Last Updated on December 23, 2024 by Brian Beck
Well yes and no, let me explain…
To answer that question properly you need to know some background information about both systems. Let me make the distinction of both so you will know how they work if you haven’t read any of my other blogs.
Synthetics, what everyone and their brother uses, rely on man-made chemicals to force feed plants nutrients.
Biological, uses microbiology (microbes) to cycle resources already present from the air and the soil.
There is a cause and effect with both, but we also need to take a look at preexisting (predevelopment) soil conditions and the effects of synthetic fertilizers. Here in Colorado we have an arid climate, which means minimal precipitation and alkaline soils (above 7.0 pH). This combined with inorganic soils that are low in carbon that cannot hold much water are further complicated by synthetics which kill off microbial life, promote the loss of carbon which cause compacted soils, which cause water holding problems, problems with air penetration, which lead to complications such as disease, weeds and high water bills.
While synthetics are cheaper that organic materials, in order for the biological system to work it must overcome the problems that are overlooked in a synthetic system like the condition of the soil which can only be treated and not solved. This means that there is damage that must be repaired first which can vary from soil to soil. This can be determined by a soil report. Once we know the issues (that once again are overlooked) we can apply needed resources, install carbon and jumpstart the biological life in the soil, which in essence corrects the soil.
While the initial cost of the biological system is more, because it is fixing a preexisting problem, the hidden cost of synthetics is baked into the cost of doing business and owning a lawn. This waste is approximately 50% of the typical lawn, primarily lost in water cost. All of the problems that you associate with the modern lawn are largely driven by the use of synthetic products, not to mention the exposure to toxic materials, all of which go away for the most part in a biological system.
So, to answer your question from above, it depends on how long someone wants to lose money and persist in a synthetic system. One thing is certain, you will spend far more money if you chose not to go biological. It will often pay for itself in the first year alone.
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