why is snow considered the "poor man's fertilizer"?

Answer 1

I have never heard it called that, but I guess that it collects minerals as it falls.

Answer 2

Snow brings down nutrients to the soil, not as much as fertilizer of course, but some when it snows. And since it takes a while to melt, these nutrients get into the soil instead of washing away like most rain does.

Answer 3

I've never heard of being called a poor mans fertilizer before, I'll have to keep checking back on this question to see if there's any merit to this! If there is, i learned something new today! Thanks!

Answer 4

Snow attaches to nitrogen as it falls. While it is a low-grade fertilizer compared to manure, it does help. Before commercial fertilizer was available, farmers would plow the first snowfall into fields before they froze, to fix the nitrogen to the soil.

Answer 5

78% of our atmosphere is nitrogen, and rain and snow account for 2 to 12 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre (43,560 square feet), per year. "Lightning charged rain" is high in NH4 and NO3. Snow has been called "poor man's manure". . . now you know why!

Answer 6

Snow isn't poor man's fertilizer, I think you are mistaken. I believe it is cow manuer. Snow can not fetilize anything, it may freeze whatever you are trying to grow, try cow poop. Or Cat/Dog poop usualy works-

Answer 7

I have never heard of that before. I will have to search that one.

Try this website. It claims that the late snowfall helps to "green" things up?

Answer 8

Because it covers everything and all the yards look the same....

Answer 9

water is expensive

Answer 10

lol who knows