This is a dilemma for those of us that do practice organic growing. Materials containing Genetically Engineered products are simply not acceptable, however there may be a light at the end of the tunnel as more and more sellers of foods are opting out of using them and other unnecessary food additives.

In some 50 years of practicing organic growing I have not found a real need to use "fertilizers" since adding organic material, compost, shredded leaves, cover/green crops, etc. always provided enough nutrients without those "fertilizers".

There are plenty of other organic fertilizers and amendments you could use that don't involve seed meals. Which are the only organic products potentially involved with GMO's. However I agree with lazy on this point - the implication of these products used for amending or fertilization will somehow contaminate your organic growing is far-fetched. By nature these ferts need to be consumed and digested by soil organisms, which in turn release the nutrients in soluble salt form that is taken up by the plant roots. The degradation occurs before any uptake by the plants, which absorb the 'finished' nutrients only.

Unless you have issues about these products producing some sort of super race of soil microbe, the concern is overstated.

Thanks for the replies!

"Exactly what do you think a couple of changed genes in the DNA of the soybean is going to do in your soil?

What do you think the Bt protein expressed in the corn or cotton plants will do in your soil?"

I don't know, and that's the point of this thread. Does anyone have studies that prove that there's no risk of anything GM being uptaken by plants or pestiside residue being uptaken?

This link might be helpful: Transgene from GM Corn Found in Soil-Dwelling Animals

It may be that Monsanto et alia have visited upon us a truly terrible future or it may be nothing, but since neither the food industry nor the chemical industry be our friends, far from it, it's best IMHO to avoid both.

Allowing for the reality that genes from one plant end up in another plant and then rot to perdition, and that worrying about any gene of that stuff (they're cellular pieces, not molecules!) somehow getting into food I've grown myself is ridiculously silly, it still should be avoided religiously.

However, to make things less dangerous from overuse, and fertilizer is heavily overused, don't fertilize any more with someone else's concoctions. You can do it yourself with pulverized minerals and composted OM if called for.

Also, don't eat those Soil-Dwelling Animals. That report's a little like saying "Dirt Found on the Ground". GM Watch are rabidly partial people.

According to those that promoted Genetic Engineering in plants these genes were not supposed to escape and contaminate other plants and they did. There has been no r4esearch done to determine if Genetic Engineering of plants has any adverse affect on human beings so we do not know. Many apologists state that "well we have been eating foods for many years with no adverse affect" but we don't know even that, because no studies have been done. Genetic Engineering has been accepted as the same as natural pollination without proper research.

Concern about Genetic Engineering is not overstated and is not something to be poo pood as some here do. Referring to those with concerns as paranoid does not answer any questions we may have. It can take generations of mutation for adverse affects to become obvious.

If you are willing to accept Genetic Engineering of plants as okay then you are not an organic grower.

kimmq is kimmsr

I'm not going to tell someone to go ahead and use GMO corn based stuff in the garden, but really there is no need to use products that contain corn, soy, canola or alfalfa in the garden. Just don't use them. You don't need corn gluten meal or alfalfa meal; you can use something else for N. Then you get to blood meal and bagged manure which are obviously bi-products of CAFOs. I did see a source one time for completely organic corn gluten and I know Mary's heirloom seeds (an internet friend) sells organic alfalfa meal. I use organic liquid nitrogen fertilizer.

Sweet potatoes have genes from Agrobacter species in them ... the same bacteria that you fear when it's done by scientists?

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/05/05/404198552/natural-gmo-sweet-potato-genetically-modified-8-000-years-ago

Many plants have Arsenic in them, Lazy, naturally and not lab induced. The method of introduction may make a large difference.

kimmq is kimmsr

Thanks everybody for their input.

There's plenty of GMO vs. Non - GMO threads out there, let's not make this another one. For those that choose not to partake in genetically modified ingredients, they may find this thread helpful in not supporting the GMOs where they can.

Non GMO alfalfa hay us available my my area, I suppose that could work as a mulch. When my garden is well matured these may very well be obsolete but until then I'm just looking to make a fertile garden where there was St. Ausgustine grass before- Not ever touched except mowed with a mulching blade.

I need to check if a cover crop is a viable option in zone 9 (Houston) with our short winters. Would it be enough for all season?

Certainly. A cover crop is not grown to maturity, it is turned in, or cut down, long before anything the crop is supposed to generate (ie. seeds) start to form. Some people have used annual flowering plants for cover crops where the typical grains could not be used (homeowner covenants) or those grain seeds were not easily available.

kimmq is kimmsr

If you're talking about mulch how much wheat straw or wood mulch? You can scrounge up both for free if you work at it.