Organic vs Synthetic

Have you ever stood in a garden center and wondered what the difference was between all the products? 

Some are described as organic or natural, while others claim to have an organic base or naturally derived ingredients. Still, others say nothing like that, and you can't even pronounce half the words on the back! 

I will attempt to make this easier to understand by generalizing and simplifying each definition so that we have a basic understanding of the subject.

• 'Organic' products are made from 100% plant or animal resources.

• 'Natural' products are composed of only natural material (animal, plant or mineral).

• 'Synthetic' products (which will not be labeled as such) have man-made compounds artificially created through chemical reactions.

You will see some products labeled as organic even if they don't fit in that category. 

For example, rock phosphate, is a sedimentary rock containing high amounts of phosphorus, which is a mineral. It should be labeled as natural (or a mineral fertilizer), although, it is commonly marketed as an organic amendment. 

There may be a seemingly organic product with a small amount of a naturally occurring compound that was synthetically made. Therefore, it may be called natural. Others will not go through the process of third-party verification to get the certified organic label and simply state on the label that the product is manufactured from natural ingredients. 

Are you confused yet? We could discuss regulations or the manipulation of naturally occurring compounds in-depth, but that's not necessarily the most important thing here, nor is it all that entertaining (if you would enjoy going in-depth, please let me know!). 

We all know an organic and natural gardening program is better for the environment, our plants, and us. I prefer to take this approach at home and work, but I realize that sometimes, for various reasons, we all reach for synthetics at some point. There are so many organic and natural products that we can talk about. In some situations, synthetics make more sense economically and when faster results are required. 

Below is a breakdown of when I personally will use natural and organic products vs. synthetics. 

I also have a collection of info on some really awesome natural and organic products. Check out the common plant disease page to search for product suggestions on treating common diseases. 

Additionally, if you would like to be on a strict organic-only program, please do your research on each ingredient in each product. 

Fertilizer

Fertilizers usually focus on the 3 main requirements: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).  

This makes it easier to figure out which ones to buy. 

Nitrogen is mostly responsible for the growth of leaves on plants, phosphorus for roots, flowers, and fruit development, and potassium for the overall functions of the plant. 

When we feed our plants synthetically, they get those three main nutrients, but it's as if we were to eat a ham sandwich and carrots at every meal. Yes, we would hit our main requirements and survive, but we would not thrive. In fact, we would be pretty unhealthy.

In most situations, organics would be a better choice because organic fertilizers contain a wide range of nutrients, not just your basic NPK. 

Think of synthetic fertilizers like steroids: They cause lots of growth really quickly. The growth would be so rapid that it could mess with the plants' cells, weakening them and, in turn, allowing disease and dependency to develop over time. 

Now, I did say most situations. Annual plants may be the exception sometimes. They are meant to last through one season, and honestly, I would like to get the most bang for my buck! I may slam them with a synthetic to get maximum growth and blooms while not worrying about long-term health. 

Pest Control

Synthetic pesticides are chemicals sprayed on plants and will kill almost any insect, even the good ones that help us in many ways. 

They may not be made to kill us, but who wants to inhale or absorb any toxins if there is an alternative? 

Bugs are easy to deal with most of the time. Neem oil is a great organic product to have on hand since it's also a fungicide. It's safe for most beneficial insects but great at killing aphids, mites, and scale. Just don't use it on host plants when you want the caterpillars to be safe. 

Additionally, please check out my bee section on the wildlife page.

Herbicide

Here's where it gets tricky. Vinegar (20-45%) is a great non-selective herbicide, but it can only do so much. 

For Bermuda grass, nut sedge, and other tough weeds, you may want to choose a strong synthetic herbicide unless you want to spend hours digging them up. 

Vinegar is not as effective on robust weeds due to how it works and neutralizes in the soil. If you choose to use vinegar, please remember that it is a strong acid, and when purchased in higher concentrations, care must be taken to avoid injury. 

Tip: Adding Orange Oil to Vinegar makes it work even better!

Fungicide

There are many organic options for fungus. 

Cornmeal is the most common and one of the best when used as a preventative. 

A copper fungicide is accepted in an organic program. 

I would reach for some neem oil or potassium bicarbonate for light stuff like powdery mildew. 

Phytophthora-caused diseases, though, would have me running to grab a synthetic fungicide. Ever heard of Sudden Oak Death? Well, that is caused by the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum. Currently, there is no cure for that particular disease, but you get my drift.

**These are just a few examples of when I might recommend synthetics over a more natural approach.

Fun fact: Phytophthora is a group of more than 80 pathogenic species commonly referred to as water molds.

Organic and Natural Products

Fertilizers

These can be used in place of many synthetic fertilizer options.

Medina HastaGro N/P/K 6-12-6 This product is your alternative to Miracle Gro.

Compost Nature's fertilizer.  Enough said.

Manures Chicken, cow, horse, and rabbit. Rabbit manure is awesome. 

Medina Growin Green Natural Fertilizer N/P/K 3-2-3. This is a granular fertilizer.

Corn Gluten Meal Has 10% nitrogen. It can be used as a pre-emergent when applied around March 1st for warm-weather weeds and around October 1st for cool-weather weeds (use 15-20 lbs per 1,000 sq ft.). There are benefits to applying this more often.

Cottonseed Meal N/P/K 7-3-2 lowers the pH, which in turn helps increase the availability of other elements like nitrogen, iron, and magnesium.

Blood Meal N/P/K 12-0-0  Used for more lush, green growth and helps lower the pH. It can burn if not used properly and can attract meat-eating animals. Feather meal or Alfalfa Meal can be used as an alternative if your dog loves it a little too much.

Bone Meal N/P/K 3-15-0  This increases blooms and root development. It also works best when the soil's pH is below 7.

Molassas feeds beneficial microbes. 

Texas Green Sand is a natural source of iron without the high levels of lead and arsenic that some other supplements contain.

Insecticides

These can replace many synthetic insecticide options. Please read the bee section on the wildlife page.

Liquid Seaweed Use seaweed to kill spider mites. You can add some molasses for even better results.

Neem Oil Insecticide, miticide, and fungicide.

Dish soap (Regular Dawn) can be mixed with water to kill bugs. It is also used as a surfactant to make other products stick when necessary.

Orange Oil Kills ants. Mix it with water and a bit of Dawn. You can also add some molasses for good measure.

BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) Kills mosquitoes, worms, and caterpillars.

Diatomacious Earth is used to kill bugs like fleas, fly larvae, roaches, ants, slugs, and even bedbugs. Don't worry about your earthworms, though, because their slime protects them.

Fungicides

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) Mixed with water (1 tbs per gal) can be used to treat a variety of fungi, such as powdery mildew and black sooty mold. Add some Dawn as a surfactant.

Horticultural Cornmeal Should be applied at a rate of 2 lbs per 100 sq ft to treat many soil-borne fungi. It works on brown patch, root rots, and some blights. It's also a fertilizer.

Potassium Bicarbonate Can be used just like backing soda for powdery mildew and other diseases. Additionally, it can help prevent the spread of black spot.