Non-Toxic Gardening
July 23, 2019, by Lisa Powers
It’s peak growing season in the northeast and we can’t wait for our first harvest of tomatoes, carrots and peppers. We’re already enjoying kale, lettuces, beets, and our house specialty, purple potatoes. My husband’s hobby is organic gardening, so my kids and I get to reap the rewards of his hard work. He is always experimenting with some new growing method or product and patiently allows me to research anything new before he buys it.
It’s always amazing to me that so many gardening products are made with harmful chemicals. Why go to the trouble of growing your own food, particularly organic food, if you are going to grow it in a bed made of pressure-treated wood or water it with a hose that leaches lead and BPA?
When you’re planning a non-toxic garden the first place to start is with high-quality, organic seeds. Some argue that it’s not necessary to buy organic seeds because studies have shown conventional seeds without trace chemicals from insecticides or fertilizers. I choose to err on the side of caution. Knowing that plants take in nutrients through their leaves, common sense would support that if leaves are sprayed with synthetic chemicals the plants will absorb those chemicals. There are other compelling reasons to buy organic seeds:
1. Organic seeds are grown to survive in organic systems. They may be more likely to thrive without synthetic chemicals than conventional seeds.
2. Buying organic seeds supports organic farming practices which is better for the environment, farm workers and consumers.
3. Organic seeds are relatively inexpensive at roughly $1 more per packet than conventional seeds.
Debra’s List has several high-quality seed companies to choose from.
If you are still using a garden hose that may be made with PVC or have lead-containing metal fittings, check out this study by healthystuff.org. It’s a bit out of date but it still provides great guidance. Debra’s List recommends Water Right hoses and Terrain Heritage hoses.
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