Organic Gardening for Fruits and Vegetables An overview of what you need to know before you begin. By Michael Cowan Of Edibella Organic Landscapes Inc. See www.edibella.com Michael Cowan is Certified by Overview • History and Philosophy • Site Analysis • Bed Preparation • Inputs • Seeding and Timing • Crop Rotation • Common Pest problems • References History and Philosophy • Conventional Farming • The greatest amount of inputs and control by the farmer History and Philosophy • IPM or Integrated Pest Management • A graduated approach to farming and horticulture, but still advocates chemical use and is a pest centered approach rather than a plant health centered approach Pioneers of the modern Organic Movement • Rudolf Steiner -"Soil Fertility, Renewal and Preservation", • Bio Dynamic Farming method uses unique preparations at specific times • Steiner considered the world and everything in it as simultaneously spiritual and material in nature, an approach termed monism. Pioneers of the modern Organic Movement • Masanobu Fukuoka – “The One Straw Revolution • The method of Natural Farming • Quote: “If we throw mother nature out the window she comes back in the door with pitchfork” Pioneers of the modern Organic Movement • Sir Albert Howard • Book “An Agricultural Testament” • Quote: "the health of soil, plant, animal and man is one and indivisible." Pioneers of the modern Organic Movement • J.I. Rodale • Rodale founded Rodale Press in Pennsylvania, publisher of Organic Farming and Gardening magazine Pioneers of the modern Organic Movement • Ruth Stout • “How To Have a Green Thumb, Without an Aching Back” and “The No Work Gardening Book” • Uses mulch as the way to garden,”If you see a weed throw some straw on top of it” Pioneers of the modern Organic Movement • Bill Mollison- ‘An Introduction to Permaculture’ • 'father of permaculture', an integrated system of design co-developed with David Holmgren that encompasses not only agriculture, horticulture, architecture and ecology but also economic systems, land access strategies and legal systems for businesses and communities Inputs • Use inputs from on site whenever possible • Compost – processing on site organic matter • Green Manures – Grow your own fertilizer • Rain Water – Rain Barrels and Cisterns Inputs • Manures, and vegetable meals (from non- GMO sources), rock powders, seaweed, Wild fish waste, and dolomite limestone are the commonly used off site inputs. • Always ask the questions: What are the sources of these inputs? How were they produced? How far away did it come from? Is its use sustainable? Inputs • COMPOST- “ the elixir of the garden” • The way to feed life back to your garden, it also happens to the best soil remedy no matter what your soil needs are! • Compost will bind sandy soils and open clay soils. • Think of compost as inoculant for your soil.