Good, healthy soil is basically organic humus mixed with nutrients, microbes and trace elements. Humus is the end result of compost, the naturally-occurring breakdown of dead organic matter. This organic matter, such as leaves, grass, fruit, bark, droppings, insects and animals, is broken down by the naturally-occurring microbes and good bacteria in the soil. Earthworms and insects help break down this material, too. The forest floor is a great example of pure humus, as the ground will have a slightly spongy feel to it. Away from forests, soil is mixed with sand, clay and rocks to create the type of soil we are all more familiar with.

Different types of fertilizers such as chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers and natural fertilizers are available in the market. The type of fertilizer greatly governs the quality of your product. Farmers all over the world are using chemical fertilizers; however, many are now shifting to organic fertilizers due to the apparent benefits of the later.

Farmers have the conception that adding large quantities of fertilizers in their farms will only do good to their plants. However, according to The Royal Horticultural Society, since fertilizers are substances that are rich in nutrients, are meant to be added in small quantities. The society suggests the following points for fertilizer application:

A very good feature of organic gardening is the ability to locally produce the fertilizers, pesticides and other organic ingredients. And the easiest among them is compost. You can prepare compost even in your kitchen garden!

Fertilizer selection, whether for organic fertilizers or chemical fertilizers, should be done judiciously. You should try to know the nutrient content of the organic fertilizers before purchasing them. Like chemical fertilizers, organic fertilizers also have N-P-K (nitrogen potassium and phosphorus) value.

Why do you need fertilizers for gardening or farming? Do plants not grow in the wild without any fertilizers? The answer to this question lies in the fact that you want only specific species of plants to grow in a farm or a garden.