Does Compost “Repel” Pests? In California, You Better Not Say So

Gardeners have been applying compost and compost tea to their gardeners since gardening began. The dry compost and the liquid tea give the plants more vigor, a bigger root mass and generally better health than plants grown without those substances.

When forced to apply compost tea to my grandmother’s garden in Maine as a child, I would often protest, saying, “Why do I always have to do this, Grammy?” To which she would always reply, “Because it keeps the bad bugs away and invites the good bugs in.”

Any longtime gardener knows that compost makes plants more insect and disease resistant and, yet, you better not make that claim in California — at least not if you’re selling the stuff. George Hahn learned that the hard way, to the tune of a $100,000 fine and a lengthy, expensive court battle. Here’s the story:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/jun/20/fertilizer-flap-goes-to-court/