Organic's key advantage is unity with Nature
The key advantage of organic fertilizers is that their use supports (or restores) the mechanisms of natural development of the environment. Plant nutrition is only a link in the general life process in Nature, it is inextricably linked with the activity of microorganisms, the state of the atmosphere, water resources, soil composition and any other processes existing in Nature.
By itself, the word "organic" is close in origin to the word "organic", i.e. - integral, inextricably linked with the environment, due to the very essence of Nature. All other advantages of organic fertilizers stem from the fact of their organic interaction with the environment.
Organic fertilizers have been used since time immemorial as a natural means of improving soil fertility, today they are produced by many companies. What distinguishes the fertilizers of the Dutch company Ecostyle from most other organic fertilizers produced in the world? First of all, high concentrations of the main macroelements (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) in organic matter, the active use of biotechnology and the introduction of soil microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) into fertilizers, which made it possible to significantly increase their efficiency and endowed Ecostyle fertilizers with a number of other irreplaceable qualities. Microorganisms contained in organic fertilizers "Ecostyle" restore the natural biological activity of soils, which in most cases on the exploited land plots is in an unsatisfactory condition due to intensive farming, the use of large doses of mineral fertilizers, deep digging, construction work, trampling and other problems.
The role of soil microorganisms in plant nutrition
Root mineral nutrition of plants in the natural environment cannot occur without the participation of soil microorganisms. Organic matter that gets into the soil (grass and leaf litter, organic fertilizers, remains of soil inhabitants and any other organic matter) is not directly assimilated by plants - first it must decompose to the state of mineral compounds. This process is ensured by the activity of bacteria, fungi, annelids and other soil organisms, which are also directly involved in the formation of humus, which maintains the supply of nutrients in the soil and its fertility.
Most of the elements of mineral nutrition contained in soils are also inaccessible to plants, since they are usually in a "bound" state, in the form of stable insoluble salts (which naturally prevents them from being washed out of the soil). And here the plants also need the help of microorganisms, which secrete enzymes into the soil that dissolve mineral salts that are absorbed by the root system.
Due to the natural processes of regulation of nutrient intake taking place in Nature, they become available only during the period when plants need them. Proteins do not dissolve in water and are not washed out of the soil after rains, they are not destroyed by the cold and, finally, they can be completely harmless from the point of view of ecology.
With the onset of the cold season, all the nutrients contained in organic fertilizers are stored in the soil in the form of proteins until the period when the soil microflora is not activated again (spring) - this allows you to introduce organic matter at any time during gardening. Mineral fertilizers from these positions are at a disadvantage.
In the production of fertilizers, Ecostyle adds several strains of bacteria and fungi to their composition, each of which in nature is responsible for performing its functions. So, for example, fungi decompose organic matter that gets into the upper layers of the soil. The bacteria engage in the next step, producing water-soluble mineral salts available to plants. Plants develop, reach maturity, shed their foliage and die off, replenishing the organic reserves of the soil. At the same time, organic matter decay does not occur in healthy, active soils, due to which the soil, for example, of perennial forests, always has a pleasant and fresh smell.
Another important aspect of the activity of soil microorganisms is that they improve the porosity of the soil - thereby they facilitate the access of air, moisture and nutrients to the roots of plants, inhibit the development of moss and prevent water stagnation. In well-structured soils, plants always have a healthy and strong root system.
Symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi, which are part of many organic fertilizers "Ecostyle", play a special role in the formation of the root system. The root system of plants exists in close interaction with fungi and is literally permeated with a whole network of the finest filaments of their mycelium. Thanks to this symbiosis, more elements of mineral nutrition become available to plants, and the effective suction surface of their root system increases significantly, which is absolutely necessary for their full development.
In the photo on the right you can see the development of mycelium of mycorrhizal fungi from granules of organic fertilizer "Ecostyle" brand Gazon-AZ.
The active activity of mycorrhiza fungi in soils makes plants strong and healthy, provides them with rich foliage color and abundant flowering throughout the garden season. It is important to note that fungi are very sensitive to soil problems and, if they arise, disappear from it in the first place, which has an extremely negative effect on plant health.
The chemicalization of agriculture is a huge mistake of mankind
Taking into account the above-described advantages of organic fertilizers, the question certainly arises - why does humanity not refuse to use the products of the chemical industry and switch to natural organic farming? Why are advances in soil microbiology still not everywhere used? Were there alternatives to the mass chemicalization of horticulture and agriculture?
Today we can confidently give an answer - there were alternatives, but a chain of strategic mistakes and the desire to extract momentary profit led humanity to disharmony in its relationship with Nature, simultaneously provoking an explosion of diseases, the most characteristic of which is cancer.
During the Second World War, the rapid development of the chemical industry gave rise to hope for the solution of many problems in the technology of growing agricultural crops using chemical fertilizers. Huge production capacities made it possible to reduce the cost of chemical mineral fertilizers to a minimum, and their use led to an explosive increase in yield - for every kilogram of such fertilizers applied to the soil, they began to receive 10 kg of grain. Such a tangible economic effect has pushed humanity to a dangerous conclusion - the more mineral fertilizers, the more bread, vegetables, fodder, meat and milk will be produced, the better our life will be. This is how the period of mass chemicalization of agricultural production began.
