Grow organic. Fertilizer and green gardening

The use of concentrated fertilizer is probably one of the most controversial areas in organic gardening. Opinions vary. Some gardeners claim that additional fertilizer is unnecessary if the correct cultivation methods are observed. Others employ methods that appear to be identical to the chemical grower except that the products used are organic in origin. 

Organic plants need a wide and varied range of nutrients to be present in the soil for normal healthy organic growth. Chemical growers assess the nutrient needs of each plant every year and supply those needs in the form of a fertilizer that is immediately available to the plants. They simply use the soil to hold the plant nutrients. The result of using fertilizer as an alternative to organic matter is that the soil becomes an inert medium, devoid of life and the lost nutrients have to be replaced every year. The principle of green organic gardening is to feed the soil rather than the plants growing in it. If high soil-fertility levels are maintained by regular additions of organic matter, the plants can simply draw on the material as it is required. There is no danger of an overdose and a steady supply is ensured by the activity of all the various organisms in the soil.

For many crops, very acceptable yields can be obtained without the addition of fertilizers, but you have to be realistic. Fertilizers are normally required for several reasons. You may not be able to supply your soil with all the manure or compost needed to provide the necessary nutrients. You may find that your soil is grossly deficient in one or more of the essential nutrients. To correct this by adding bulky organic material can take several years; it is more realistic to add concentrated organic fertilizer as well as the organic material. Also many gardeners wish to make much higher demands on their soil than even the hardestworking colony of bacteria and fungi could provide in the time.

So, there are always occasions when fertilizers are required. What you must do is ensure that they are compatible with the requirements not only of the plants but also of the organisms in the soil. The beauty of organic gardening is that, provided you supply nature with the tools of the trade, she will do the rest.

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Home organic growing

For most people, growing chemical-free vegetables is what organic gardening is all about. As more and more news comes out about the dangers of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, more people are choosing to grow their own organic food. They are finding that homegrown vegetables are fresher and taste better than the store-bought kind.

How to plan your organic vegetable garden? You may dream of a big organic garden filled with all types of fresh and inviting vegetables.  But this takes experience and preparation. For the first-timer, small is beautiful; take time to get it right on a small scale before launching a huge project. Keep the following ideas in mind to save yourself a lot of work and frustration later in the season. Start small. Little organic plants and seeds turn into a big commitment as they grow. A 10-x-20-foot garden is plenty to grow a variety of vegetables, such as lettuce, beans, carrots, tomatoes, and peppers. If you want to grow vining crops or space hogs such as corn or pumpkins, you can expand it to 20 x 30 feet. Planting too large a space to keep well tended probably is the number-one cause of gardener frustration and burnout.

Put the garden in full sun. Organic vegetable plants need at least six hours of full sun daily to grow fast. Orient and plan your organic garden, so that tall plants such as corn and tomatoes don’t cast shade on shorter plants such as beets and cabbage. Make it convenient and inviting. Place your organic garden in a location where you’ll see it daily. Your garden is more likely to thrive when you visit it regularly.

Grow a mix of crops. Planting a variety of organic vegetables ensures that something will produce. Also diversity in the garden encourages good insects and helps reduce problems from harmful ones. Choose a well-drained spot. Organic vegetables are more prone to disease in soggy soil. Consider building raised beds.

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Green farm and water

A green farm must be aware of the resources used. The most important of them is the water. Every living thing needs water. Without water life cannot exist. That’s important for a green farm in order to grow quality organic food. Plants need water so that the vital process of photosynthesis, respiration and absorption of nutrients can occur. Farms need water to grow their plans. 

Home green farms may have flowers, vegetables or fruits. Each of them is growing organically. Being an organic gardener means being aware of the resources used in the garden and the wider implications of their use. So, organic green garden includes water. Water conservation, storage and recycling are essential organic gardening strategies. 

Organic methods of soil care and management, careful plant choice, correct timing and appropriate delivery of water help to minimize use of this valuable resource and avoid problems of drought and of overwatering in a green farm. 

