Frogleg wrote:
I'm getting awfully bloody tired of the wholesale condemnation of
"chemicals" in gardening discussions.

I hear what you're saying. In the context we use the term chemicals,
"organic chemistry" would be an oxymoron.

Personally, I think it all goes back to Dow Chemical's use of the
slogan, "Better living through chemistry." I think you can be pretty
sure that they meant the chemicals they synthesized, and not those
occurring in nature.

I also think there is a belief that the uninitiated to whom we often
preach about chemicals are too likely to believe that the answer to all
their questions lie in the aisle at Home Depot that has the fertilizers
and herbicides, thinking the answer is just which bottle or bag at what
time.

Also there is too much "bigger is better" in the world. Combine that
with "use first, read the directions later (if ever)", and there's a lot
of incentive to go overboard in our demonstrations that you don't get
"better gardens and lawns through chemistry."

I've often preached against the use of Weed 'n Feed, and extolled the
virtues of pulling weeds by hand. Yet if you access the information
grid, you'll find that my credit card has been occasionally used to buy
RoundUp. But I use it sparingly -- less intensively than the directions
say. (Yes, I did feel obligated to apologies and rationalize my
transgressions.)

The trend in gardening is moving away from artificial methods, and to
more organic methods. In shorthand that has been reduced to "chemical
bad, organic good."

I may be wrong, but I don't think anyone here would say there is no use
in a gardening or on a lawn care for some synthesized chemicals, and I'm
very sure that everyone is aware that just because it's organic, it
doesn't do all good, and nothing but good.

I'm going to guess that our tenor is less severe than in some health
care forums where prescription drugs are evil, and organic remedies are
king. Those altitudes, and the "chemical bad, organic good" attitude you
see here are essentially backlashes to the assault lead by companies
(like Dow, but they're just one example) having the ears of the unwashed
for the past 40 years. Now the people have a soapbox in the Internet,
and dag nabbit, we're going to undo that 40 years of propaganda as
quickly as we can.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.
Blatant Plug:
Support me at: http://www.holzemville.com/mall/