Fertilizers

Encourages growth in flowers, vegetables, foliage, trees, and shrubs with a synthetic formula comprised of nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium among other nutrients.

Feeds plants all natural nutrients found in worm castings (yes, poop!). Worm Poop is rich in nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and therefore returns nutrients back into the earth, naturally.

Promotes greater growth in plants using less water, but can cause plants to burn if too much is used or if it’s used too frequently. While the box container is recyclable, Scotts recommends that any product that needs to be disposed of should be considered Household Hazardous waste, and should not be thrown in the garbage.

Every part of this fertilizer is made completely out of garbage—from worm castings to recycled packaging. What’s more, TerraCycle collects its recycled product—from used soda bottles to empty Stony Brook yogurt containers—by calling the community to action. They run programs educating and paying groups, such as schools, to collect recycled supplies on their behalf.

Scotts Miracle-Gro is the world’s top selling plant food. While it stimulates growth, it is unclear what long-term effects the excess nutrients have on the earth. $2.45 for an 8 ounce box.

This formula outperforms a “leading synthetic plant food in many aspects of growth”, according to research conducted at Rutgers University Eco Complex. Its process is all natural, so benefits abound. $4.39 for a 20 ounce bottle.

Though long term effects are unclear (this product is only 57 years old after all), some negative effects we’ve already seen include synthetic fertilizer running off lawns into water sources, such as rivers and lakes, contaminating water and impacting climate and wildlife.

TerraCycle isn’t just changing the way we garden and care for the earth’s vegetation; it’s empowering consumers to become responsible for their waste and educating them on ways to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily lives, ensuring a cleaner, greener future. It’s more than plant food, it’s a way of life. Your grandchildren will thank you.