Organic or Chemical Growing

Science has brought us wonderful benefits in our daily life and produced a revolution in farming and food production.

Weak, malnourished crops were decimated by pests and diseases until science discovered fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides. NPK balanced fertilisers cured the deficiencies producing healthy strong plants, herbicides destroyed weeds competing for resources and pesticides destroyed the pests. The soil was just a medium to hold the nutrients and support the plants.

Well, that was the theory..

The results could be somewhat different. Overdoses in nitrogen fertiliser resulted in run off to watercourses and massive problems in the rivers. Deficiencies developed in the plants due to lack of micro-nutrients, the ‘vitamins’ of the plant world. Pesticides killed friend as well as foe – eventually resulting in more fast breeding foes and problems as they infiltrated the food chain.

Nowadays we can be more sophisticated. We realise that we are part of an eco-system and alterations to that eco-system can have unexpected consequences. The soil is a complex system of itself and natural methods nurture nature rather than attempting to replace it with a simplistic control.

Working with nature

The organic approach of working with nature means you have a massive army of helpers on your side. Bacteria in the soil converting chemicals to useful forms for your plants, earthworms breaking soil and aerating it, predators eating your pests.

Safety

This most compelling reason I have for organic gardening is safety. Now before some massive chemical company sues me for suggesting their products are not safe, let me explain my reasoning. Before a product is released to the market it is tested and a ‘safe level’ is determined. So we know mice or rats can eat X mg of a product without harm – BUT – what if the plant we eat has X mg of product A and Y mg of product B?

There is no way that all the pesticides can be tested in combination, if any maths expert would like to send me a proof of this, I would appreciate it, and so we can not be sure of safety. Neither can we test the effect of eating these combination chemical cocktails over many years. Why take the risk?

How Organic?

Being ‘organic’ is not, in my opinion, an either or choice. I avoid the use of artificial fertilisers but do use fish, blood and bone. I do not use any pesticides, but will use herbicides in exceptional circumstances such as my Marestail problem. There I use Amicide whose effects are fairly clear-cut and documented.

The worst problem is…. The Slug. These little creatures can happily destroy a row of seedlings in a night. Luckily there are now ‘organic’ slug pellets as well as other organic solutions. A little more expensive but supposedly much safer than conventional solutions.

Related Sites

Garden Organic

The UK's premier organic gardening charity, formerly called the HDRA

Soil Association

UK's leading environmental charity promoting sustainable, organic farming and championing human health.

The Organic Gardening Catalogue

Online shopping that supports the HDRA and offers discounts to HDRA members. Reasonable prices and an ethical company. A great range of organic seeds, rare varieties and equipment. Discounts for HDRA members as well.

Organic Indoor Gardening Directory

Find organic gardening resources or add your site to Seniority

The Soil Association

We are the UK's leading environmental charity promoting sustainable, organic farming and championing human health. Organic food, organic farming: Soil Association is campaigning for organic food, organic farming and sustainable forestry.

Organic Vegetable Gardening

Organic Vegetable gardening forum, blogs and amazing guides. Learn how to grow your own organic fruit and veg.

The Natural Gardener

Growing with ? Natures Natural Cycle? all our sustainable products, and their packaging, will be put to use, then return to the soil to further enhance it. Nothing is wasted, but something gained.

The Green Garden - Organic gardening resource

Would you like to create your own natural, organic garden, a sustainable environment for your family to enjoy it's future? Welcome to the green Garden, an online resource for natural, organic, sustainable and eco-friendly gardeners.

Gardeners'Box

Organic and sustainable gardening resources and directory