In article
,
Ted Shoemaker wrote:

Hello,

A lot of the stuff I've found on organic gardening can be fit into one
of a few varieties:
- Why all gardening/farming should be organic: "grow healthier food"
- Why all gardening/farming should be organic: "save the planet"
- How to do organic gardening: "use bugs not pesticides; fresh manure
not fertilizer"
- and a very few more

Can someone direct me to a source that will talk more about the
science than I've found?

For example:
Does it hurt the microinvertebrates in the soil if I add fertilizer?
How?
It's kinda like junk food. In SMALL amounts, it probably doesn't hurt
much. In large doses, think salt on a slug. Chemferts are water soluble
salts. They pass through quickly (and on to water ways [look up "dead
zones])and do not nurture soil. If you use only chemferts, you will
lose top soil, microbes, and soil fertility. You will have to buy your
fertility from the man. The more you use, the less topsoil you have, and
increasing amounts of chemferts are needed to maintain crop levels.
If my soil needs some micronutrient (magnesium as one example picked
randomly), how can I add it organically?
etc.
Epson salts and dolomite are considered organic, as are wood ash, and
charcoal.
http://www.extremelygreen.com/fertilizerguide.cfm
http://www.plantstogrow.com/Botany/W...anic%20sources
%20of%20NPK.pdf

Thank you!

Ted Shoemaker
--

- Billy

There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who
learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and
find out for themselves.
Will Rogers

http://green-house.tv/video/the-spring-garden-tour
http://www.tomdispatch.com/p/zinn