seeking resources to learn about organic gardening

[Ted Shoemaker]

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? If my soil needs some micronutrient (magnesium as one example picked randomly), how can I add it organically? etc.

Thank you!

Ted Shoemaker

[Bill who putters]

God I love it when someone asks a question that may steer me to new knowledge.

Bill

[Phisherman]

My neighbor knows everything about organic gardening. He does absolutely NOTHING to his 1.5 acre lot. Geez, I hate poison ivy, ticks and chiggers!

[Billy]

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.

Epson salts and dolomite are considered organic, as are wood ash, and charcoal.