Fertilizer is known to consist of a range of synthetic materials and chemicals and a common and effective way of nourishing plants. As for compost, it doesn’t consist of synthetic materials but a natural alternative for feeding plants and ensuring that the plants thrive.
Both compost and fertilizer have benefits to plants and soil. However, one is more safer and provides more benefits than other. Explained below are the advantages of compost over fertilizer.
1) Material Constituents
While fertilizer is known to consist of synthetic products, compost consists of natural materials thus making it better for the environment and also, making it less likely to have a long-term effect on the quality of the soil, as well as the surrounding area.
Recommended reading: Learn about the benefits of composting for the environment
2) Cost involved
Compost is way cheaper than fertilizer. There is minimum cost in using compost whereas you need to spend to purchase fertilizer which is costly. Compost is a cheaper way of feeding plants and it helps in recycling dead organic matter to make use of it for a new purpose.
3) Rate of Decomposition
Due to the fact that compost is prepared from plant and animal wastes, it gets decomposed easily compared to fertilizer which consist of synthetic materials and chemicals. The plant and animal wastes break down easily and making compost known to decompose easily and faster.
4) Absence of Harmful Chemicals
Compost does not contain any kind of harmful chemical as it is purely natural but as for fertilizer, it can contain harmful chemicals and an excessive use of these fertilizers could result into soil pollution and even water pollution when there is a run-off into nearby streams, rivers, lakes, e.t.c. this is evident in case of erosion whereby the too soil is washed into water bodies.
Soil containing fertilizer can get washed into water bodies thereby polluting the water and making it unfit for use. Not only that, it could result into the death of some of the animals present in the water bodies.
Read also: How To Make Liquid Seaweed Fertilizer
5) Ease and Safety
When compared with fertilizer, compost is easy to prepare. Fertilizer preparation could be tedious at times. Also, compost is known to be safer and environment friendly.
This is because it doesn’t cause any form of health issues in humans and animals alike. As for fertilizer, it could result into health issues in both humans and animals when not properly used or due to other circumstances such as the wash off of soil into water bodies which could contaminate such water bodies and can lead to the death of animals present in the water bodies.
Asides that, humans could consume animals from such contaminated water bodies and this could result into sickening or death of individuals involved.
6) Increase in Soil Fertility
Compost helps in increasing soil fertility. The natural breakdown of plants and animal wastes boosts the fertility of the soil naturally. Apart from that, compost is biodegradable.
Conclusion
Both compost and fertilizer are beneficial and each has its own role and benefits to plants. However, when considered that fertilizers are produced from chemicals, it can make them less superior choice for plant growth.