Storage of water affects plants in a number of ways, depending on the type of plant and the extent of the storage. Even before plants show obvious signs of drought stress, their growth and performance may be reduced. Not only too little, but also too much water presents plants with problems. A green farm must have taken care all of these parameters, in order to have a viable organic growth.

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Green farming-Types of soil.

Each one who has an interest in organic farming or green farming has to know about soil and how to treat to it. There are five different soil types. These soil types look very different. Many soils are a mixture of minerals. Each soil type has advantages and disadvantages. Each needs a slightly different management technique and supports different types of plants. 

Sand 
This is a dry, light soil, which will feel gritty if rubbed between fingers. Sand particles range in size from 0.2mm, to 2mm. 0.2mm for the very finest sand, while 2mm for the coarsest. Sandy soil is easy to work and it is particularly good because it warms up quickly in the spring and can therefore be cultivated earlier than most soils. It is free-draining. So nutrients tend to be lost easily. Therefore it will need to be supplemented with a great deal of organic matter as well as extra fertilizer. 

Chalk
Chalk is rough in sight. Chalk often contains a high proportion of rocks and flints. The large particles make it free-draining and quick to lose nutrients and water. The topsoil is rather shallow. So it is unsuitable for plants with deep roots. Chalk is very alkaline. So it contains a great deal of lime, therefore is inhospitable for many plants. 

Clay 

This is a heavy, cold soil which feels sticky when it's moist and hard and compacted when dry. The particles are less than 0.002mm in size. This means that clay soil does not drain easily and is difficult to work in wet conditions. However, it is possible to turn it into a very workable fertile soil. That's its big advantage. Clay soils are normally well supplied with plant foods and are able to support a wide variety of plants. 

Silt 

This type of soil is neither gritty nor sticky. The soil particles are small. They are between 0.002mm and 0.02mm. Silt is smooth and silky. When wet, it has a tendency to pack down, leaving the soil cold, heavy, and badly drained. However, it is possible to improve the texture of the soil applying liberal quantities of compost or manure. Silt soils support the same range of plants as clay. 

Peat 

Peat is a distinctive dark brown or gray color, and has a spongy texture. It is rich in decomposed organic matter and therefore requires little additional compost or manure. The younger brown peat is easier to work and more fertile than the heavier, black, boglike type. All peaty soils tend to become waterlogged, so need to be drained artificially. Peat is acid and will need to have lime added to increase the range of plants that can be cultivated.

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Green organic farming: Genetic modification

Green organic farming-

Method 4: Genetic modification 

A key characteristic of organic farming is the rejection of genetically engineered plants and animals. On 1998, participants at IFOAM's 12th Scientific Conference issued the Mar del Plata Declaration, where more than 600 delegates from over 60 countries voted unanimously to exclude the use of genetically modified organisms in food production and agriculture. 

Although GMOs are excluded from organic farming, there is concern that the pollen from genetically modified crops is increasingly penetrating organic and heirloom seed stocks, making it difficult, if not impossible, to keep these genomes from entering the organic food supply. Differing regulations among countries limits the availability of GMOs to certain countries. The hazards that genetic modification could pose to the environment are hotly contested.

source: wikipedia.org

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Green organic farming: Controlling other organisms

Green organic farming-

Method 3: Controlling other organisms

Organisms aside from weeds that cause problems on organic farms include arthropods, nematodes, fungi and bacteria. Organic farmers use a wide range of Integrated Pest Management practices to prevent pests and diseases. These include, but are not limited to, crop rotation and nutrient management; sanitation to remove pest habitat; provision of habitat for beneficial organisms; selection of pest-resistant crops and animals; crop protection using physical barriers, such as row covers; and crop diversification through companion planting or establishment of polycultures. 

