Organic or not?

[zazen999]

Sounds like you have some lazy able bodied kids on your hands................

???????????

I've only been told to spray by adults. All my students learn how to mulch from the off. Not quite sure of your point...

[Thelma Sanders]

preferable to getting on their hands and knees and weeding?

that's probably ideal, when you are younger and able-bodied. It's how I started my alloment growing. However when you get to pensionable age, if you are unlucky enough to suffer with osteoarthritis - you may have to find a way of gardening that doesn't involve a lot of bending and/or kneeling - depending on what's hurting on any given day. Tools with longer handles only help to a certain extent.

Which is why I said earlier that I don't feel bad if I do, occasionally, use a spray - rather than let things get on top of me. I want my gardening to be a pleasure and not a penance.

I think it is harsh for anyone to say that is laziness.

[greenishfing]

We do not use any chemicals but I would not rule out using them if I absolutely had to at some point. However I have two supposedly organic middle-class neighbours who do not control their children properly (in my biased opinion), i.e. they used to let them roam on other peoples plots including mine.

My sneaky solution to this problem was to make sure that on a few occasions when they were around I had they sprayer bottle on my back and sprayed all over the place, telling my sister to keep her dogs by the shed as I didn't want to poison them.

The answer to any of my husbands queries was, in a loud voice, "I'll get the roundup"

The sprayer bottle only ever contained water but at least the neighbours keep their offspring well away, so although my neighbours think I am the mad woman who uses vast amounts of chemicals the truth is very different.

Maybe other growers are equally sneaky.

[Bill HH]

Not all gardeners are able bodied (maybe wheelchair bound) so spraying may be there only option. There are exceptions to everything.

Couldnt agree more.

[zazen999]

that's probably ideal, when you are younger and able-bodied. It's how I started my allotment growing.

I'm only going by the [mainly] blokes that tell me to spray - who can't be bothered to weed. I can only speak as I find.

If people can't get down and weed, and I teach all my students this - then mulching is the best thing to do. Plus it stops them growing in the first place. Then hoeing, to cut them all off in their prime.

Most of the less younger less able people that I meet who are still gardening, all work out ways of doing it so they don't have to resort to spraying. If there were no sprays, then what would you do?

[Bigmallly]

???????????

I've only been told to spray by adults. All my students learn how to mulch from the off. Not quite sure of your point...

Sorry, I thought you taught abled & less abled bodied students & that it was the abled bodied ones who suggested spraying.

[zazen999]

Sorry, I thought you taught abled & less abled bodied students & that it was the abled bodied ones who suggested spraying.

No but from the feedback here it's only people who are less able bodied that will be using weedkiller? I certainly don't think that's the case.

[Thelma Sanders]

If I hadn't used the occasional spray, after a bad spell, I think I'd have had to give up my plot by now

I'd rather wait as long as possible before doing that, of course. I enjoy growing what I can, as well as I can

[zazen999]

If I hadn't used the occasional spray, after a bad spell, I think I'd have had to give up my plot by now

I'd rather wait as long as possible before doing that, of course. I enjoy growing what I can, as well as I can

And imagine how gutted and angry you would be if you had decided not to use sprays, and had weeded and seeded with due care and attention, and someone comes along and sprays their plot, and it drifts over to yours killing all your crops. Which is why when people who decide to abstain get so angry at people who don't give a fig about anyone else's plot. Or they just take it upon themselves to tidy up the edges of other people's plots even though they have been deliberately left for insects and wildlife.

[Bigmallly]

No but from the feedback here it's only people who are less able bodied that will be using weedkiller? I certainly don't think that's the case.

I think a lot of it is down to education & obviously you are educating your young ones to avoid using weedkillers.

[vikkib]

I plant through mulch (shredded paper, cardboard and the much maligned black weed suppressant) because it means I have pretty much no weeding to do and because it means I do very little to no watering both of which are because I am, essentially, lazy and both give me back ache.

I want the time I spend on my plot to be enjoyable and be able to spend time catching up with my my friends and plot neighbours and still have a productive plot.

I'm not sure how this attitude is very different to the type of 'lazy' person who uses weed killer but somehow it's certainly seen as more virtuous.

If it comes down to the impact of other people's decision to use weed killer on the surrounding plots then surely it's because they do so irresponsibly and carelessly rather than them simply being lazy.

I have resorted to spray for bindweed from my neighbours garden in the border at home and I've got two brambles which I've attempted to dig out but am now planning to spray/paintbrush application to finally get rid of them.

I also have a plot neighbour who has used sprays for couch grass and has managed to do so without killing any of my crops.

I guess it is a little more tricky with areas like paths where both people have responsibility and may wish to use different methods but even if one person wanted to use a weed killer, if it didn't effect the other persons plot (i.e. didn't drift) I think it would be hard to stop them from doing it.

It does sound like paving or chipping the path and splitting the cost might be the best way to avoid rows!

[zazen999]

I think a lot of it is down to education & obviously you are educating your young ones to avoid using weedkillers.

Nope. I don't tell them that weed killer even exists. Completely different ways of going about things, evidently.

It's like 'don't think of an elephant'.

[mothhawk]

I'm only going by the [mainly] blokes that tell me to spray - who can't be bothered to weed....

Is it that they can't be bothered, or is it the classic man thing - in the same way they'll happily barbecue all day but don't know how to turn on the electric oven, they have great fun with a sprayer, the higher tech the better, but wouldn't be seen dead grubbing out a weed with a hand tool.

edit - I'm not casting that as a generality on all men, you understand, other types of man are available

[Bigmallly]

Ahem!!!..............Don't tar us all with the same brush ladies.

[mothhawk]

Ahem!!!..............Don't tar us all with the same brush ladies.

Sorry BM, I was just editing as you posted.