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organic, biological, natural, biodynamic??

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ina:
Recently I noticed a lot of talk on this board about whether or not to use chemicals, organic gardening, biological gardening, natural gardening etc. etc. Someone even mentioned that biological gardening is no longer biological when you use tap water and I guess that is correct.

It set me to thinking (very dangerous in my case) and trying to understand all the different terms. Now I found out I am not gardening biologically anymore because I help the seedlings allong with tap water.  I can no longer brag at work when I give my collegues my excess veggies that it was biologically grown, it sounded so good but I never really understood the term to be honest. (I used to use water out of the canal bordering the lottie until I found a dead duck in it. Later I was told that one time there was a dead sheep in it, a ways away where the farms are, I don't fancy that water on my veggies anymore.)

Anyway, it is winter and not all my free time is consumed by my lottie, so I started to look around for information about all the different terms used for gardening. I must say I am more confused now than I was before.  The link below I found interesting, not that it ended my confusion tho'.

http://www.spacountry.net.au/holmgren/Web%20PDF/08Natura.pdf

Who can shed light on the mish-mash of terms?

tim:
Tap water - that really got me the other day! Do we really suppose that all 'organic' farmers use rain or ground water. And has any chemical leached into the latter??

I grow with the family in mind. No poisons that could be eaten.  I put as much humus in as I can, but I do use artificial fertilisers. Do one's best within financial & physical limits.

Not trying to define the terms! = Tim

Ceri:
although the article Ina highlighted (fascinating) gives a different definition to the term 'natural gardener', another thread used this term and I think this marries well to the way I want to garden.  I control as much as possible what goes in and on my garden - but I can't control what goes into the tap water I use etc.  Although to me 'natural' highlights what you don't do, rather than what you do - not using chemicals etc., but doesn't emphasis the non-chemical stuff many do which gives credence to those who think organic gardening is just shoving seeds in and leaving the rest to 'nature' - I wish!

The gardener:
I think most of us here do as needs be.

I also think most of us are not commercially motivated so the loss of a plant or two because we didn't use such and such a chemical  is no big deal.  

This not to say that some of us wouldn't use chemicals if it proved absolutely necessary...........the main thing is........we have control of what is done, and what we use.  

Talking of 'tap water!' what about acid rain? air pollution? etc.

Did you know that the scientists have proved  that 'lack of smog' has affected roses.

It would seem that the chemicals in 'smog' kept  'black spot at bay.

ina:
Still none the wiser about what these terms actually mean. Anybody?

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