Organic Gardening Informational Packet

June 10, 2008 Draft

What is Organic Gardening?

Organic gardening is natural gardening where fruit, flowers and vegetables are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. Northwest Park Demonstration Garden utilizes organic gardening practices. Here are some of the organic gardening practices that are used in the Demonstration Garden.

i. Compost to enrich the soil: Composting is a natural biological process where bacteria, fungi and other organisms decompose organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings and food wastes. Add compost to the garden in the Fall.

ii. Use natural fertilizers: Add well-decomposed farm animal manures such as cow, horse and chicken in the Fall.

iii. Apply natural pest controls: Plant beneficial borders of plants that attract beneficial insects. Flowering plants such as marigolds, cornflower, bachelors button, sweet alyssum and yarrow have a high concentration of pollen and nectar, which attracts many beneficial insects.

iv. Plant using companion planting methods: Companion planting is the practice of planting two or more species in close proximity in order to achieve natural methods of pest control and higher yield crops.

v. Plant for disease prevention: Plant a variety of species (polyculture) to avoid a population explosion to pest explosion of pest insects. Use disease resistant plants. Water the garden and allow the top level of soil to dry before watering again.

Composting

Composting is a natural biological process where bacteria, fungi and other organisms decompose organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings and food wastes. Compost should be turned or mixed regularly to speed up the composting process and keep odor down. Compost Location A compost bin should be placed on level ground with well drained soil underneath. Any location, from full sun to total shade will work. Full sun works in cooler climates to enhance composting. The opening of the bin, if it loads from the side, should face south. A compost bin should be placed close to the garden to limit the amount of hauling needed, and close to a source of water for faster composting. Composting Bins There are many types of composting bins that can be used. Many bins can be hand made or purchased. Pressure treated wood should be avoided due to the possible presence of toxins that could leech into the compost and on to your plants. If metal barrels are used they should be placed on top of cement blocks to prevent the bottom of the barrel rotting out. Here are some great examples:

i. The Tea Kettle a. Use a well cleaned 55 gallon drum or a large barrel like a heavy duty trash

barrel. Elevated the drum off the ground and fill about with compost or manure and add water to within 1 foot of the top of the drum. Use a bucket to dip in a remove the brew. Stir occasionally and add more water as the tea is used. When the tea starts to get weak, dump out the remaining sludge and start again. If dumping the barrel is too heavy, place the manure or compost in a burlap bag and tie the end to the top of the barrel. This method makes it easy to change out and add fresh ingredients. Make sure to place a cover on the barrel to prevent mosquitoes from reproducing in the tea.

ii. The three-bin system a. The three-bin system is basically a box with three sections. This system is

great for creating compost fast, but does require some work. The building instructions can be found at the end of this packet. Start off by adding yard waste to one of the end bins, add green materials such as grass clippings or other fresh plant waste and brown materials such as dried leaves, wood chips or shredded branches. Kitchen scraps can also be added as green material. Add in a layer of soil to introduce microorganisms and start the composting process. The temperature of the pile should be monitored and can be measured using a compost thermometer. When the temperature at the center of the pile reaches 140-150F, turn the pile into the center bin. When the temperature of the pile in the center bin has reached around 150F, turn the pile into the last end bin and leave it there until it is ready to be used.

iii. Turning Unit a. This type of system can be purchased or hand made. A barrel, horizontally

mounted with holes drilled in the sides to allow air flow, is turned to accelerate the composting process. A substantial amount of labor is required, but it results in fast composting yard waste.

iv. Holding Unit a. This is one of the easiest forms to create compost. Most holding units can

be purchased and it simply needs to be filled with ready to compost material. If the contents are turned regularly compost can be ready in a few months, other wise patience may be needed in waiting for the compost to be ready.

v. Heaps a. This has to be one of the most primitive forms of composting. Simply

select and area to pile up what is ready to decompose. A heap 5 feet wide and 3 feet tall is perfect for creating the appropriate environment. Table scraps should be avoided from this type of pile because it may attract pests.

