"Stephen Howard" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 11:53:52 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:



John, I keep seeing wishy washy definitions of what is considered as
being
"organic" by organic gardeners. None of them stand up to any detailed
scrutiny.

Talk to the Soil Assoc. people then - I'm sure they'll be only too
pleased to debate the issue on the scientific level you aspire
to....us lot are just 'umble gardeners.

Surely there are only beneficient and deleterious substances as far as
gardening is concerned. Keep on using the beneficient substances and
cease
to use a substance as soon as it is proven to be sufficiently deleterious
to
warrant such action.

Might be too late then....DDT, Creosote etc..

What on earth more could one in fact ask for?

No unpleasant surprises several years down the line, for one.

You ask for the impossible. There are plenty of 'organic' thinsg that are
harmful.
Lettuce contains more carcinogenic chemicals than many artificial pesticides
(banned or otherwise), for example. What are you going to do if thats one of
your unpleasant surprises, that you've been happily muching on those for
years whilst avoiding spraying them with pesticides that are less toxic than
the lettuces!


I'm perfectly happy to stick with my 'wishy washy' definition of
organic gardening - it renders the need for concern about the use of
this and that academic. If, in future years, I see a report on the
telly that says such-and-such a chemical is implicated in
such-and-such an illness I can just shrug my shoulders and get on with
my dinner.

Why? Do you believe that organic substances cant be harmful? Havent you seen
the reports of organic crops having higher levels of toxic fungi on them?
Seen the reports on sufactants used with glyphosphate being a problem? Thats
detergents to you. Ever sprayed your aphids with a solution of washing up
liquid, or poured the old washing up liquid on the garden? WHo knows what
unpleasant surprises may be waiting for you down the line.

--
Tumbleweed

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--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk