What does the term “organic gardening” actually mean? 

Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines “organic” (in terms of gardening) as “food produced with the use of feed or fertilizer of plant or animal origin without employment of chemically formulated fertilizers, growth stimulants, antibiotics or pesticides.” Maria Rodale, in her book “Vegetables,” defines organic gardening as “using materials derived directly from plant or animal by-products to maintain soil and plant health.”

Keep in mind that chemicals are not, in themselves, organic or non-organic. Many organic substances, if not most, are indeed “chemical” by definition and are used in organic gardening, including fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides. These materials are low in toxicity, also occur in nature and pose no threat to the environment if not used in excessive amounts. 

A better term to describe materials that are not appropriate for organic methods would be “synthetic,” i.e., manufactured. The import here is that “organic gardening” is a system that allows practitioners to proceed with actions, materials and products that are not harmful to the environment.

As the organic movement has gained popularity since the 1960s, government agencies became involved, developing regulations to assure consumers that a product for use in organic practices or stated to be grown organically was indeed organic. Now the fun begins! 

The federal government, along with U.S. and global trade organizations, state governments, private regulatory boards and other organizations have published standards as to what can be called “organic.” In 2002, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Organic Program came into being, and consumers started to see the “USDA Certified Organic” label. The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 mandated the NOP. Its governing body, the National Organic Standards Board, is made up of farmers, food handlers, food processors, a retailer, a scientist and others. It is a marketing program within the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. 

The Organic Materials Review Institute is the national nonprofit organization that determines which products are permitted to be used in organic production. OMRI-approved products may be used in operations that are “certified organic” under the National Organic Program. 

Unfortunately, there is no individual national standard and “approved” products can (and do) vary in different locations. On the up side, in most cases, the following items are now prohibited from being termed “organic”:

Synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides; genetic engineering or modification; irradiation of foods; and processed sewage sludge (or biosolids) as fertilizer.

Livestock must be given access to pasture. They may not be given growth hormones or antibiotics and they must be given organically grown feed.

On the down side, many organic growers feel the standards as written into law are “watered-down.” Moreover, certification is expensive. For these two reasons, many smaller growers are not renewing or pursuing USDA Organic certification. 

Meanwhile, large growers who are more able to afford the certification fees are using approved products and organisms without actually developing the sustainable practices smaller organic growers work hard to maintain.

So, “organic” to many people has become a legal term, defined and governed by the USDA. Meanwhile, the lower prices made possible by “Big Organic” are forcing smaller organic growers out of business. 

And with more advocacy organizations getting into the act, such as the Independent Organic Inspectors Association and the Organic Consumers’ Association, official organic standards remain in a state of flux.

Where does this lead with regard to the meaning of “organic gardening” at this time?

My early introduction to organic gardening came via J.I. Rodale’s writings from the 1940s. He was the leading — sometimes only — advocate against the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides he believed were destroying our environment. His support of “natural” materials and processes, including manure, compost and crop rotation, paved the way for the organic-gardening principles and practices that are ever more popular now.

For today’s gardener, going organic is relatively simple. You needn’t be too concerned about government definitions. Organic gardening is still (and will always be) a system where soil fertility is maintained and replenished by utilizing organic matter, compost and mulch without manufactured or synthetic chemicals. Organic gardeners take the time to understand and support the soil food web, caring for the millions of living organisms that make up a healthy soil. In his “Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening,” under the section “Organic Gardening,” Rodale stated: “The soil must become rich and fertile; insect parasites and predators must be encouraged. Safe measures for control are handpicking of insect pests. Encouraging birds, interplanting with crops that repel insects, planting resistant varieties. . . . Good yields, truly safe food and sensible insect controls is the answer.”

Over a half-century later, every organic gardener is still following that advice.