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Why
Grow
Organically
by Jack Cox
The
production of food crops without the use of artificially manufactured pesticides and fertilisers has become a key issue since the years following the second world war. Before then these chemicals were hardly available so the question of whether or not to use them did not arise. Now we have the opportunity to increase crop yields in the short term, but at what cost to the soil, the environment and our own health?
If we use these chemicals we will need more and more of them each year as the pests become immune and the crops start to follow the law of diminishing returns. So, if we choose to work with nature rather than against her, what will be the costs, and what will be the benefits? Let us look at the downside first. Organic husbandry is very labour intensive and the cost of this must be offset against the savings we make by not buying in the chemicals. If we suddenly stop using chemical fertilisers our land will produce less food for a while. And without pesticides our population of little nasties will multiply many fold, weeds will proliferate and our personal workload will increase.
But all is not doom and gloom, there is also an up side. After a very short time nature will find her own perfect balance. Our land will contain a healthy population of beneficial insects and small mammals and reptiles to keep the pests in check. We will have healthy soil, supporting healthy plants oozing with life and vitality, containing all the natural vitamins and minerals so necessary for our own health.
Of course there is much more involved in organic growing than just giving up artificially produced chemicals. We must do other things as well.
In this article I intend to examine in detail many of the techniques necessary in order to have a really healthy, high yield, organic finca.
Keeping The Soil Healthy
The basic principle underling all organic horticulture is that of healthy plants growing in healthy soil. As they grow, all plants take nutrients from the soil. (Nutrients are also leached out by rain and over watering but more of this in a future issue of Finca News). In order to keep our soils healthy we must put those nutrients back. At the very least we must replenish what has been used up, but ideally we must put back more, thereby building up the nutrient level of the soil.
TO DIG OR NOT TO DIG - THIS IS THE QUESTION. We add nutrients to the soil by adding organic matter. The most usual way is to dig it in. However many growers ask - “Why bury the material 25 cm. or so beneath the ground, when the plants require it in the top 10 cm.?” This is a valid question and many people are turning to the “no-dig” method of growing. They argue that digging destroys the soil structure and that each time the soil is disturbed, weed seeds are brought to the surface where they can germinate. And they add that digging is hard work so why make life difficult? Far better they say to lay the organic matter on the surface as a mulch.
The diggers argue that mulching encourages slugs and snails who love the dark, warm, moist conditions it creates. It is also true that digging brings up stones that can then be removed. On my land I have been sowing seeds with a pick axe! Admittedly I have been breaking into virgin territory where no gardener has gone before, and yes, it is very hard work. Yet I know from experience that if I can get the organic matter into the soil, where it can chemically bond with the clay particles, the ground will be much softer and easier to dig next time. However there does seem to be a lot in the no-dig method and when the land is in good heart I will probably go over to that method.
COMPOST MAKING. Whether you dig it in or leave it on the surface, organic matter needs composing properly before being added to the soil.
TO
BE CONTINUED
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