Re: What is organic gardening?

Cyndi K wrote:
> 
> I was reading the notes about dormant oil spraying and the debate about > whether they are organic or not. I have read these remedies many times in
> sources that tout organic gardening. But here's an epiphany I've had
> recently. Organic gardening as a term is outdated and leads to exactly these
> kinds of irrelevant debates.
> 
> I think what's important is what you're trying to achieve. Organic gardening
> attempts to use no *artificially manufactured* chemicals in the garden.
> Since the whole planet is chemicals, obviously it's impossible to use none
> at all. But what does that matter? It's time to look at the "why" of organic
> gardening - then it's easier to see if goals are being met.

Cyndi

I must heartily agree with you that the very narrow and nit-picking
spray definition of "Organic" as not manufactured does no service to the
true aims of the organic movement. As I see it, people who think in this
way are still locked into the mindset which has been inculcated in the
home gardener over this last century by the chemical companies with
their emphasis on a spray for every problem plus a "preventative" spray
programme as well, just to ensure that they can sell you the maximum
quantity of their products and also no helpful organism ever gets a
chance to do it job. I think the epitome of this approach is the man who
came up to me after one of my talks and asked me "what should I be
spraying with at present?" Rather taken aback, I asked him what problems
his garden had and he obviously had no idea and moreover felt my enqury
was irrelevant!

MY idea of organic growing is based on the fully-alive and healthy soil,
which in turn produces the truely healthy and varied plant life that is
necessary to support a balanced ecosystem.

The need for any remedies, such as the spraying oils and copper or
sulphur fungicides is  really an indication of how far the conditions in
the garden fall short of this ideal, but I must admit there are a few
times, particularly with fruit trees and some of my roses, where I still
now and again have to fall back on them. However, the need for such
props decreases yearly and in many cases alternatives, such as
protective sprays of compost "tea "  or seaweed powder, can be
substituted. In any case I do not subscribe to the mindset that produce
simply has to be perfect  and unmarked and am willing to accept a
moderate level of damage and crop loss.

Incidently, serious organic thinking in the last few years has gone far
beyond the simple notion that if it is a natural product it is OK to
use. The most striking example of this is surely pyrethrum, a totally
natural product and safe for the gardener and his/her warm-blooded pets,
but lethal to many of the garden's most useful helpers such as bees,
lady bugs or hoverflies. Most of us would now only apply it as a last
resort and with every precaution to protect those "good" insects.

Moira

-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand
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