Compost Friendly Material Obviously organic material is needed and some soil to add microorganisms to the mix. The materials in the compost bin should be layered. Brown layers consist of hay, straw or old leaves. Green layers consist of grass clippings, manure or table scraps. Dont forget to add some soil. Two days after layering mix the pile together. Make sure to cover the pile to keep out animals and extra moisture. Mix the pile regularly until the compost is ready. Here is a list of what can go into a compost pile:

Hay, straw or pine needles Leaves Kitchen scraps such as egg shells, old bread, vegetable and fruit scraps Animal manure such as cow, horse or rabbit Old vegetables, flowers or trimmings from trees and shrubs Sawdust Wood chips Black and white shredded newspaper

Here is a list of what should stay out of a compost pile: Animal bones, meat, fish or diary products Grease and oils Sewage sludge Chicken, dog, cat, pig or human manure Whole logs or branches (they may take too long to break down) Diseased or insect infested garden plants Left over charcoal briquettes Colored newspaper Weeds or tough-to-stop spreading plants Seeds Herbicide-treated grass clippings or weeds

Availability Compost that is ready resembles black, fluffy soil and has a sweet, earthy smell. Compost should be used within a few months of being ready, the longer it is kept the more nutrients decompose and leach away. Soil texture-improving qualities will diminish the longer it is kept as well. Application Compost is used not as a fertilizer but to enrich the soil. In the Fall, large amounts of compost can be tilled into the ground or simply placed on top. Compost can also be applied just prior to or while planting. Compost can be shoveled into planning holes to help plants thrive. Screened composed can be used to mix into a seed bed, cover fine seeds during planting, or used to top dress lawns in the Spring or Fall. Compost can be added to potting soil at a ratio of 1:2 for a rich potting mix.

Pest Control Some of the greatest methods of natural pest control can be the easiest and accomplished in the beginning stages of planting a garden. To start off with a limited pest population, large displays of one species of plant should be avoided. Instead smaller displays of pest resistant varieties and companion planting methods should be used. Environmental stresses, that can weaken plants defenses, should be limited whenever possible. The use of naturally occurring plant species is best in controlling pest populations and disease. If the naturally occurring plant is not the desired crop, plant according to any package details. For example, sun-loving plants should not be planted in shady areas of the garden. Plants need proper space and this information should be provided on any packaging material. Watering should be done early in the morning, plants should be watered deeply and the top layer of soil must be dry before watering is done again. The introduction of natural predators to a garden can be a cost effective way of controlling garden pests. Lady bugs and parasitic wasps can be amazingly effective in controlling pest species such as aphids and caterpillars. Chemicals, although effective, should be avoided altogether. Broad spectrum spraying of chemicals is environmentally unfriendly, can be extremely toxic to the person spraying and may even kill the pests natural enemies. Integrated Pest Management or IPM is a method of controlling pests in an economically and environmentally sound way. Many IPM programs rely on pesticides as a last resort; in the organic garden this step is never taken and instead relies on natural means of pest control. The four steps of Integrated Pest Management are as follows: Set Action Thresholds Before the garden is even planted an Action Threshold must be set, a point when pest populations and environmental conditions indicate that action must be taken to control pest populations. A single pest does not mean major action must be taken but rather when a population reaches a point in which action must be taken to save the crop. Monitor and Identify Pests

Not all pests or weeds require major control; many are naturally occurring and may even be beneficial. Proper identification is essential so appropriate control can be made in conjunction with action thresholds. This method can eliminate the possibility that pesticides will be used when they are not need or that the wrong pesticide will be used. Prevention This step takes one of the most important roles in any pest control program. Preventing a pest population from exploding can be achieved by rotating between different crops, planning pest and disease resistant varieties, companion planting and planting pest free root stock. These controls are environmentally friendly and at low cost.