Organic farmers often depend on biological pest control, the use of beneficial organisms to reduce pest populations. Examples of beneficial insects include minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, and to a lesser extent ladybugs (which tend to fly away), all of which eat a wide range of pests. Lacewings are also effective, but tend to fly away. Praying mantis tend to move more slowly and eat less heavily. Parasitoid wasps tend to be effective for their selected prey, but like all small insects can be less effective outdoors because the wind controls their movement. Predatory mites are effective for controlling other mites. 

When these practices are insufficient to prevent or control pests an organic farmer may apply a pesticide. With some exceptions, naturally occurring pesticides are allowed for use on organic farms, and synthetic substances are prohibited. Pesticides with different modes of action should be rotated to minimize development of pesticide resistance. 

Naturally derived insecticides allowed for use on organic farms use include Bacillus thuringiensis (a bacterial toxin), pyrethrum (a chrysanthemum extract),spinosad (a bacterial metabolite), neem (a tree extract) and rotenone (a legume root extract). Fewer than 10% of organic farmers use these pesticides regularly; one survey found that only 5.3% of vegetable growers in California use rotenone while 1.7% use pyrethrum. 

These are sometimes called green pesticides because they are generally thought to be, but are not necessarily, safer and more environmentally friendly than synthetic pesticides. Rotenone and pyrethrum are particularly controversial because they work by attacking the nervous system, like most conventional insecticides. Rotenone is extremely toxic to fish and can induce symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease in mammals. Although pyrethrum (natural pyrethrins) is more effective against insects when used with piperonyl butoxide (which retards degradation of the pyrethrins), organic standards generally do not permit use of the latter substance. 

Naturally derived fungicides allowed for use on organic farms include the bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus; and the fungus Trichoderma harzianum. These are mainly effective for diseases affecting roots. Agricultural Research Service scientists have found that caprylic acid, a naturally occurring fatty acid in milk and coconuts, as well as other natural plant extracts have antimicrobial characteristics that can help. Compost tea contains a mix of beneficial microbes, which may attack or out-compete certain plant pathogens, but variability among formulations and preparation methods may contribute to inconsistent results or even dangerous growth of toxic microbes in compost teas. Some naturally derived pesticides are not allowed for use on organic farms. These include nicotine sulfate, arsenic, and strychnine. 

Synthetic pesticides allowed for use on organic farms include insecticidal soaps and horticultural oils for insect management; and Bordeaux mixture, copper hydroxide and sodium bicarbonate for managing fungi.Copper sulfate and Bordeaux mixture (copper sulfate plus lime), approved for organic use in various jurisdictions, can be more environmentally problematic than some synthetic fungicides dissallowed in organic farmingSimilar concerns apply to copper hydroxide. Repeated application of copper sulfate or copper hydroxide as a fungicide may eventually result in copper accumulation to toxic levels in soil, and admonitions to avoid excessive accumulations of copper in soil appear in various organic standards and elsewhere. Environmental concerns for several kinds of biota arise at average rates of use of such substances for some crops. In the European Union, where replacement of copper-based fungicides in organic agriculture is a policy priority, research is seeking alternatives for organic production.

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Green organic farming: Weed management

Green organic farming - 

Method 2: Weed management

Organic weed management promotes weed suppression, rather than weed elimination, by enhancing crop competition and effects on weeds. Organic farmers integrate cultural, biological, mechanical, physical and chemical tactics to manage weeds without synthetic herbicides. 

Organic standards require rotation of annual crops, meaning that a single crop cannot be grown in the same location without a different, intervening crop. Organic crop rotations frequently include weed-suppressive cover crops and crops with dissimilar life cycles to discourage weeds associated with a particular crop. Organic farmers strive to increase soil organic matter content, which can support microorganisms that destroy common weed seeds. 

