GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

Chookie · 02-09-2006, 09:48 AM posted to aus.gardens

In article .com,
wrote:

* don't use on your vege garden. That is the official word, although
lots of people do. As long as you are using drippers it is probably
fine, maybe not for root veg

From what I understand, the fear is that some of your intestinal bugs have
made it into the water from the shower, or via your clothes, and will then
give you gastro when you eat the vegies that they have landed on. Given that
most keen gardeners shovel you-know-what on their gardens anyway, this seems a
bit hysterical. I wrote to Gardening Australia once asking why a bit of human
faecal matter was such a worry given Pete's enthusiasm for ordure, and they
said they were just following what the water/health authorities said. They
carefully refrained from comment on the realities of gardening!

What sort of detergent is best when on this system?

Ross showed us a table which had all the brands cross referenced
against phosphates and other salts. A lot of the brands increased
salts when they reduced phosphates and that is bad for your garden.
The liquid detergents however had much lower salt levels, so a good
rule of thumb is to use a liquid detergent and you should be fine.

I use the Planet Ark low-phosphate detergent. The bananas look fine so far...

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue