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http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/home/chi-0323organicmar23,1,2932019.story
The truth about organic gardening
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth
- |TRIBUNE REPORTER
- March 23, 2008
Gillman, a professor of horticulture at the University of Minnesota, caused a small stir with a previous book, “The Truth About Garden Remedies” (Timber Press, 212 pages, $19.95), for which he tested and debunked much cherished garden folklore. An entomologist by training, he teaches, among other things, classes on pesticide use. In his own garden, he says, he avoids using any pesticides, but on the rare occasions when he has to spot-treat a problem he chooses a chemical based on how safe it is, not how “natural” it is.
“Assuming that something is safe because it is organic is completely wrong,” he says. The right chemical — if you feel you must use one — is the precise one that will deal with the problem as safely and with as little environmental risk as possible, he believes.
Kathy Purdy, who runs the blog “Cold Climate Gardening” out of upstate New York, says she likes both Gillman’s books because “he’s trying to look carefully at the actual evidence rather than taking a position and trying to defend it. He’s trying very hard to get to the truth and not the hype. And he’s in a position to be informed.”
In his new book, “The Truth About Organic Gardening: Benefits, Drawback and the Bottom Line” (Timber Press, 208 pages, $12.95), Gillman takes a science-based look at a wide range of organic and non-organic gardening substances, ingredients and techniques.
His bottom line: “Organic is usually better.” But not always. To be the best gardener, tend your soil, plant a diverse garden, tolerate some imperfection and make informed case-by-case choices to deal with problems. His book can help.
Here are some misconceptions Jeff Gillman addresses in his new book:
THE IDEA: “ORGANIC GARDENING” MEANS “SAFE” AND “ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY.”
The truth: Unlike organic farming, there’s no clear definition of “organic gardening.” ……………..(continued)
The advice: Focus on the core message of organic gardening — …………………………. (continued)
FERTILIZERS LABELED “ORGANIC” GIVE PLANTS BETTER NUTRIENTS.
The truth: It makes no difference to a plant whether it gets a molecule of nitrogen from alfalfa or from a factory. Nitrogen is nitrogen and, ultimately, it all comes from the air. ……………….. (continued)
The advice: Use organic fertilizers where you need to add nutrients, for example, in containers. …………………….. (continued)
SYNTHETIC FERTILIZERS TRASH THE ENVIRONMENT. ORGANIC FERTILIZERS ARE BENIGN.
The truth: Synthetic fertilizer manufacturers take nitrogen from the air ……………….. (continued)
The advice: Use slow-release fertilizers, and don’t add potassium or phosphorus unless a soil test …………………. (continued)
A QUART OF LADYBUGS RELEASED IN THE GARDEN WILL TAKE CARE OF AN APHID PROBLEM.
The truth: A diversely planted garden probably has enough native ladybugs to eat aphids, and store-bought ones tend to fly away. ………………. (continued)
The advice: The best way to encourage helpful insects is to avoid all insecticides, natural or synthetic, …………………. (continued)
ORGANIC INSECTICIDES ARE SAFE.
The truth: “Organic insecticides are, in my opinion, the worst thing ever to happen to the concept of organic growing and gardening,” Gillman writes. ……………..
(continued)
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Organic farming versus TerraCottem (TC) soil conditioner
in which I published the following :
“So, what is then “organic farming”?
One mixes organic matter with the rootzone. That matter is decomposed gradually into “mineral” nutrients, which are dissolved in water and eventually absorbed by roots.
And what is the difference between using mineral fertilizers and organic farming? In fact, there is no difference at all! The only thing we do when practicing organic farming is to produce in the soil mineral nutrients, incorporated before in organic matter of plants or animals (e.g. manure or compost), by composting (decomposing with micro-organisms) this organic matter in the treated top layers until the same mineral elements (macro-elements and micro-elements) are formed again (the same as the ones we normally apply with mineral fertilizers).
In other words, organic farming is nothing else but bringing mineral nutrients into the soil in the form of organic matter that first must be decomposed before being absorbed by the roots.
Of course, mixing organic matter with the rootzone has also some supplementary advantages: it enhances aeration and the microbiological activities in the soil by stimulating microorganisms to develop rapidly (they use organic matter as food).
However, it should be clear that TerraCottem (TC) soil conditioner, with its organic components, also enhances microbiological activities.
For me, “organic farming” is only masking a simple scientific law: roots are mostly absorbing mineral elements, not organic ones. So to speak, “organic farming” is nothing else but mineral fertilization in disguise. I accept that supporters of organic farming will not agree with this “simple” scientific view, because it nihilizes their “claim” to produce “BETTER” plants.
Let us be honest: how can “organic veggies” be better if they absorb exactly the same mineral elements as the “normal veggies” (the ones grown in a soil improved with mineral fertilizers? Does manure provoke a better taste? Neither does TC, but it enhances plant production, just like organic farming does. The big advantage of TC is that it does not have to be repeated every year or periodically.
Let me now formulate some concluding remarks:
1. I can live with the idea that:
“The company now deals with the concept of organic farming in its all-inclusive meaning of ‘thinking and living to achieve environmental safety, sustainability and improvement.’”. But this should not be interpreted as if producing crops with the strict minimal quantity of mineral fertilizers or a mixture of mineral and organic soil conditioning substances, like the ones in TerraCottem (TC), would not be environmentally safe or unsustainable.
2. I can also appreciate “the surety of Prince Abdullah’s belief that the organic sector offers not only a great investment opportunity, but the best way to improve the health of the nation, or as he so nicely stated, ‘save our people’.
But I would also like to humbly ask Prince Abdullah, with whom I had a very interesting exchange of views on the qualities of our soil conditioner TerraCottem during his stay in Belgium earlier this year, to consider the seriousness of my analysis of the differences between organic farming and the use of a soil conditioner containing mineral and organic components. It is also my belief that investing in TerraCottem (TC) would be a safe and easy way to improve the standards of life of all people living in the drylands. Let us never forget that TC has only to be applied one single time, which is a remarkable difference with “organic farming”.
It would be nice if all defenders of “organic farming” would also accept to set up a comparative test with all necessary analyses, in which the results of TC-application on the characteristics and qualities of the soil and the crops would be compared with those of “organic farming”. Then the discussion about the non-acceptance of any “chemical amendment” to the soil would become really interesting, because based on facts, not on presumptions.”
Do you have any comments on these views ? Please, do not hesitate to react !
