When it comes to improving soil health and getting optimal site outcomes, there are many reasons to choose a natural fertiliser – such as our self-sustaining BioGrowth system – rather than a conventional synthetic, water-soluble NPK fertiliser.
Long-term soil health
Natural fertilisers improve long-term soil health via the use of bio-based and mineral sources. Where artificial fertilisers can tend to provide a quick and time-limited influx of nutrients, natural fertilisers such as BioGrowth release their sustenance gradually – leading to longer-term benefits, including:
- Better soil activity and structure
- Improved nutrient cycling and retention
- Better resilience to drought and pests
- Less risk of fertiliser burning and salt build-up
- Safety for sensitive and young plants.
Environmental impact
Soluble NPK fertiliser is highly mobile – it washes down into the soil, past the plants and into the underground BioMass rhizosphere (root zone), eventually ending up in our waterways.
In comparison, the BioGrowth program uses mineral, non-soluble fertiliser that stays in the soil and is fed back to the plant via microbes. By actively building microbial diversity, fertilisers such as BioGrowth offer significant benefits for water retention, carbon sequestration and erosion control, and can help reverse soil degradation.
Better for Australian soils
Australian soils have unique qualities – they’re ancient, can be sensitive to excess elements and are often extremely nutrient-poor. Over-fertilisation with highly mobile synthetic fertilisers can lead to damage of native vegetation, and fertiliser can leach into our reefs.
In comparison, our BioGrowth system is specially created for Australian soils and proven to work in our tough climate. Rising to Australian conditions, it’s designed to be self-sustaining – providing non-leaching, long-term plant nutrition via minerals, phytonutrients, biostimulants and a carefully selected suite of bacteria and fungi that feed the plant, improve soil health and build soil carbon in an holistic way.
To validate the benefits of natural fertilisers on your future projects, look out for green, vibrant plants, rather than ones that are yellow or red and unhealthy. Soil testing is also a great metric to use as you can monitor the progress of soil health.