Nowadays, we have chemicals in our everyday lives everywhere.

There have always been chemicals in our everyday lives everywhere.

The organic compounds you use for gardening are made of chemicals. The food you eat is comprised of chemical compounds.

I'm not saying this to be a pedant, it's just that I keep seeing people talk about how chemicals are bad for you and not saying which ones or why.

Also, there's nothing inherently evil about GMOs. Historically there has been a bigger problem with selective breeding than GMOs.

What I would find more helpful is if you could describe the specific components you use in your gardening and which chemical compounds you are trying to avoid and why. Branding all "chemical fertilizers" as evil is short-sighted as you'll find some are nothing more than manure. And to say there's no danger in using manure because it is all natural isn't necessarily true because of where it may be sourced could introduce contaminants and it could also lead to the same kinds of problems as so called "chemical fertilizers".

So, getting back to the whole picture idea. I couldn't agree more. Having an understanding of how the pieces come together and interact, this is exactly what I wish I understood better. I see people bag up and throw away leaves and I don't understand why they then go out and purchase mulch! Or they collect and throw away their grass clippings... then they use plant foods for a greener, fuller lawn.

Maybe this summer I'll finally get around to that whole gardening thing... I've been rather poorly collecting scraps for compost as I didn't bother researching, I just collected them. Wouldn't you know it, you need to do things like keep them moist, stir them, etc...

I look forward to more of your posts.