Fertilizers are chemical compounds applied to promote plant and fruit growth. Fertilizers are usually applied either through the soil or through leaves.
Good fertilizers help ensure that your soil stays healthy. Yet applying too much, especially at the wrong time of year, will cause runoff, leading to groundwater pollution.
Fertilizers can be placed into the categories of organic fertilizers (composed of decayed plant/animal matter), or inorganic fertilizers (composed of simple chemicals and minerals).
Nitrate-based fertilizers (which are synthetic) often contain a high salt index that can cause root burning and dehydration.
The alternative is to use organic gardening products judiciously. (To gardeners, the terms "organic" and "natural" mean products derived from a plant, animal, or mineral source, not those containing USDA-certified organic materials.)
Organic fertilizers won't dry or burn your soil; they will rehabilitate soil quality and improve the general health of your garden.
Buy natural fertilizers with ingredients such as bonemeal, kelp meal, and alfalfa meal. Natural fertilizers break down in the soil slowly, which is more beneficial to plants. Avoid natural fertilizers with peat moss, which is harvested from swiftly disappearing bog habitats.