Publisher's Focus: Aug. 1997

The debate continues.

There are advocates on both sides of the fence: those who insist that organics, not synthetics, are best for the environment, and those who stand by the track record of synthetics, which do contain carbon — the basis for an organic product.

Actually, the marketplace has benefited from this controversy as manufacturers of fertilizer products have taken dramatic steps to improve their product lines. In effect, the presence of organics has forced the more synthetic-oriented manufacturers to pay greater attention to the fate of their products in the environment.

And, it’s forced manufacturers, lawn maintenance contractors and consumers, alike, to understand the cultural and the man-made aspects of maintaining a healthy, dense stand of turf. Nitrogen, for the sake of quick green-up, isn’t always the best course of action.

Still, in an effort to provide customers with alternative products, contractors continue to offer organic programs – even when only a small portion of their customer base is interested in these products.

By comparison, synthetic slow-release products today are generally more sophisticated than organics, making nitrogen release fairly predictable. Natural organic fertilizers provide slow release activity, but it isn’t nearly as predictable.

And not only are synthetic fertilizers less expensive than organics, they enjoy more familiarity and brand recognition.

Many contractor concerns regarding natural organic products center on the fact that customers don’t understand how natural fertilizer programs work. In an effort to be “environmentally friendly” customers ask for the “natural” program without understanding the difference in the response time. When the “delay” is longer than anticipated, the contractor is left holding the bag. If given the opportunity to return to the property – rather than losing the business — the contractor generally returns to the synthetics.

The fertilizer market is definitely on the move. And several organic manufacturers are building name recognition as legitimate alternatives.

Clearly, the industry has to do a better job communicating the safety and benefits of professionally manufactured fertilizers rather than stewing over the debate of synthetic vs. natural. By promoting the benefits of professional products and professionally maintained properties, not only do service providers benefit, but the environment benefits as well.