Take care of yourself with natural products


Growing Organic Food - Basic Guidelines

Everyone - including the backyard gardener -use predators of the pest species, develop
who wants to grow food in a way that ishabitat to encourage the natural enemies of
sustainable and that respects the naturalpests, and use controls like traps and
environment can benefit from using thenon-synthetic  repellants.~~Diseases~~
federal organic guidelines from the Organic
Food Production Act that took effect in 2002.Prevention is the idea. Plants grown in
These federal standards for organichealthy soil are naturally resistant to
cultivation were designed by people with adisease. Crop rotation and selecting the
profound knowledge of how to produce foodright varieties also contribute to disease
ecologically.With the home gardener rathercontrol. If, however, there is still a
than the market gardener especially in mind,problem, visit the USDA web site mentioned
what follows here is an overview and someabove and select from the National List of
highlights of the standards and regulations.biologicals and botanicals that are permitted
For more details, visit the US Department ofto  certified  organic  growers.~~Weeds~~
Agriculture (USDA) website: Click "National
Organic  Program."~~Soil~~The federal organic standards allow no
herbicides. Control weeds by tilling, hand
In an organic gardening system, soil healthweeding, mowing, etc. Also, natural mulches
is fundamental to success. Even though(e.g. straw) are useful.~~Seeds and
natural fertilizers and other inputs are usedTransplants~~
in organic gardening, they are minimized by
regular additions of organic material to feedThese must also be organic for the crop to
and improve the soil. This material can come,be labeled organic.The backyard gardener who
for instance, from tilling in cover crops andis interested in growing organically for the
from using approved soil amendments such asnutritional and environmental benefit rather
compost.Raw animal manures are not to be usedthan for the purpose of marketing, probably
as soil amendments within six months ofdoesn't need all the nitty gritty details of
harvest for root crops. For crops where thethe Organic Food Production Law.Just use the
edible part never touches the soil, rawbasic guidelines and act with respect for
animal manures are not used within threenature, and you're on the way to producing
months of harvest. Sewage sludge isorganic food. It's well worth it: healthier
absolutely banned. Crop residues can befor people and healthier for the
chopped into the soil, but notenvironment.Life-time gardener Judith
burned.~~Pests~~Schwader specializes in organic gardening
methods. She shares expertise, humor, and
Biological pesticides can be used, butadvice for your gardening success at A to Z
should be viewed as a last resort. BeforeGardening. Also visit FB Home for additional
spraying a pesticide, organic gardeners canhome and garden information.



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