Common Sense Organic Gardening
By: Ron Cusano Apr. 18, 2009 Vol. 2 Article 1009
There are many reason why folks choose to garden organically. I have several . . . First, I would prefer not to have any more chemicals in the food I eat than possible. Common sense will tell us that in today’s world, unless you live in an isolated area and are completely self-sufficient, it is impossible to avoid ALL chemicals. I want to avoid all that I reasonably can.
I also believe that the less chemicals used gardening, the better off our environment is, especially the soil, which is a living organism, once you understand it! In the natural order of things, the microorganisms in the soil, as well as worms, insects and other soil life, digest organic matter, and deposit humus into the soil. In the course of doing so, the process makes essential nutrients available to the plants that they need to grow and thrive. It is a natural cycle that is essential to healthy soil, and hence healthy plants. When you interject chemical fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides into the mix, you decrease or eliminate the organic matter, kill off soil life and upset the natural processes, producing an imbalanced, unhealthy and sometimes “dead” soil This is all too evident on today’s commercial farms.
Another reason I go organic is simply because it is so much fun. The ability to product an abundance of healthy, chemical free food, using natural soil amendments and methods is rewarding and gives you a new appreciation for God’s “nature”!
As with everything in life, there are always a few “fruit loops” on the fringe end that take things to the extreme, sometimes even to the point of being fanatical. The see organic gardening as a chemistry experiment, and see everything as black or white. There is no give or take. A good example is the use of manure in the garden!
For countless generations, manure has been a basic soil amendment used for it’s fertilizer value and organic matter content. The newspapers have been running scare headlines about “contaminated” produce coming from organic farms. What they either fail to mention or make light of is that the contamination almost always from from the packaging and processing of the produce, and not from the farm or the manure used to grow it.
The recommendation from Cornell Cooperative Extension as of 2008, a world renowned authority, was that when fresh manure is incorporated into the soil, you should wait 120 days before harvesting crops that come in contact with the soil, and 90 days for crops that do not come in contact with the soil. This is standard practice which I wholeheartedly endorse. I added fresh manure into my beds in early March and do not plan of harvesting anything until mid. to late June - peas, lettuce, spinach, etc. In addition, I make sure what I harvest is thoroughly washed before eating. More “common sense”!!
Nevertheless, the “fruit-loop” fanatics claim that you must compost all manure first, and then wait
1-year before applying it to your gardens to be safe. Of course when presented with scientific studies and reports to the contrary, they are unable to produce any reputable data to substantiate their wild claims.
This same fringe group would also lose a crop to insects than use Rotonone or Prythium, both organic insect controls approved for organic agriculture and in use for generations. A common reason I hear is that either substance may get into a nearby pond or stream and kill a few fish. Of course, they like to leave out that it would take a very large concentration of either of these substances to do any harm, which is highly unlikely in small garden application. And, the vast majority of gardeners I know do not garden any where close to a pond or stream, so the fishes are safe!! :-) I recommend these controls, which are organic and very safe, when other organic methods do not bring results, and then with very limited applications.
My approach to organic gardening is want I like to call “Common Sense Organic Gardening”! I do want has worked for generations, stay updated on latest updates from the experts, use common sense, and stay far away from the lunatic fringe!
Blessings,
Ron
“The Garden Guy”
