Female hand giving compost fertilizer to young plants

The Pros and Cons of Using Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers in Your Garden

When it comes to gardening, there are a lot of choices to make. One of the most important choices is what type of fertilizer to use.

Should you go with an organic option or an inorganic one? Here, we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of both so that you can make the best decision for your garden.

Organic Fertilizers

Organic fertilizers are made from natural materials like composted leaves, manure, and food scraps. They release nutrients slowly, which means they’re less likely to burn your plants. They also improve the quality of your soil over time, which makes them a good long-term option.

Animal manure or dung in a wheel barrow with cows in the background.
Animal manure is an organic fertilizer

However, organic fertilizers can be more expensive than inorganic ones, and they may not provide as many nutrients for your plants in the short term.

Inorganic Fertilizers

Inorganic fertilizers are made from synthetic materials like ammonia and phosphate. They release nutrients quickly, which means they can be more effective in the short term. However, they can also burn your plants if you’re not careful. In addition, they don’t improve the quality of your soil over time.

Hand in rubber glove holding inorganic fertilizers - diammonium phosphate.
Inorganic fertilizers

Inorganic fertilizers are usually cheaper than organic ones, but they’re not necessarily the best option for your garden in the long run.