Serious question, why the hard line on organic pest control only?

At a plant society potluck, I mentioned using a synthetic fungicide once to save my tomatoes. The room went quiet, and someone said it goes against 'true gardening.' My plants recovered fine, and I think practical solutions have a place. It was awkward, but I stick by using what works in a pinch.

3 comments

3 Comments

seanperry2mo ago

Oh come on. The copper fungicide a lot of those folks swear by is also a manufactured product you spray on. The line between "natural" and "synthetic" gets pretty blurry once you actually look at the ingredients.

the_emma2mo ago

Yeah, that line gets blurry for sure. But isn't the real issue what happens after you spray it? Like, copper builds up in the soil and can actually become toxic over time. So even if something is "natural" in origin, maybe we should be asking if it's actually good for the garden in the long run.

jessica_reed2mo ago

Isn't it funny how people get so hung up on 'natural' labels for garden stuff? They'll spray copper fungicide from a bottle but turn their nose up at anything from a big company. I mean, copper sulfate is mined and then made into a spray, so how is that not synthetic? But hey, if it makes them feel better about their zucchini, who am I to judge?