Other cultural practices used to enhance crop competitiveness and reduce weed pressure include selection of competitive crop varieties, high-density planting, tight row spacing, and late planting into warm soil to encourage rapid crop germination. Mechanical and physical weed control practices used on organic farms can be broadly grouped as: 

• Tillage - Turning the soil between crops to incorporate crop residues and soil amendments; remove existing weed growth and prepare a seedbed for planting; 
• Cultivation - Disturbing the soil after seeding; 
• Mowing and cutting - Removing top growth of weeds; 
• Flame weeding and thermal weeding - Using heat to kill weeds; and 
• Mulching - Blocking weed emergence with organic materials, plastic films, or landscape fabric. 

Some naturally sourced chemicals are allowed for herbicidal use. These include certain formulations of acetic acid, corn gluten meal, and essential oils. Weeds can be controlled by grazing. For example, geese have been used successfully to weed a range of organic crops including cotton, strawberries, tobacco, and corn, reviving the practice of keeping cotton patch geese, common in the southern U.S. before the 1950s. Similarly, some rice farmers introduce ducks and fish to wet paddy fields to eat both weeds and insects.

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Green organic farming: Soil management

Green organic farming- 

Method 1:Soil management

Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as micronutrients and symbiotic relationships with fungi and other organisms to flourish, but getting enough nitrogen, and particularly synchronization so that plants get enough nitrogen at the right time (when plants need it most), is likely the greatest challenge for organic farmers.

Crop rotation and green manure help to provide nitrogen through legumes which fix nitrogen from the atmosphere through symbiosis with bacteria. Intercropping, which is sometimes used for insect and disease control, can also increase soil nutrients, but the competition between the legume and the crop can be problematic and wider spacing between crop rows is required. 

Crop residues can be ploughed back into the soil, and different plants leave different amounts of nitrogen, potentially aiding synchronization. Organic farmers also use animal manure, certain processed fertilizers such as seed meal and various mineral powders such as rock phosphate and greensand, a naturally occurring form of potash which provides potassium. Together these methods help to control erosion. In some cases pH may need to be amended. Natural pH amendments include lime and sulfur, but in the U.S. some compounds such as iron sulfate, aluminum sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and soluble boron products are allowed in organic farming. 

Mixed farms with both livestock and crops can operate as ley farms, whereby the land gathers fertility through growing nitrogen-fixing forage grasses such as white clover or alfalfa and grows cash crops or cereals when fertility is established. Farms without livestock may find it more difficult to maintain fertility, and may rely more on external inputs such as imported manure as well as grain legumes and green manures, although grain legumes may fix limited nitrogen because they are harvested. Horticultural farms growing fruits and vegetables which operate in protected conditions are often even more reliant upon external inputs. 

Biological research on soil and soil organisms has proven beneficial to organic farming. Varieties of bacteria and fungi break down chemicals, plant matter and animal waste into productive soil nutrients. In turn, they produce benefits of healthier yields and more productive soil for future crops. Fields with less or no manure display significantly lower yields, due to decreased soil microbe community, providing a healthier, more arable soil system.

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Green organic farming

Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control. Organic farming uses fertilizers and pesticides but excludes or strictly limits the use of manufactured synthetic fertilizers, pesticides plant growth regulators such as hormones, livestock antibiotics, food additives, genetically modified organisms, human sewage sludge, and nanomaterials. 

Organic agricultural methods are internationally regulated and legally enforced by many nations, based in large part on the standards set by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), an international umbrella organization for organic farming organizations established in 1972. IFOAM defines the overarching goal of organic farming as: 

"Organic agriculture is a production system that sustains the health of soils, ecosystems and people. It relies on ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse effects. Organic agriculture combines tradition, innovation and science to benefit the shared environment and promote fair relationships and a good quality of life for all involved..." 

Since 1990, the market for organic products has grown from next to nothing statistically, reaching $55 billion in 2009 according to Organic Monitor. This demand has driven a similar increase in organically managed farmland which has grown over the past decade at a compounding rate of 8.9% per annum. Approximately 37,000,000 hectares (91,000,000 acres) worldwide are now farmed organically, representing approximately 0.9 percent of total world farmland (2009).

source: wikipedia.org

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