Natural, Organic, but my own definitions

It irritates me that there can be so many different takes on simple words, that manufacturers, and retailers can play with the definition to suit themselves.  There shouldn't be any need for organizations to verify that products are organic!

Natural.  I consider something natural only if the product that is being sold can be found that way in the environment, and that the means to make that product exist in the world around us, without adjustment, or modification by humans.

Tomatoes.  Blueberries.  If a tomato seed were to grow at a forest's edge, with no human to tend the plant, there would be no pesticide sprayed on it.  There would be no synthetic fertilizer used to enrich the soil.  The animals could eat it and it would not poison them, and the bugs could eat the vegetation, and nothing would harm them that was man made, or altered to produce a certain harmful reaction.  Such as death.

If something is organic, that would mean that there were no synthetic means to create that product.  Period.  No loose ends.  No way around it.  No 50% minimum.

And definitely not Genetically modified!

I will leave the GMO equation for a later article, but natural should mean natural, not 'a naturally derived percentage', or a natural byproduct chemically altered to produce this product, or natural ingredients, along with chemical enhancements.

Things are either natural, and organic, or they are not.  No company should be able to interpret the definitions to suit themselves, and make profit at the common man/woman's expense.

And a lie is a lie.  If its not organic, or natural, then the label is a lie.  Don't trust a liar.  Any company willing to bend the rules to suit themselves will do so again.

Hm.  Rant over.

A visit to get more seed

I went to Bloom Greenhouse to get seeds from Annapolis Seeds.

Wow, that was a visit I did not regret!  They have seeds from Annapolis Seeds, Halifax Seed, a large yard with bagged soils, composts, helpful staff, and a wide selection of gardening items to choose from.

I will return for the compost enriched soils, or just the plain compost, but I bought cherry tomato seeds, three different types, and should have about a month and a half head start.  I wished I went three weeks ago, when they opened, but I had no idea other people would want seedlings for cherry tomatoes.  Now I do.

Spent a bit on this experiment, and though the return has been low so far, I still have lots of plants in excess of what I will need, so I may still make a bit more.  If I pay for just one light bank, then I will be happy.  The majority of it was just to figure out what could be done, what not to do, and how to do it better next time.

Unlike last year, this season has not been a complete waste.

The only one stopping me is me now.  I do have a habit of getting in my own way, but hopefully I won't trip over my own feet with my seedling trays in my hands.  I don't care if I break an arm, but don't hurt the sweet red apple peppers!

I have been eager to try those peppers since I saw the seeds on Annapolis Seeds' website.  Thick walled, sweet red pepper.  Can't wait!

Now all I need is the land.  And I can't forget patience.  Nothing more important then patience when gardening.

Grow lights - Second update

The more light, the better.  That is now apparent.  It was definitely a season of learning curves, and one thing is common throughout.  More light.  Do not skimp on light.  Start seeds early, in small shallow cups, like egg cartons, and when sprouted large enough, put the sprouts deep in the transplant cup.  the stalk will thicken and grow roots from it, making it more stable.  Without enough light though, the plants will grow a thinner stalk, trying to reach higher for any source of light available.

I will need to really plan next year's seedlings, as well as get more shelves, and more light banks.  I will have to keep an eye on sales for soil, but not the cheap garbage.  Stuff I know is good.  Maybe buy it as the planting season starts to wind down for next season.

Here are some pictures to show what indoor lights, even fluorescent, can do.

The cups contain Sweet Chocolate Peppers
The tomato plants are plum, non GMO

Tomato plants, from seed, non GMO, red plum
To the right and back, Sweet Apple Pepper seedlings.  Early stages.

This is the middle of the forest.  My new focus.
Tomato plants, Clear Pink, from Annapolis Seeds.

Don't settle for another industry's garbage

A few years ago, maybe more then five, I purchased only two bags of soil that was on for a 'good deal'.  When I opened the bag, it ended up being complete garbage, but I didn't recognize at the time what businesses will do.

This stuff hardened to almost cement like quality, did not mix into the soil, and I would have been better off using it as pothole fill then garden soil.  Watch out for great deals on soil.  This might have been the dust from cement that was crushed for fill, but the dust was added to a soil as a filler.  If it wasn't, it definitely behaved that way.

Three days ago, I purchased five bags of "Great Value Black Earth" from Walmart.  Absolute garbage!  It was not black earth.  Black earth is the fertile soil that usually comes either from completely composted debris, or its the stuff under trees that has absorbed loads of organic matter, and acidic content from the needles of evergreens.  This stuff is great for soil, but needs to be sweetened with lime for plants that do not like the acids there.

What was in the bag was bark fines, probably from mulches that no longer acted like mulch and needed to be disposed of, and muck.  Not soil.  Not dirt.  Muck.  Stuff that is scraped off the bottoms of mud puddles, or maybe even city streets by the street sweeper.

I bought five bags.  I'm returning four, as I opened the first, and used most of it before realizing just how poor a quality this stuff was.  It wasn't soil, or top soil.  I don't know where they actually got it, but its not even worth the plastic it was wrapped in.  I ended up mixing it with some potting soil that was already used, but there was no quality ingredients in that bag.

If you must, open a bag to look inside before you buy.  Great deals are often just wastes of money.  I think I'm going to try a U-bag soil seller next time.  Small scale sellers like that have their soils outside, in the elements, but you can see what it is, and what it isn't.

Another case of buyer beware.  Bloody hell.