On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 18:25:46 +0100, Mary Fisher wrote:

But surely this insecticide is pretty organic? :-)

Please dismiss the word "organic" from your vocabulary as regards
both gardening (and farming) and chemical identity.

Technically speaking, any chemical compound that contains at
least one carbon atom is "organic". The category embraces
everything from carbon dioxide and sugar (both lethal in large
enough doses) to virulent poisons of which small doses can kill
you in a few seconds.

No! Really?


To replace "organic" in reference to horticulture goings on, use
the phrase "free of petrochemical derivatives not occurring in
nature"

Oh come on!

Some usages of words we have to accept according to context. This is a
gardening group.

I am of the opinion that the horticultural word "organic" covers
such a wide assortment of tendencies, trends, practices, and fads
(to say nothing of sins, errors, and willful ignorance) that it
is meaningless. There's a touching idea about, that if it's
"organic" (or "natural" or even "herbal") that it's Truly
Wonderful and Utterly Harm-Free.

Now tell me, just what do ~you~ mean by "organic" when you use it
in reference to gardening, horticulture, farming, food
production, etc? Be specific. I'm curious, very curious.

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada