: one that fertilizes specifically : a substance (such as manure or a chemical mixture) used to make soil more fertile.

What is fertilizer in simple words?

A fertilizer is a chemical that helps plants to grow. It is used to replace the mineral salts taken by plants or removed/washed away by rain. Common fertilizers: Ammonia. Manure (Animal waste) which was the first fertilizer.

What does fertilizer actually do?

Fertilizers provide crops with nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen, which allow crops to grow bigger, faster, and to produce more food. Nitrogen in particular is an essential nutrient for the growth of every organism on Earth.