Fertilizers: Organic vs. Natural
- Jun 30
- 1 min read
Q: I see fertilizers labeled as “Organic Based.” What does that mean? What’s the difference between organic and natural?
A: Organic fertilizers are made from materials that were once living, such as compost, manure, bone meal, feather meal, kelp, or alfalfa. Organic means the material contains carbon atoms. The nutrients are released slowly as soil microbes break them down, feeding both your plants and the soil.
Natural fertilizers simply come from naturally occurring sources. They can include organic materials, but they may also contain natural, mined minerals like rock phosphate, iron, or sulfur or potassium. In other words, not everything labeled "natural" is organic.
Here's the takeaway: All organic fertilizers are natural, but not all natural fertilizers are organic. But the combination of both is appropriate and useful in organic gardening. And remember, don't buy a fertilizer based on the words on the front of the bag. Buy it based on the nutrients your plants need and what your soil is lacking.
Read our Q & As with Keith Funk answering common Colorado gardening questions here. See his website: gardenwiseguy.com and hear him on the Garden Wise Radio Show
