I believe chemicals are the dark side. and if this makes me snobby, I'll except that.I will use chemicals when threatened by the dark side!
Eric
Well said !!!petechapman wrote:I try to be as organic as I can...but pragmatic when it comes to pests and stuff.
I use my own compost - we have a horse and a couple of chickens so I am not short of manure! - but I will use chemicals when threatened by the dark side!
Some people can be a bit snobby about organic topics in my view. After all, at least you are out there helping cultivate and make beautiful!. You aren;t concreting the world with patio's and block paving all over the place.
So a bit of balance in my view. As organic as possible supported by a big of pragmatism.
l
Perhaps you don't understand the scale on which I do seed starting, 500 plants. I went through three of the giant bags of potting soil this winter/spring, the ones that are as tall as I am.... My city lot full of clay, I don't HAVE that much garden dirt lying around loose. Not to mention I don't bring garden dirt in the house without sterilizing it, because it brings bugs and stuff in with it. That would be a ton of dirt to run through my oven, stinking up the house. And of course it doesn't work as well.garden5 wrote:DDF is right, you don't need it for seed-starting. I used regular dirt amended with some organic matter. Like one other poster said, they were not quite as big as the ones in the stores, but once in the ground they catch up fine.
Well if you have been following any of my earlier post, I sell vegetable starts at the Farmer's Market every Saturday. I deliver about 250 plants each time. Mind you, they all don't sell. I have probably have sold some where between 750 and a 1000 plants and the summer is not over.Perhaps you don't understand the scale on which I do seed starting, 500 plants. I went through three of the giant bags of potting soil this winter/spring, the ones that are as tall as I am.... My city lot full of clay, I don't HAVE that much garden dirt lying around loose. Not to mention I don't bring garden dirt in the house without sterilizing it, because it brings bugs and stuff in with it. That would be a ton of dirt to run through my oven, stinking up the house. And of course it doesn't work as well.
Even DDF's suggestion of buy some organic alternative. I would if I could, but I only see them in small expensive bags.
I agree 100%I am a mostly organic garden, in fact I think I can safely say my actual garden/yard is entirely organic. But we do do all have to figure out what works for us and make whatever compromises make it work.
yeah... well... I always offer more than a grain of salt when I talk to the slugs in my garden.DoubleDogFarm wrote:pete,
Don't take me to seriously, like a grain of salt.
I too, like to drown in a pint of beer.although I have always found that slugs like to commit suicide in a buried jam jar full of beer