This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: Jerry Baker's Tobacco juice insecticide

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html


Margaret wrote:
>>
>Jerry Baker calls himself a master gardener, and that is a designation
>reserved for people who have had master gardener training through county
>extension offices. He has not had that training, nor does he have any legal
>right to use the term.

Actually I don't believe that Extension has some sort of copyright or
trademark on the term, "Master Gardener". For example, Eliot Coleman's The
New Organic Grower is subtitled "A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques
for the Home and Market Gardener".

I have no problems with anyone claiming mastery of gardening, but of course
masters may disagree about some things. I once saw Jeff Cox mix up a nasty
witches' brew of bitter herbs and tobacco as a "organic insecticide" on Your
Organic Garden (also aired, like Jerry Baker, on PBS) and I was not pleased,
I tell you.

As far as pest control goes, I much prefer the ideal of 'biological
diplomacy' and 'healthy plants in a healthy soil' espoused by Coleman, and
urge everyone to at least go to the library and read his two chapters on
Pests (Chapters 17 and 18 in the newly revised edition).



It is not slanderous to tell the truth. Some of
>Jerry Baker's tobacco remedies can kill people. They are also dangerous to
>plants, capable of spreading tobacco mosaic virus. >


Quite so. And, as they are toxic to virtually all insects, they will kill
off the beneficials as well as the pests, and leave you with the job of
controlling pests forevermore.

Stepping onto that pesticide treadmill is not a good plan.

Frank Teuton---a chess master, he is certified by the USCF, the CFC, and the
FQE, but will happily demonstrate his mastery in friendly competition when
the occasion arises...:-)


______________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, write to sqft-unsubscribe@listbot.com
______________________________________________________________________
Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index