The heated controversy over organic versus inorganic gardening, which a few years ago raged up and down and across the land in horticultural circles and garden clubs, has largely subsided.
As is usual in such fiery debates, it is doubtful if the heat generated had much effect in melting down the resistance of either side or if either won many converts or lost many supporters.
This is not surprising, for it is foolish to speak only in terms of all-white or all-black when there are so many shades of gray in between. Perhaps it is now time to make a reappraisal of the whole situation.
Defining “Organic Gardening”
What does the term “organic gardening” mean? If it is used to imply keeping the soil well supplied with humus (decomposing vegetable matter) supplemented, where needed, by specific plant food elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, that is one thing.
If, on the contrary, we interpret the term to imply that only humus, manure, and other organic materials should be used and that never, under any circumstances, should chemical substances be employed to supplement them, that is a horse of quite another color.
Our own experience with organic gardening—of both the types mentioned above—extends over many years, in our gardens and those of others.
Practical Approach To Organic Gardening
It is quite true that excellent crops may be grown with organic materials alone—especially animal manures and manure composts—if they can be procured in sufficient quantities. It is equally true that most home gardeners cannot readily obtain a sufficient quantity of such materials.
Therefore the most practical program is to use all the organic material obtainable, especially in the form of composts and green manures (rye or other crops dug into the soil), plus moderate amounts of fertilizers, applied either in the compost heap or to the growing crops.
Concentrated Fertilizers
To depend upon concentrated fertilizers alone is to take the road to disaster, and usually, it is a shortcut.
The reason for this is that the growing of top-notch plants depends quite as much upon soil structure as it does upon plant nutrients.
They are a team and neither one, no matter how good, can do as much alone as when hitched up with the other.
Here are some of the things which contain organic material, in sufficient quantity does for the soil:
Importance of Soil Structure
Maintains moisture supply at the roots by absorbing and bolding water, which otherwise would rapidly drain off. Plant roots can take up nutrients only in solution.
Encourages the growth of soil bacteria, which must have moisture to live and multiply and die off rapidly as the soil dries out. These bacteria convert plant food elements into forms that roots can take up.
Maintaining a balance of nutrients, some leaching out rapidly from dry, humus-deficient soil.
Lessens the danger of nutrients becoming “locked up” chemically in forms that prevent their becoming available as plant foods that the roots can absorb.
Keeps soil open and porous, permitting water to penetrate readily instead of being lost through the process of surface run-off.
44659 by F. F. Rockwell