1. ABC’s
2. ABC’s in a nutshell
(download)
2008
- Soil Fertility (Fertrell) (download)
Lawn
Pesticides – An Unacceptable Risk (Natural Matters) (download)
Best
Management Practices for the Homeowner (IFAS) (download)
A. Avoiding Synthetic Chemicals – Keep Adding
the Good Stuff
B. Building Soil – Builds (soil) communities
C. Care and Cultivation – Programs are
Cumulative and sustainable
A Avoiding Synthetic Chemicals
"Using chemical fertilizer is like writing checks
without making deposits."
Dave Maddox, President of Fertrell
Plants
use nutrients that are available in simple inorganic (chemical) forms. At
this level, all things are chemical (and/or electrical). One of the
important distinctions between conventional (synthetic) fertilizer and
naturally occurring “organic” fertilizer is how those chemicals become
available: immediately, as in conventional chemical fertilizers, or slowly,
through the organic processes of microbial activity, decomposition and
mineralization. The plant will use only what it needs at the time. The
rest is subject to run-off or leaching. In the organic method, nutrients
become available, as by-products of microbial activity, and are released slowly
and utilized as needed by the plant or held in the soil for later use.
This process is called mineralization and functions as a natural time-release.
There is a chain reaction of numerous beneficial, known and unknown, metabolic
functions which contribute to plant health and growth which conventional
fertilizers cannot duplicate.
The use of chemicals for fertilizer often damages the soil texture, and pest control chemicals can harm essential microbes and insects as well as damage the environment. Fortunately, there are alternatives to salt-based fertilizers, toxic pesticides & herbicides.
Soil that
is denuded by years of chemical use is unable to hold excess nutrients, so they
may leach away or result in run-off into streams and lakes. Conventional
synthetic fertilizers supply chemicals to the plant in doses exceeding the
plant’s need and the soil’s nutrient-holding capacity. Naturally
occurring fertilizers and soil rich in organic matter create holding sites for
excess nutrients, warehousing them until they are needed.
Problems
of Chemical use:
1.
Accumulation of toxic salts
2.
Leaching and run-off
3.
Heavy metals and toxins
4.
Tolerance to pesticides
5.
Killing of natural predators
6. Thatch
Some of
the problems caused by chemical use include:
Synthetic
fertilizers leave behind an accumulation of salts in the soil that are toxic to
soil life.
Run-off
and leaching resulting from the use of synthetic chemicals is a serious issue
in
Pesticides
and fungicides contain heavy metals and toxins that can persist in the environment
for years.
Just
as humans develop tolerances to antibiotics when they are overused, insect
pests can develop tolerances to commonly used pesticides, resulting in the use
of stronger chemicals and the evolution of SUPERBUG.
Broad-spectrum
pesticides kill natural predators such as ladybugs along with targeted pests.
Intensive
use of pesticides upsets the ecological balance of the environment. For
example, after eliminating one pest, another that was previously not a problem
can emerge.
Fertilizing
with synthetics can contribute to the development of thatch in your lawn.
Thatch is an intermingled layer of living and dead shoots, roots and stems that
accumulate on the soil surface below the green of the grass. Thatch is
not the result of leaving clippings. It results when growth exceeds
decay. Excessive thatch can restrict water and air movement in the soil
and enhance insect and disease problems.
Protect
the Web of Life
There are all sorts of strange life forms that live in the soil–nematodes, fungi, bacteria, micro-flora and micro-fauna. They are all part of the web of life. Each has an important role to play and is crucial to nature’s ability to heal and build resilience in the face of ever-changing environmental conditions. Overuse of chemical fertilizer and pesticides can be toxic to these life forms.
As little as 1/4 teaspoon of fertile
soil is home to:
50 nematodes
62,000 algae
72,000 amoebae
111,000 fungi
2,920,000 actinomycetes
25,280,000 bacteria
Chemical pesticides should only be
used as a last resort after careful consideration of their effects and in
conjunction with an Integrated
Pest Management (IPM) Program. Nature has a lot of tolerance,
but if you must use chemicals, use them properly. IPM makes use
of a balanced approach, relying on cultural practices i.e. modifying growing
conditions, natural enemies and resistant plants. Incorrect growing conditions
are largely responsible for plant stress resulting in pest infestations.
