On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 22:32:45 +1100, Terry Collins
wrote:

Ivan McDonagh wrote:

....snip.....

Unfortunately growing vegies will be actually be of quite some economic
importance to me by this time next year and hence my interest in factory
fertilisers versus non-factory -

If that is the case, work out how much your motor vehicle costs to run,
because you will need to factor that into everything you do food wise.

snip

Otherwise, start looking around for supplies of organic matter; manure
and compost.

Take a look at those two statements. It's *obviously* going to be
cheaper (in terms of auto/truck use) to bring home a few bags of
commercial/chemical/non-'organic' fertilizer than chase around for and
transport manure and compost. If you work in labor costs, cheaper
still. I think the limit in this line was 'organic' advice to keep
manure in a bucket on an apt. balcony rather than commit the 'crime'
of feeding a potted tomato (or rose -- it's been some time) with a
little convenient and readily-available Miracle-Gro.

'Organic' is lovely. Recycling waste of all sorts into useful
nourishment for plants. It's just not too practical for all gardeners.
I *adore* cow manure because it just *looks* so rich and
nourishing...in its plastic 40lb bag which I can bring home in the
trunk of my (compact) car. Shoveling and transporting *real* manure
for a good-sized garden is just not an option. And there's no
guarantee it's 'nature's most perfect food' for plants. At least evil
'chemical' fertilizers can be formulated to supply the necessary
ingredients for many plants.

Perhaps a local restaurant won't mind you taking vege scraps away.

On your bicycle? Or on your back? If a restaurant is separating veg
scraps from used napkins, emptied ashtrays, and plate-scrapings, the
owner is probably saving for his *own* compost pile.

Look at race tracks, they are generally quite happy for people to take
the manure away.

It's your own fault. You introduced the transportation issue. :-)
You're advising the previous poster to spend a couple of days a week
chasing around to restaurants and race tracks to find and transport
large-volume materials to replace a couple of bags of the chemical
nutrients plants require?

I don't understand why 'artificial' fertilizers have such vociferous
opponents. AFAIK, plants don't care whether their nitrogen and
phosphorous comes from cowpats or granules.

The previous poster is looking at real-life issues, and doubtless
already uses all the 'organic' processes he can manage. *His*
cost/benefit analysis appears to have come down on the side of
manufactured fertilizer. Makes sense to me. He's not talking about
wholesale DDT spraying, or lowering the water table to keep his
golfcourse green.