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MY RANT
June 2009
So do plants need nutrients? Absolutely. Do they need fertilizers? Absolutely not! And the only people who would try to convince you otherwise are, for the most part, people who sell fertilizer.
I chose to limit my discussion of fertilizer-free gardening to ornamental plants in this rant. But in the future, I’ll apply the same philosophy to lawns…and everything else that grows.
Fertilizer – The Biggest Con of All
There’s no question that plants need nutrients to grow. Without nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium (aka NPK) plus a slew of other micronutrients, plants would die in a hurry.
My Yard
The real question has to do with the source of those nutrients, and there are two opposing camps: Those who advocate the use of synthetic fertilizers, and those who tout the merits of organic fertilizers.
But there needs to be a third camp: Those who dismiss outright the notion that plants need fertilizer at all. And that’s the camp in which I’ve chosen to pitch my tent.
Now let me say right off the bat that my approach to gardening without fertilizer has not been evaluated scientifically. It is merely a theory that I’ve been testing in my own yard for ten years. (Note: gravity is also a theory.)
My Yard
Back in 1999, I began to slowly wean my plants off of fertilizers (the organic ones, of course), by applying a thick (roughly six-inch) layer of shredded leaves to my beds each fall. Each spring I would then top the leaves with an inch or two of compost, and finally, I’d cover the compost with a four-inch layer of shredded bark mulch.
The results have been spectacular. And the random photos you see here (taken June 1, 2009) are of plants in my yard that haven’t been fertilized for six years straight. All I’ve done is maintain a high level of organic matter in the soil, which has not only boosted its nutrient content, but also provided all sorts of crucial microorganisms, including beneficial bacteria and fungi.
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