However, interference in natural natural processes could not go in vain - after a while, the yield of grain, in terms of a kilogram of fertilizers applied, began to steadily fall and by the mid-80s, taking into account all the latest achievements of agricultural chemistry, it decreased to 2.5 kg of grain for every kilogram of mineral fertilizers applied. The use of mineral fertilizers suppressed the activity of many soil microorganisms, thereby disrupting the natural microbiological balance in soils.The soil, fertilized only with mineral fertilizers, over time became structureless (heavy) and infertile, the process of its sterilization took place. The activity of earthworms, which play a huge role in the formation of humus, was suppressed - earthworms do not tolerate large doses of mineral fertilizers and do not tolerate pesticides at all.
Meanwhile, alternative approaches to agriculture were actively developing until the mid-40s of the last century. By the mid-40s, 40 thousand items of preparations for microbial fertilizers were sold in the world, but over the next decade most of them were phased out and in 1964 there were only 1-2 thousand of them left. The possibilities of large-scale chemistry, the cheapness of nitrogen fertilizers, and the simplicity of their use, as it were, pushed microbial preparations into the background.
The period of rethinking the methods and strategies for using biological and chemical sources of nitrogen nutrition for agricultural plants began about ten years ago, when the problem of greening agricultural production arose in all countries, including Russia.
The constantly growing capacities for the production of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers could not cover the drop in yield due to the deterioration of soil fertility. The intensive use of mineral fertilizers led to the pollution of subsoil waters, rivers and lakes - fertilizers were washed out of the soil, leached out and turned into compounds harmful to humans - nitrites, nitrosamines, etc.
Thus, the foregoing allows us to conclude that the use of mineral fertilizers gives a negative effect in the long term, every year more and more of them are required, and the disturbance of the ecosystem from their use becomes deeper and deeper.
Advantages of organic fertilizers "Ecostyle" with microorganisms
- They contain 100% of the nutrients necessary for plant nutrition, unlike most other organic fertilizers, they are free from the problem of nitrogen deficiency even for such difficult tasks as the cultivation and maintenance of sports lawns (today more than 50% of lawns in the Netherlands are made or maintained using fertilizer "Gazon-AZet" and lime "AZet-Kalk").
- The composition of the fertilizers is completely natural and ecologically perfect; the use of Ecostyle fertilizers benefits the environment.
- They are introduced only 2 times a year, they have a long-term effect.
- The nutrients are released gradually, without the risk of burning the plant and in strict accordance with the needs of the plant. The enzymes of the root system play the role of feedback, releasing them through the root system, the plant itself is able to “signal” microorganisms about the need to produce the “dish” it needs from macro and microelements.
- They form a reserve of nutrients in the soil for many years - they are not washed out of the soil by water, and retain their properties in winter. Organic fertilizers increase the so-called cation exchange capacity - the ability of the soil to retain nutrients in a form available to plants.
- Provide plants with complete nutrition. Soil microorganisms, which are part of Ecostyle fertilizers, activate the plant nutrition processes not only with basic macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), but also with microelements such as calcium, copper, molybdenum, iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, etc.
- Protect plants from disease. Beneficial microorganisms play a key role in plant health, they produce special antibiotic enzymes that protect plants from pathogens.
- Helps cope with drought. Mycorrhizal fungi, which are part of many Ecostyle fertilizers, increase the area of the suction surface of the plant root system up to 10 times.In addition, improving the porosity of the soil increases its water storage capacity (according to some scientific estimates, an increase in organic matter in the soil by 5% increases the water storage capacity of the soil by 4 times).
- Provides direct and indirect protection against moss due to the ability of microorganisms to actively counteract its appearance. In the future, healthy soil and plants themselves prevent its appearance.
- They increase the survival rate of seedlings several times, helping the plant to survive the stress of planting. For example, many years of practical experience with the use of the Terra Fertiel soil activator by leading European landscape designers shows that the percentage of plant death after the completion of a project using Terra Fertiel was always significantly lower than without it, which allowed designers to give long-term guarantees on the result of their work and, ultimately, reduce the cost of work. The Terra Fertiel Soil Activator helps plants cope with post-transplant stress by stimulating their rapid root development, thereby ensuring the highest possible plant survival. The application of organic fertilizers "Ecostyle" simultaneously with the soil activator additionally enriches the soil with microorganisms and provides the plants with a full supply of nutrition.
- Improves soil structure by gluing structureless particles into lumps and creating free space between them. Structural, porous soil has better air permeability, delivering the oxygen needed for plant root respiration and for the life of soil organisms. This, in the case of lawns, makes it possible to do without periodic aeration (“piercing” the lawn). In addition, the structural soil has a high water capacity, water permeability and better temperature conditions.
- Helps the soil maintain its natural acidic pH balance.
- They do not pollute underground waters, improve the environment.
- Promote the decomposition of toxic substances entering the soil.
- Stimulates the activity of microorganisms around the root system, which promotes intensive growth of the root mass and improves plant health.
- They significantly increase the yield, the subsequent safety of the crop and the environmental friendliness of the fruits and vegetables obtained. Enrich the fruits with microelements.
- The microorganisms included in the fertilizer initiate and accelerate the processes of natural decomposition of cut lawn grass, crop residues, any other organic matter, turning it into humus. With the use of Ecostyle fertilizer for Lawn-AZet lawns, the obligatory need to clean the clipped grass disappears, within a few days it will be processed by microorganisms and will serve as additional feeding for the lawn.
- The use of "Ecostyle" fertilizers with microorganisms in the long term pays for the large economic costs at the initial stage - the soil saturated with organic matter and microorganisms retains its fertility for many years, has a good structure and is easy to cultivate.
- Organic fertilizers "Ecostyle" with microorganisms, even at the initial stage of use, are no less effective than the best samples of mineral fertilizers, and in terms of long-term effectiveness they are significantly superior.
