farmerdill said:Just a few minor tweaks, Ed. The nitrogen component is made using methane which is a major component of natural gas. Phosphate is from rock which is mined and processed. Potassium bearing minerals are mined from underground ore deposits, salt lakes and brines.
Plants are only able to take up ions. so all of these have to be ionic salts which dissociate in a solvent (water in the plants case)
A lot of energy is used in processing for certified organic and "Chemical" fertilizers. The end result is that all physical matter including biological organisms are chemicals. While NPK are the biggies in plant fertilizers, Minor elements are available in both commercial and "organic" formulations. One advantage of the organic formulations is the the filler is usually a good soil conditioner.
Once upon a time before "organic" meant something other than hydrocarbon compounds, I lived near a fertilizer plant. Their primary source was the trash fish Menhaden but they used all types of waste fish. quite smelly but a good source of N. If they are still in operation today they would be marketing fish emulsions or fish flakes
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