Different plants have different requirements of sun or shade and tolerances for
wet or dry, sun shade.
Aside from reducing chemical use and
labor, a “naturalistic” or wild area using native plants can make a yard more
visually interesting, serve to modify drainage, prevent erosion and become
habitat for beneficial insects.
Natural Matters is committed to this natural balance,
revitalizing the soil population and those relative associations known as the
soil food web, where beneficial microbes flourish, natural controls dominate;
it is the vigor of this system which determines the growth, health, pest
resistance and drought tolerance of plants.
B
Building Soil
"Like
stock splits or compounding interest, soil building is a growing
investment."
Howard
Lawrence
Soil
is a storehouse of energy, a life support system. Soil includes solid
mineral particles and the pore space between them that retains gas and
water. Soil particles adhere together to form larger particles, or
aggregates. Most roots occupy the upper twelve inches of soil where the
greatest amount of oxygen is available. Soil is composed of sand, clay,
silt, and organic matter.
Soil texture is the most fundamental property of soil. The size of soil particles determines the internal surface area, which is where many bio-chemical reactions take place. The smaller the particle and finer the texture, the more surface area there is, and the more potential for beneficial chemical interactions. Soil texture also determines porosity, drainage and the flow of water and oxygen and other gases needed for plant growth. Soil building is providing the raw materials, nutrient food/ energy which is the foundation of all life systems, the infrastructure of life in the soil and involves incorporating organic matter and minerals into the soil. Microbial activity is vital to soil health. Aeration, moisture, soil temperature, pH and proper nutrients stimulate microbe populations. Microbes perform many important tasks, including cycling of nutrients, improvement of texture, tilth and structure which improve drought tolerance, the utilization of oxygen, cat-ion exchange and the production of hormones that promote plant health and growth.
Soil
building with naturally occurring fertilizers and soil rich in organic matter
build soil structure, tilth, and texture, create
holding sites for excess nutrients, and warehouse them until they are needed.
Soil that is denuded by the destruction of its humus layer and top-soil
degrades as badly as if it had been exposed to years of chemical abuse and is
unable to hold excess nutrients, which may leach away or result in run-off into
streams and lakes.
Healthy
soil attracts earthworms that perform numerous tasks that aid in the digestion
and decomposition of organic material, leaving by-products of nutrient-rich,
loamy soil.
Proper
soil building results in healthy fertile soil. Plants growing in fertile
soil are fertilized by the natural reactions in the soil itself. It’s a
sustainable system. The concept of soil fertility includes not only the
quantity of nutrients a soil contains, but how well nutrients are protected
from leaching, how available they are, and how easily roots can function.
Four
Steps to Building Healthy Soil:
1. Detoxify - Toss out the synthetic fertilizers.
2.
Create a conducive soil environment -
First test your soil to determine texture. Then condition the soil.
Soils heavy in clay should be amended with sand, compost, mulch and/or
greensand in order to loosen them to allow for better drainage and
porosity. Soils heavy in sand should be amended with clay, compost, mulch
and/or greensand in order to tighten and bond soil aggregates and to increase
nutrient- and water holding capacity.
3. Rejuvenate soil life - Increase and stimulate growth of
fresh bacteria by adding bio-stimulants such as manure, grass clippings and
compost. I use fish emulsions, anaerobic and aerobic teas, tinctures, and
leachates.
4. Supply proper levels of nutrients - This can be accomplished by using a balanced organic
fertilizer or a combination of fish emulsion, bone meal, manure, seaweed, rock
dusts, humic acid, kelp meal, blood meal, etc., or
there are a number of ready-made, time-saving balanced organic fertilizers on
the market.
Building healthy soil takes time, energy and
commitment. Unlike rapid-release synthetic fertilizers, soil building is
an investment that builds value over time.
C
Care and Cultivation of
the Yard
For
all types of yards and growing concerns, there are necessary activities that
can be crucial to the appearance and health of your yard. These include moni
1.
Moni
2. Watering
- For optimal plant health, regular watering is needed. During dry times,
water only once a week, but it’s important to water deeply. To conserve
water, remember: fertile healthy soil will have better water-holding capacity
and drought resistance. Lawns that are properly managed with healthy soil
and appropriate cultural practices (such as higher mowing height) will
withstand drought because they have deeper roots. Drip irrigation for
garden beds, trees and shrubs can also conserve water use.
