Synthetic nutrient are those derived directly from minerals or synthesized chemically by various means. While organic nutrients are great for soil gardens, synthetics are the preferred choice for hydroponic growers for their tendency to dissolve fully and to prevent clogs in hydroponic system components.
What are the advantages of synthetic fertilizers?
- More precise application
- Quicker absorption by the plant
- Cheaper than organics
- Outperform organic fertilizers, resulting in heavier yields
- Safe for use in hydroponics
What is in synthetic fertilizer?
Synthetic nutrients are "man made" inorganic compounds, usually derived from the petroleum industry. Some examples of ingredients include potassium sulfate, ammonium phosphate, and ammonium nitrate. It is important for growers using a synthetic fertilizer to supplement their plant with micronutrients, since synthetics generally lack adequate doses of these.
It is also important to take care to amend your soil and continue to introduce microbial life into it, since synthetic nutrients can cause negative long term effects in soil. Compost tea can help with this.
Not sure which nutrients are right for your grow? Check out our year end review of the best plant nutrients currently on the market for each type of grow.
At Hydrobuilder, we recommend the Cultured Solutions line of nutrients for their ease of use and powerful performance, but we have a wide variety of popular brands. If you have any questions about which nutrients are right for your grow room, please give us a call at 888-815-9763 or visit our learning center and check out some of our articles on nutrients!
