Most of the benefits of organic growing are available as soon as you take efforts to increase soil organic matter and increase biological activity in soil. For some growers, that is enough.

The full benefit of organic growing is not available unless non-organic inputs are avoided and until the effects of previous inputs have dispersed over time. New research reveals what organic growers have always claimed, since the pioneering days of Lady Eve Balfour and Sir Albert Howard, that is, even small inputs of synthetic nitrogen, have a suppressive effect on soil biology and therefore limit the full potential of organic systems.

However there are many things to consider when making management decisions on the farm, including long term goals, soil benefits, immediate returns and cash flow. Only the responsible grower can make the important decisions that hold all these considerations in balance.

We call systems that recognize the benefit of non-organic soil inputs and Integrated Pest Management, while reserving the possibility of also using non-organic inputs ‘biological farming’ in contrast to ‘organic’ systems, which completely forswear non-organic inputs.

At TM Organics we work with both organic and biological growers. For many growers, a few years ‘learning the ropes’ as a biological producer is an important part of the steep learning curve on the transition to organic growing.

We hope that everyone will eventually become a completely organic grower, but we encourage you to do it in your own time.