Article: Here's the scoop on "natural fertilizers." (includes related article on lawn problems and solutions) (Special Issue: Spring-Summer 1994 Garden Guide - Planting & Maintenance Guide)

In recent years, several companies have introduced lines of "natural" fertilizers. What are they, how do they work, and are they worth the cost? First you need to be sure you know what you're buying.

What's in a name?

Products labeled fertilizer must show how much of the three primary plant nutrients--nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K)--they contain.

The word natural is more vague. Most chemical companies use it to mean fertilizers extracted from living things or from the earth with minimal processing. Synthesized ingredients, like ammonium nitrate, are usually (but not always) excluded.

From bag to plant

Most natural ...

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