Interesting article on comparing organic farming and traditional farming.

[Potstubsdustbins]

LOL .... then stick with miracle gro

no-one is forcing you to change your prefered method of growing

just telling you what works for me (and many others)including Harvard university who have studied it extensively:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlcX2WpnQWI

What's wrong with Miracle Gro? Please tell.

[Alison]

What's wrong with Miracle Gro? Please tell.

Personally I don't use it as I think it's expensive for general use and not that specific for crop use but I'm not going to get snobby about it, there are FAR worse things great people can and are using.

[ButternutSquash]

I laugh because I give all the links to important information pertaining to this thread, yet some people just keep on posting for the sake of arguing .... some of the links have videos that are several minutes long, yet negative responses are posted seconds after I have posted the links

I suppose you cannot teach old dogs new tricks ....

The links relating to BRIX are commercial sites with something to peddle. The other two links are just general information not supporting your argument.

[ButternutSquash]

you need a brix meter to compare the brix values of organic versus traditional farming.... organic always scores higher

here is the brix chart:
http://www.highbrixgardens.com/pdf/brix-chart.pdf

many top chefs in the USA now take a brix meter to markets to check the quality of the vegetables on offer

There have been many scientific studies of organic produce and there is no clear indication that organic means healthier food. That does not stop some of us adopting organic principles for sound reasons. You need to take the above link with a pinch of salt (produced from non polluted sea water) as it is a commercial site with a clear bias. In the same fashion I do not take claims by Monsanto et al at face value.

[ButternutSquash]

What's wrong with Miracle Gro? Please tell.

I suspect it is fine, but I prefer things like blood, fish and bone, as they are slower release with less danger of overfeeding . Of course I may be mistaken, those who use it may be able to explain benefits.

[Potstubsdustbins]

It was a 'tongue in cheek' question for DIM actually. I use it all the time and have done for years mainly for its high nitrogen value for green growth and being idle I find it very easy to use. I use other fertilisers to, not much choice when you grow entirely in containers.

As to over feeding I have never managed to produce an obese plant yet. Though of course you can feed to much of the wrong NPK and get poor fruiting and lots of foliage.

[dim]

I suspect it is fine, but I prefer things like blood, fish and bone, as they are slower release with less danger of overfeedin

g . Of course I may be mistaken, those who use it may be able to explain benefits.

bone meal = bad

I was told by an old gardener who had an allotment never to use bone meal as it's bad

I researched and after much discussion on ******* forums', I now agree ... (I dont grow ***** but read their forums as many there are pretty clued up as they have 'cash crops' and try most things on the market

I always used to include a handful of fish/blood/bone in my planting holes

here is an article by Linda Chalker Scott (I also take (some) of what she says with a 'pinch of salt' but this is a good article and after research, I agree:

http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%20cha...s/Bonemeal.pdf

I always include rootgrow in my planting holes for shrubs and perennials

[Greenleaves]

I prefer a chef who can tell the quality of the produce he buys by look, feel and taste.

My mate is a chef and in addition to Mothhawk's comments he always smells before he decides as well. I try to be as natural as possible but got absolutely nothing to do with being organic. I have no idea what has been added to the soil by past holders of my plot

[dim]

What's wrong with Miracle Gro? Please tell.

Definition of Miracle-Gro®

lots more on the internet ... google is your friend

[Nicos]

You should see the locals at Market here choosing fruit...everything gets sniffed to see if it's ripe.
You don't see anyone other than tourists shoving their thumbs hard into fruit to see how ripe/ soft it is.
Sad really we seem to be losing the natural ability to work out what is edible!

[Potstubsdustbins]

#37 That's a bit selective isn't it. If anyone writes something you agree with their right, but if you don't agree you can take their work with a 'pinch of salt'.

Blood, fish and bone is not at all the same as pure bone meal.

[Potstubsdustbins]

#39. It can't and won't do any damage to my soil I can assure you. All it does for me is give me increased yields.

[Bigmallly]

I'm finding the frequent references to C****bis inappropriate on this forum.

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Agreed

[bearded bloke]

I think this thread has outrun it's usefulness & is now closed