phosphorus. It is also a slow-release fertiliser because it is organic.
Vermicompost: It is the result of several kinds of worms breaking down organic material to produce a varied combination of broken-down food waste.
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Benefits of organic fertilisers
There are a variety of organic fertilisers to use for your land, but it is always important to understand what kind of benefits are out there:
Better soil structure: Organic fertilisers break down and release nutrients into the soil, enriching it. This procedure strengthens the soil’s structure and enhances its overall nutrient profile. The soil can hold onto water and nutrients more effectively when organic fertilisers are used.
Slow release of nutrients: Nutrients are gradually released into the soil via organic fertilisers. Fertiliser burns are caused by the excessive rate at which nutrients are released by synthetic fertilisers. The plants may take up all the nutrients required for growth without being stressed or over-fertilised by gradually releasing the nutrients into the soil.
No toxin build-up: Synthetic fertilisers tend to leak hazardous acids and chemicals into the soil, which could be detrimental to plants. Because biodegradable materials are used to make organic fertilisers, no toxic compounds or salts that are lethal to plants are released.
“The microorganisms give life to the soil. The soil is a living entity that has a biological component that needs to be stimulated and activated. Once you start the soil health with the organic carbon that is added into the soil you improve the water holding capacity of your soil, the infiltration rate – which means the water that enters into the soil, and the water holding capacity. This also reduces run-off rates, and it improves the fertility of the soil,” Sparrow explains.
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Cons regarding organic fertilisers
There are some drawbacks to consider when it comes to organic fertilisers:
Restrictive efficiency: Microorganisms aid in the slow breakdown of organic fertilisers, releasing nutrients into the soil. Furthermore, optimal temperature and moisture are necessary for the microbes to efficiently decompose the organic fertilisers.
Takes longer to break down: The organic fertiliser will take longer to break down and have fewer effects if the soil is not sufficiently warm or moist. Fortunately, the energy from decomposing plant and animal materials is utilised by these bacteria to carry out their tasks.
A slow start: Before showing any effects, organic fertilisers must dissolve into the soil. Seeing the outcomes a few months after the initial application is not out of the ordinary.
According to Sparrow, one of the biggest negatives of organic fertilisers is their availability. “When you apply organic fertilisers to the soil it first needs to go through a process called mineralisation, that is the conversion of organic substance in the soil into an inorganic by plants,” he says.
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