Fertilizer In Agriculture

People get their nourishment from plants and animals where plants get most of their nutrient requirements from air, water and the soil. It is important to note though that not many soils provide all the essential nutrients needed by the plants. Soil nutrients are usually depleted by poor agricultural practices, forest clearing and the uncontrolled grazing of livestock. In fact this has been one of the major threats to the vegetable industry in the Philippines . Hence, the birth of the fertilizer industry (International Fertilizer Association, n.d.).

Among the top 20 high value vegetables identified under the High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) of the Department of Agriculture is potato. Particularly, this is one of the important high

Long-term use of chemical fertilizer can also change the soil pH (Day, 2008). Synthetic Fertilizers are widely used in forms to produce and maintain the supply of food. Thus, this makes the crops less nutritious.

More than half of the total yield of production is out of synthetic fertilizers which contain nitrogen, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and magnesium and so on. Humans tend to use too much Synthetic fertilizers to meet the global demand of food. Although these mentioned chemicals and minerals help boost the production of food, this has its negative side effects in the long run. Some of the negative effects of synthetic fertilizers are the following:

a.) It depletes the quality of soil where in it imbalances the acidity level of the soil that will lead to do a soil test every after three years to track whether you are using the right soil pH.

b.) It affects human’s health due to the chemicals such as the nitrates and phosphates that may lead to some serious

A layer of roughly crushed eggshells encircling plants is a deadly barrier to these hungry pests, as their soft bodies are eviscerated by the jagged edges.

Coffee grounds are also believed to be an acidifying agent when added to garden soil, the pH of grounds usually tends to be closer to neutral. They also improve soil texture and drainage. Additionally, as they decompose, they release nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other minerals that support plant growth. As a bonus, coffee grounds are reputed to have a deterrent effect on garden pests. According to "The New York Times 100 Gardening Questions and Answers," using coffee grounds as mulch may help repel pests from damaging vegetables or crops and can act as a barrier to moisture and air movement. (Anderson,n.d).

To maximize the benefits of the grounds, add nitrogen fertilizer to the soil at the same time. Coffee grounds release nutrients as the fungi and bacteria in the soil break them down, a process that can take several months. In the meantime, it’s helpful to have a supplemental fertilizer in the planting area to support plant growth while the coffee grounds