Control Once a pest has been properly identified and action thresholds indicate that control is required and preventative methods are not longer effective IPM programs are used to evaluate the proper control method. Effective and less risky methods of pest control are chosen first. Such methods include insect pheromones or hormone analogs to disrupt mating, or mechanical control such as trap cropping, weeding or physically removing the pest by hand. Here are some great examples of environmentally friendly ways of pest control: Trap Cropping This method uses neighboring plants to attract pests away from the main crop. Once the pest has taken up residence in a trap crop, the plant can be removed and should be buried to kill the pest population residing on it. Biochemical Pest Suppression This method relies on the natural chemicals that plants exude to control plant pests. Some plants exude chemicals from roots or aerial parts to suppress or repel pests and protect neighboring plants. An example of this would be the use of African marigold that releases thiopene, which is a nematode repellent. Physical Spatial Interactions This method employs the use of companion planting. Tall growing sun loving plants can be planted with shade tolerate plants to establish a diverse canopy. An example of this would be planting with the Three Sisters Method of corn, beans and squash to create a diverse canopy that disorients the adult Squash Vine-borer. The prickly veins of the squash plant may discourage raccoons from the corn. Floating Row Cover Although it may not be attractive, a row cover sometimes is the only defense available to control pest damage short of chemical spraying. Row covers can be purchased at any garden supply company. Diversity One of the best methods that can be used to distract and limit pests is to diversify the garden. If a disease or pest destroyed one crop there are other plants to make up for the lost crop yield. Beneficial Border This method relies on the planting of desirable environment for beneficial insects and arthropods. A beneficial border consisting of wild flowers and low growing grasses provide the shelter and energy from nectar needed for the beneficial insects to take up residence and feed on garden pests. The end of this packet will contain a chart of great plants for a beneficial border and their benefits.

Some of the biggest insect pests here at Northwest Park are squash bugs and the Mexican bean beetle. Controlling these pests in an organic way can be very simple. First, before the problem even arises, chose a variety of squash or bean that these insects tend to avoid. Squash bugs prefer members of the Cucurbit family which includes cucumbers, yellow summer and winter (Hubbard) squash, and pumpkins. Instead, of these vulnerable species try butternut, royal acorn, zucchini or patty pan squash. The Mexican bean beetle eats the leaves, stems and young pods of bean plants and prefers garden beans, cowpeas and soybeans. Planting early with fast maturing verities and picking pods as soon as they mature may help to reduce crop damage. Bush beans are slightly more resistant than pole beans, snap beans and lima beans, which the insect seems to prefer. If yellow squash or pole beans are an absolute must, and these horrible insects are an established population like at Northwest Park, control methods must be taken into effect before the crop is totally destroyed. Before the major destruction has taken place floating row covers can be placed over the crop. These covers can be purchased at any garden supply company, but they must be removed to allow pollination to occur which in turn may let some of the bugs in. Companion planting methods can also be used to help control an established population. Catnip, tansys, radishes, nasturtiums, marigolds, bee balm and mint help to repel squash bugs when planted as a companion to squash. Dill, parsely, sweet clover, fennel, buckwheat, golden rod, wild carrot and amaranth can act as a trap crop for squash bugs. Once the plant is spent it should be tilled into the ground or completely removed and burned or buried to eliminate over-wintering sites. Other methods of natural control involve the use of natural enemies. Tachinid flies and a parasitic wasp, Pediobius foveolatus, parasitize the Mexican bean beetle and squash bug. They may not help with a current crop but will limit the amount of surviving pests for the next growing season. Unfortunately the wasp, which is not native, cannot survive northern winters and must be re-released each growing season. Another major pest of Northwest Parks garden is deer. Deer are wonderfully elegant and beautiful creatures that can destroy an entire garden over night. The best way to avoid deer damage short of a ten foot tall fence is to plant species that deer avoid. Unfortunately, deer seem to love every plant that people rely on for vegetables and fruit. The next best thing would be to try a deer repellent. Deer-Off is a repellent that can be sprayed onto garden plants to give off an odor that is repulsive to deer but hard for humans to smell. This repellent can be home made. Blend 2-3 eggs with one quart of water, add this mixture to a container and add enough water to make one gallon of spray. Spray on plants and watch the deer turn their heads. The noxious smell of rotting eggs is enough to make the deer look elsewhere but is undetectable to humans.

