Local garden club kicked me out for using Miracle Gro, 3 years later my tomatoes still win the fair

I joined a garden club in Austin 3 years ago and got heavy side-eye for bringing Miracle Gro to a meeting. The head lady said it was 'cheating' and that real gardeners use compost tea only. I ignored her, kept using the synthetic stuff, and last month my Big Boy tomatoes took first place at the county fair. The same club lady came up to me and whispered that my win didn't count because 'it wasn't organic.' Is there a real difference between synthetic fertilizer and compost, or is this just gatekeeping with dirt? Has anyone else dealt with this kind of snobbery in gardening groups?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane_park9229d ago

Wait she actually whispered that to you? That is wild.

pat78129d ago

Seventy-five people in that room heard her say it, @foster.tessa, and she meant every word.

foster.tessa29d ago

That comment about your win "not counting" is a classic move from someone who can't stand losing on a level field. I've seen it in business too. People who swear by the old ways get real quiet when results speak louder than their rules.