Overview
The Basis of weed, insect and disease control
begins in the soil.
1.1.1. Avoiding Chemicals & The Problems of Chemical Use
1.1.2. Building Soil & The Four Steps to Healthy Soil
1.1.3. Care and Cultivation of the Yard
A. Avoiding Synthetic Chemicals
B. Building Soil
C. Care and Cultivation
Download this simplified fact sheet of the
following ABCs.
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 molecular
level all things are chemical and/or electrical. The important distinction between
conventional (synthetic) and naturally occurring “organic” methods is how those
chemicals become available: immediately, as in conventional chemical fertilizers,
or slowly, through the organic processes of microbial activity, decomposition
and mineralization. As nutrients become
available, 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, as by-products of microbial activity, are released slowly and
utilized as needed by the plant or held in the soil, stored for later use. This process is called mineralization and
functions as a natural time-release. There is a chain reaction of numerous
other known and unknown metabolic functions which contribute to health and
growth as well.
The use of synthetically-produced chemicals for plant growth
and pest control can harm essential microbes and insects as well as damage the environment
and the soil itself, undermining attempts at restoring the natural
balance. The Natural Balance is the best
“control.”
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.
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.
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
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 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
Fortunately, there are many alternatives to toxic
pesticides & herbicides.
Some
target only certain pests. Others, such
as soaps and oils, are non-targeted but fairly innocuous; however, care is still needed using these products.
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, natural enemies and resistant plants.
Different plants have different requirements of sun or shade and tolerances for
wet or dry. Some such plants as roses
and gardenias tend to have more problems than native plants. 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. It is the vigor of this
system which determines the growth, health, pest resistance and drought
tolerance of plants.
Using naturally occurring, organic nutrients causes a
chain reaction of beneficial bio-processes which conventional fertilizers
cannot duplicate.****************************************
B Building Soil
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, cation 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.
"Like stock splits or compounding interest, soil building is a growing investment." Howard Lawrence
Using Natural Matters causes a chain reaction of
beneficial bio-processes which conventional fertilizers cannot
duplicate.***************************************
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. It takes energy. 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 monitoring,
watering, mowing and pruning, feeding, and problem
solving.
1. Monitoring - It’s
important to monitor your yard on a regular weekly, monthly and even daily
basis, if needed. This should include an
evaluation of plant health, changes in lawn color, density, growth rate, and
things that might warrant treatment to prevent soil or plant loss due to
insect, disease or other damage.
Nutrient or pH testing is a good way to establish a baseline/ starting
point, but you can be sure it’s always helpful to avoid chemicals and build the
soil by adding organic soil amendments.
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 A B C’s, integrating plant
and pest management, and adjusting social values/expectations with
understanding and education.
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Insects Weeds 1- Pathogen 2- Host 3- Conducive
Environment |
USA Today - Groundwater
Much of U.S. Ground Water is Tainted
THE NATION
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.
University of Florida,
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences – Description of Organic Yard Care