Krow Acres 'Organics'

How often do you test your soil? Which kits do you use/trust? Where do you buy your seeds?
Thanks for your time. I appreciate all this good input!

     In response to your inquiry:  We test the pH at the end and again at start of each season, since this is a good assessment tool to indicate if something is “out of wack”.  We use three different electronic hand held pH testers (To be as accurate as possible), there are many good inexpensive pH testers and kits on the market.  If the pH is too acidic or alkaline, then there are a number of different organic inputs that might be added to the soil.  We are happy to say that for the most part, the soil in our five test gardens usually maintains a pH of 6.5 – 7.5, so it’s pretty neutral.  Currently, we are transitioning 15 acres to Organic production, and the pH varies quite a bit from area to area (the soil type varies from loam, to clay loam, sand/loam to sand).  Since the pH varies so widely, this season we will do a full spectrum soil test taken from various areas to determine the nutrient variance and make the appropriate input adjustments, it will entail digging soil samples and sending them to the soil conservation district.  

   The Gardener’s A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food.

By: Tanya L.K. Denckla

Publisher: Storey Publishing

ISBN: 13:978-1-58017-370-4

 http://www.storey.com/book_detail.php?isbn=9781580173704&cat=Gardening&p=0

The Complete Compost Gardening Guide

By: Barbara Pleasant, Deborah L. Martin

Publisher: Storey Publishing

        ISBN: 978-1-58017-702-3

        http://www.storey.com/book_detail.php?isbn=9781580177023&cat=Gardening&p=0

BTW, check out our website at: www.KrowAcres.com

Click on the KNOWLEDGE CENTER for more info.

Hope this helps

Krow Acres ‘Organics’

     It all depends upon one’s definition of the term “safe”.  The safe approach to bug deterrent is more of a holistic approach, and with persistence its effects will only get better with each season. If you are looking more towards a “man made” application of something on your garden, there currently are some organic products on the market.  You can find these products listed under the Organic Materials Review Institute at their website: www.omri.org or the Washington State Department of Agriculture at: http://agr.wa.gov/

     There are some  folks who are completely confident applying any amount or type of pesticide, since if the food looks good, then it must be good (even though it might be full of poison, ever hear the saying:” beauty is only skin deep”?).   And then again, there are those Genetically Modified plants (GMOs) that are the toxin themselves, so that when the bug eats them, the bug dies (Hummmm, I wonder what happens over time to us as we continue to eat the fruits from those same crop?).  On the other hand, Mother Nature doesn’t use pesticides (or GMOs) and has been reproducing fantastic crops for years.  In the Organic world there are a number of things a person can do to prevent or minimize “bug” damage safely.  

     Keep in mind that pests (bugs, weeds) are indeed part of the system, and integration control is a key approach.  Think of bugs as water for example, you really can’t stop water from flowing, but you can control where it goes.  As for bugs, stopping them just doesn’t work but controlling or minimizing them usually does (BTW, those GMO crops mentioned earlier have created pesticide resistant bugs).  For starters, the most important thing a person can do is to rotate the crop from season to season.  Growing  the same crop in the same spot year after year encourages pests and pathogens to take hold in an area, whereas rotation prevents a pest from developing a comfortable place to live and forces it to “move on”.  The second most important activity is replacing “used up” nutrients with organic nutrients, humus, green manures/cover crops, worm castings and compost for example, and are  great stuff, the idea here is to feed the earth so as to create healthy plants.  Ever take a walk in the woods and notice the clean earthy smell, the clean healthy plants, or rich healthy looking soil? The earth feeds and rejuvenates itself by decomposing (composting) its own plants material.  Healthy plants have the ability to better fend off pests and pathogens, whereas weak and sickly plants are much more vulnerable (this applies to humans too).  

     Next, is to encourage beneficial insects to pollinate and/or eat those bugs that eat our plants by planting flowers to attract them.  Keep in mind that a total kill off of the unwanted bugs may not be required, since killing off only part of their population will usually suffice.  Other things to do include, cleaning garden litter or cultivating it under to prevent a place for unwanted bugs to hide, providing a “sacrificial” crop that is planted to attract bugs away from your valued crop, and planting so called “allied plants”. If you are growing in containers be sure to change the potting soil or rotate the crop each season as well. 

Happy Gardening, Hope this helps!

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