How did we manage before they discovered this??

[Colin_M]

Ok, a slightly ironic question, but through the post today came a leaflet promoting (amongst other things) "GardenN". Rather than try to describe, you can read more here.

I've no objection to many ideas like this and the science appears sound. Indeed in previous years I've even bought a bag of mycorrhizal fungi spores because the benefits and the science made sense.

But when I looked at the price of GardenN (£22.50, so I hope it goes a long way) it made me realise that once we've sorted out the essentials, there's a danger of some gardening products almost becoming accessorized.

Goodness knows what Johnboy will have to say about this (and in fact he and Barney may well know about it, since the same product has apparantly been developed for commercial agricultural use under the name TwinN).

Anyway, think I'll give this one a miss - better be getting back to the compost heap I suppose!!

[oldherbaceous]

Dear Colin, i think i will stick to my compost and manure heap too.

[Johnboy]

Hi Colin,
Well you do not have to be fanatically organic to produce good wholesome pesticide free crops. Because something has passed Soil Association Accreditation does not make it a good product.
Generally speaking the addition of extra Nitrogen can give you lovely lush green foliage so beloved by aphids and other sap sucking pests which is an accusation levelled by the SA for many years against man made fertilizers. So a Nitrogen only preparation is something that I would simply not entertain.
Balanced feeding is the secret to success where vegetables are concerned. Rather than worrying about how organic a substance is I feel that growers should worry about what is best for their crop and not worry about what is best for their conscience.
This leads to GardenN. If the soil has been prepared properly for the crop to be grown extra Nitrogen could well be a disadvantage, rather than an advantage.
For those who are new to gardening and who have not had time yet to get their soil up to good fettle there are many ways of assisting you to obtain good crops and certainly I do not see GardenN should play any part in it. The use of Poultry Pellets will give you great assistance throughout the season whilst you are building up your reserve of home made compost. (This may take two to three years but eventually you will get there.)To my way of thinking I would rather use dear old National Growmore fertilizer than use GardenN because quite frankly it would be more beneficial to my plants.
JB.

[Cider Boys]

Hello Colin

I am not in what could be called commercial agriculture by any standards although I have connections with some who are. I am very much the greybeard (or should I say whitebeard) peasant who rents a bit of ground to grow some potatoes and beans with the aid of 1950s machinery! However, I do have several allotments and a small vegetable garden that I enjoy and was not aware of this product until reading your interesting post.

All I can say is why oh why does everything have to be organic, is it just our consumer led society exploiting the craze for everything to be organic that has become the latest fad?

Indeed as Johnboy suggests what is wrong with using a proven general balanced mineral fertilizer (I just can’t bring myself to call it artificial) such as National Growmore that has served gardeners well for over half a century?

Barney

[Colin_M]

Thanks chaps, I had a feeling you wouldn't be overley impressed.

Just parking the "organic" angle for a minute, the main shame for me is that this product seems to be a solution in search of a problem. As you've each pointed out, there are already many tried & tested alternatives.

It will be interesting to see how long this remains in the catalgues.

Thanks for the correction too Barney, but I'd be really interested to know how many people growing on a large scale actually bother with products like this (as they imply that it originates from a commercial product TwinN) - especially at these prices!

[Cider Boys]

Hello Colin

Just to say that I enjoyed your link to your excellent web site.

Thanks

Barney

[Colin_M]

Thanks Barney - you're welcome

[PLUMPUDDING]

I've not tried the product, but it does seem as though there are a lot of people jumping on the band waggon to make themselves a lot of money.

I grow things as naturally as possible as it is cheaper and you get just as good results, if not better. Why spend a fortune on all these new wonder treatments when making your own compost and mulches works just as well.