3. Mowing
- The importance of mowing is not often fully understood. Social
expectations result in practices that can be counter-productive to lawn health
such as cutting too short, or too often, and removal of grass clippings.
When mowing my own yard, I think of it as growing the grass, not cutting the
grass. Management practices to keep in mind include:
Mowing is pruning and the same rule of
thumb applies: cut no more than one-third of the plant (in the case of lawns,
less is best).
Mowers should be set
at one-and-a-half to two inches for Centipede and two to four inches for
Longer grass (blades)
results in more photosynthesis, deeper roots, fewer weeds, better color, and
more drought and erosion resistance.
Mowing should be
regular, but only when necessary, and always with sharp blades.
Return clippings to
the soil. It’s the best way to add fresh organic matter and recycle nutrients
on a routine basis. The only time you shouldn’t is if weeds have gone to
seed.
A “mow and blow” yard
service can be counter-productive. Different conditions (such as
rainfall) will affect the frequency at which you should mow. It’s not
good to be tied to a mow and blow schedule, but rather to mow (and prune) when
necessary. This can result in improved health, appearance and financial
savings.
4. Feeding Plants
- Plants growing in healthy, fertile soil benefit from additional applications
of organic nutrients two or three times a year to replenish those used in plant
growth. Soil building is a cumulative, ongoing process that provides a
good long-lasting foundation for plant growth, from the ground up through the
roots. The foliar application of liquid fertilizer feeds plants directly
from the top down through the leaf for fast-acting “finishing” results.
It is not a substitute for soil building but enhances plant growth and is an important
part of organic yard care. Mulching provides benefits to plants such as
protection from weeds and drought, additional organic matter, and is
aesthetically pleasing. Ideal mulch materials include pine straw, leaf
mulch, pine bark and hay.
5. Problem Solving:
insects, weeds and disease - Problems of this sort will decrease over time with
an active commitment to these ABCs ,
integrating plant and pest management, and adjusting social values/expectations
with understanding and education.
|
Insects Weeds 1- Pathogen 2-
Host 3-
Conducive Environment |
:
Much of
U.S. Ground Water is Tainted
A
wide-ranging government reports concludes that much of the nation's ground
water and many of its streams are contaminated with pesticides and unhealthy
levels of fertilizer chemicals.
In most
cases, the tested waters pose a risk to aquatic life but don't violate
standards established to protect human health. At some sites, the shallow
ground water - a layer of water 100 feet or less from the surface - has nitrate
levels above federal health standards. Nitrate is a compound in
fertilizer and manure that encourages plant growth but can be harmful to human
infants. Shallow ground water is the source of drinking water for the
80%-90% of rural residents who rely on private wells.
Even
more worrisome, say researchers, is that shallow ground water seep into
That's
an indication, the study says, that human activity is tainting these pools deep
in the Earth, and scientists fear that such contaminants eventually will leach
into deep aquifers through irrigation wells or natural cracks found in some
kinds of rock.
"(In)
most aquifers we look at, we will find some form of contamination, "says
Tim Miller of the U.S. Geological Survey, the agency that did the study.
"What's there now may be an early indicator." The population
that eventually might be affected, he says, "can be substantial."
Released
last month, the report, "The Quality of Our Nation's Waters," examines
20 important river basins and geological areas.
Many
contaminants were found at levels that could hurt the reproductive ability of
aquatic species, such as fish. That could lead to smaller populations,
but the study didn't measure the pollutants' impact on species.
Other
findings:
Some of
the worst contamination by insecticides was in urban streams, to researchers'
surprise. Many of the streams that are most heavily polluted with
insecticides were in metropolitan areas such as those in Dallas-Fort Worth,
Though
banned in 1972, DDT turned up in stream sediment and fish in both urban and
rural areas across
Most of
the test sites had more than one contaminant. No one knows how
combinations of contaminants, at low levels, affect human health or wildlife.
Water-quality
experts welcomed the report. Larry Jaworski,
government chair for the Water Environment Federation, an association of
water-quality officials, says the report will help local governments decide how
much their waterways can bear. “It certainly is based on sound science,”
he says.