bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - Rocks organic or inorganic?

Quote:

Originally Posted by pootsie

MY BRAIN HURTS!

No need to think so hard.

The word "organic" has many, many meanings. To a chemist, "organic" means "contains carbon." This is not what a bonsai enthusiast means when using the word "organic" to discuss soil.

When talking about soil, we say "organic" to mean "not rock" or "not mineral."

Ergo:
pine bark, worm castings, peat == organic
haydite, turface, pumice != organic.

Now stop thinking so hard.

pootsie

I think Pootsie meant that haydite, turface, pumice are INorganic.
And for what it's worth I think you misinterpereted the Webster words:

1 a (1) : being or composed of matter other than plant or animal : MINERAL (2) : forming or belonging to the inanimate world b : of, relating to, or dealt with by a branch of chemistry concerned with substances not usually classed as organic
2 : not arising from natural growth : ARTIFICIAL; also : lacking structure, character, or vitality

I dont understand how you went from the above passage to 'rocks not being inorganic'. I agree with Pootsie in that it seems you've overanalyzed this one.