What do the terms “natural” and “organic” mean in terms of lawn care products?
There are no universally accepted definitions, but the commonly accepted definitions are: • Natural. A product derived from animal/biological, mineral, or plant sources, in a form substantially as it occurs in nature. The materials may be altered or manipulated to put them in a physical form that allows them to be efficiently used in the application process by homeowners or service providers. • Organic. Technically, any substance containing carbon is organic. Both naturally occurring and manmade products may be organic. The common misconception that “organic” and “natural” have the same meaning may cause nontechnical consumers to believe that a manmade organic material is natural when it is not. • Natural-based. This term is generally used to describe a mixture of materials that includes some materials that may be properly described as natural. The portion that is natural is frequently undefined. The other portion may be manmade pesticides or fertilizers. • Organic-based. This term is