Companion Planting Companion planting is the practice of planting two or more plant species together to achieve natural methods of pest control and higher yield crops. Companion planting can be established with a number of different methods. In the Demonstration garden the Three Sisters method will be used along with raised beds that also incorporate companion planting methods. The end of this packet will contain a chart of crop plants and their companions. Three Sisters Method The Three Sisters method of companion planting has been used for thousands of years and is based on the Iroquois creation myth. Corn, beans and squash are grown together so that each benefits the other. Corn, the tallest of the three, provides a natural pole for the beans to climb. The beans are a legume plant (like peas and clover) and are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen by the way of Rhizobium bacteria in nodules on the roots. Nitrogen in the soil is essential for healthy plant growth, and the beans provide this nutrient. The squash lies at the base and shades the ground for the other plants. This shading keeps weeds from taking over and prevents the rapid loss of soil moisture. The spiny vines of the squash plants also discourage predators from destroying the corn and beans. To plant a Three Sisters garden mound, start in mid-spring in a sunny area. First weed and remove large stones then form a mound three feet in diameter. Cover the mound with a few inches of compost or well rotted manure and turn in the compost, the mound should then be watered well. The planting starts in late spring. First the top of the mound should be flattened and a small lip can be made in a ring around the fattened area to help with water loss. Plant four corn seeds in a ring pattern in the center of the mound and water well. The seeds should be one inch under and six inches apart. After the corn has grown about ten inches mound up dirt about half way up the stalks, this will make the plant steadier in the wind as it sends down more roots. Plant four pole bean seeds in a ring pattern six inches outside corn stalks one inch under the soil; pat the top and water well. One week after beans sprout plant three to four squash seeds in a ring 12-15 inches outside of the beans one inch under the soil; pat down and water well. The beans will begin to wrap their way around the corn stalk. The beans may need a little help being wrapped around the corn stalk. Squash vines may also need some direction and the vines should be turned in towards the center of the mound.

Natural Water Collection Collecting rain water is an economically friendly way to water plants. Any

rainwater that is collected can be used to water plants but is not appropriate for drinking unless it has been properly filtered. In order to collect rain water a building with gutters is needed. Here at Northwest Park, none of the buildings have gutters and so this technique cannot be demonstrated. A rain barrel can be placed under a gutter downspout to collect water. The water can be collected in more complex systems by connecting all of the barrels and downspouts by the way of PVC pipes and pumping it into a larger collection bin. The barrels must have a cover of some sort to prevent children and small animals from getting inside and to prevent the collection of leaves and other containments. The material in which the roof was made with needs to be known. Some roofs that have been made with old tar and gravel, asbestos shingles, or treated cedar shakes will contaminate collected water and is not safe for harvesting.

After it has been established that the water collected will be safe, it is time to calculate how much water will be collected. The amount depends on the area of the roof that is to be used. For every 1000 square feet of roof, 600 gallons of water can be collected for every inch of rain. The measurement of the roof is the same as the square footage of the building, plus the extension of any eves. Dont expect to get this much water though, most collectors run at an efficiency rate of 70%-90%.

The barrel that is going to be used is very important. The internet address below leads to a website in which rain barrels can be purchased. Most rain barrels can run around $150-$300. A heavy duty barrel can be used, but may not withstand the pressure of large amounts of water. Most trash barrels cannot withstand the pressure and cannot be used. The barrel must be placed on even ground to prevent spills. The barrel should be stored upside down in winter to prevent cracks and to prolong the life of the barrel. Stored water can come with its own problems; one of the worst is biting insect infestation. To prevent mosquitoes and flies from using the water as a breeding ground a rain barrel should be completely covered in between uses. If this is not possible, or an there are already larva present, empty the water every 10 days and allow the barrel to completely air dry before allowing it to refill. Mosquitoes take about 10 days to go from larva to pupa and adult. Emptying will kill any larva present, just make sure the water doesnt pool up anywhere. Also organic larvicides can be used. Mosquito Dunks are tables that can be placed in a water container and contain Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (B.t.i.). B.t.i. is a bacterium that kills Mosquito and black and psychodid fly larvae. These can be purchased on the same website posted below for purchasing rain barrels. Most of these products can also be found at area garden supply stores. Link to purchase rain barrels: http://www.cleanairgardening.com/rainbarrels.html

