3 Important Kinds of Fertilizers

Fertilizers are used as a fuel to the crops. Without fertilizer, crops would simply die-off. Usually, we use cow or horse manure in the fields, but that is not all. There are other kinds of fertilizers as well. They vary in their chemical composition and in some ingredients.

Environmentalists have been in the labs for years to strike a balance between organic (natural) fertilizers and otherwise, known as inorganic fertilizers. Farmers on the other hand, use the type based on:

• Crop type, 
• The conditions,
• The cost,
• The field, and
• Their personal preference.

Types of Fertilizers

Some key types of fertilizers are:

1. Organic fertilizers
2. Chemical fertilizers
3. Mixed fertilizers

Organic Fertilizers

These are made from organic components like seaweed, crab shells, manure, fish emulsion etc. They can also be subdivided into natural and synthetic. Synthetic variety is composed artificially, however it still uses organic elements. All of organic fertilizers are rich in nutrients but they do however, rely extensively over strategic planning and crop rotation.

Chemical Fertilizers
Chemical fertilizers are completely synthetic. The key component of these fertilizers include NPK(an abbreviation for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium), all of which are obtained from artificial sources. 

Because the gases involved in these fertilizers are experiencing a price boom, the costs of these fertilizers are also increasing. Some of the common synthetically produced chemical fertilizers are Ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate, and superphosphate.

Mixed Fertilizers

Unlike organic – which uses 100% organic elements – and chemical fertilizers – which are made up of synthetic elements – these fertilizers are part organic part inorganic(synthetic). Mixed variety incorporates potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus to increase productivity level.

This is the type mostly preferred because it involves less costs and pleases environmentalist farmers to a certain extent as well.