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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

Review - The Truth About Organic Gardening: Benefits, Drawbacks, and  
The Bottom Line

--by Jeff Gillman

This book is timely as increasingly large numbers of us react to  
health, environmental and market conditions by growing more of our own  
food but wonder about the trade-offs of natural versus synthetic  
fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. The information offered here  
will be useful whether you are a neophyte or seasoned gardener.

I’ve been gardening for most of my 72 years and have nearly100  
gardening books in my library. I learned many new things here. For  
instance, regarding companion planting, I have long thought that  
fragrances were the most important condition to repel unwanted  
insects. Not so--color seems to be the best indicator of whether a  
plant would be an effective companion. In fact, an aroma may make  
things worse.

Author Jeff Gillman is a knowledgeable referee on the sometimes near- 
hysterical fight between organic enthusiasts and those who favor  
synthetic garden inputs. He gained his doctorate at the University of  
Georgia and is currently an associate professor of horticulture at the  
University of Minnesota where in addition to teaching courses on  
nursery production and pesticide use he also runs the experimental  
nurseries and orchards there.

Gillman is an organic advocate but recognizes that many gardeners want  
the fast response of commercial products such as pesticides, so he  
goes through the list of both organic and synthetic choices.  
Effectiveness, environmental impact quotients, and toxicological  
effects are all covered.

Here you will learn the trade-offs between natural and synthetic  
fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and much more. Subjects covered  
are fertilization, weed control, insect control, disease control, and  
the control of birds, deer, rodents, and mollusks.

Throughout the book, after discussing each subject, the author  
synopsizes with bulleted Benefits, Drawbacks, and The Bottom Line,  
which is the subtitle of the book. For those who want the fewest  
possible words, this may be all you need to read to get the  
information you desire.

In the chapter on fertilization are discussed the well-known benefits  
of organic matter in the soil, compost and manure. Less well known,  
but covered here is the issue of pathogens in manure and compost,  
especially compost tea and manure tea. The section on natural versus  
synthetic fertilizers provided the news to me that while most of us  
believe that synthetic fertilizers contain petrochemicals, “that’s  
rarely the case.” It turns out the nitrogen is in fact drawn from the  
air by a process invented by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, both of whom  
received Nobel prizes. Those of us concerned about energy depletion  
and costs, however, will note that both coal and natural gas are used  
in the process.

Phosphorous and potassium are obtained from mines in several states,  
an energy-intensive extraction and delivery process. In The Bottom  
Line, the author states his preference for organic fertilizers but  
notes that he uses synthetic fertilizers “for certain applications  
because they’re cheap, readily available, and very effective.”

The longest and perhaps most important chapter is on insect control.  
There is solid info on organic cultural practices such as bagging  
fruit, choosing resistant plants, using floating row covers,  
handpicking and hosing, nectaries, companion planting, physical,  
visual and pheromone traps of various design for various pests, sticky  
cards and paste, and beneficial insects.

Organic insecticides and synthetic insecticides receive twelve pages  
each, a balanced treatment comparing effectiveness and danger to both  
gardeners and the environment. In the chapter wrap-up the author “is  
siding with the organic choices right up until you start looking at  
the pesticides. Once these things enter the picture, all bets are off  
for me.” Should the gardener decide to use pesticides, this chapter  
provides the scientifically known pros and cons. He strongly  
recommends the organic cultural practices. One of the few strategies  
that Gillman does not offer is simply growing more plants than you need 
—if you need the produce from three tomato plants, why, just grow five  
or six; if insects or disease reduce yield, you may well still have  
enough for your purposes.

The final chapter is on the question of organic food. Is it really  
superior? And just how reliable are the USDA's organic growing  
standards? Some of the surprises: organic food is not pesticide free;  
some organic producers use poison, too; organic pesticides may be  
worse because they require frequent reapplication, resulting in more  
residue; carcinogens are examples of “the dose makes the poison.”

The Truth About Organic Gardening clears up much misunderstanding  
about natural and synthetic strategies for dealing with the many  
challenges of gardening. Not all synthetic pesticides are awful. Not  
all organic pesticides are safe. If, like me, you are an organic  
enthusiast, expect to have your some of your beliefs challenged.

Gardening is an ongoing learning process. Each garden is unique. Each  
gardener is unique. To garden successfully and to produce healthful  
food for you and your family you will necessarily make many choices.  
This book will be very helpful in making those choices.