Raised Bed Construction Plan

The above bed is what is used in the Northwest Park Organic Demonstration Garden. The width of the bed is built at a maximum of four feet to allow for easy access to plants without having to stand in the bed. The height is kept at 12 inches to keep the mound from becoming too heavy and bowing the wood. Only un-treated wood is used for this project due to the concern over chemicals leeching out into the soil. Cedar or another rot-resistant wood can be used but this may become too costly. Regular dimensional wood that is water sealed is the most economical approach if recycled material is not available. Old railroad ties, rocks, or cement blocks may also be used to create a raised bed garden. Materials

4 2x6x10 4 2x6x4 16- 2x6x2 support stakes (shaped to point at end) 8 6 Corner Braces 1lb- 2 10d galvanized nails 2lb 2 galvanized screws Exterior water seal. (suggested: Thompson's 1 Gallon Exterior Water Seal Plus

Clear Wood Protector, Lowes $14.96) Directions

Shape the last six inches of the 16 2x6x2 support stakes into points. Lay two 2x6x10 flat and place them together so that a 2x12x10 board is

formed. Screw in two 2x6x2 support stakes in the center of the 2x12x10 board and screw in one support stake at either end of the board. Repeat this step for the other side and both 2x6x4 sides.

4

10

Bring the four sides to the location where the raised bed is to be placed and mark where each of the pointed stakes are to go into the ground. Dig a hole for each stake rather than forcing the stakes into the ground, and stand the side up right with each of the stakes in its designated hole.

Screw in the 8 corner braces on each corner as shown in the picture above to form a 44x 10 rectangle as shown in the picture above.

Beneficial Border

Plant Benefit Bachelors Button or Cornflower High sugar contents in nectar and highly

attractive to flower flies, ladybugs, lacewings, and beneficial wasps. Usually reseeds itself.

Sweet Alyssum Low growing, annual, weed smothering ground cover. Can interplant with vegetables. Highly attractive to aphid-eating flower flies.

Borage Annual, herb, edible cucumber flavored flowers, over 100 beneficials in one square yard. Attracts green lacewings to lay eggs on.

Cup Plant 6-8 foot perennial. Leaves wrap all the way around stems and forms deep cup that collects dew and rainwater. Beneficials and birds use it as a landing pad and drink from cups. Can be difficult to grow.

Anise Hyssop Perennial. Attractive to butterflies and pest eating beneficials.

Golden Marguerite Perennial. Attractive to ladybugs, lacewings, flower flies, tachinid flies and mini-wasps. Thrives in poor soil. Remove spent flowers to promote re-bloom.

Fennel Highly attractive to nectar feeding beneficial. Host plant for anise swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. Perennial. Seeds and leaves are edible.

Mountain Mints Pussy Willows Produce pollen early when beneficials are first

emerging. Ornamental Grasses Summer shelter and over wintering sites for

ground beetles, and ladybugs. 1,500 predators per square yard.

Corn Corn tassels produce large amounts of pollen. Trees and shrubs Willows produce pollen early and make for

over wintering sites. Forsythia, firethorn bush, potentilla, ceanothus, four-winged sage bush, euonymous, Texas sage.

Cover crops Clovers and soil building crops provide pollen and nectar. Alternate insect pray and shelter. Crimson clover and buckwheat.

Permanent plantings Perennials, trees, shrubs and dense low growing ground covers. Certain perennial flowers with woody stems and/or dense crowns. Yarrows, comfrey, and cone flowers. Highly attractive for hibernation sites for spiders. 240 spiders per square yard.

Companion Plants Plant Companion Incompatible Asparagus Tomato, Parsley, Basil Beans Celery, Cucumbers Onions, Fennel Beets Bush beans, Lettuce,

Onions, Kohlrabi, and Cabbages

Pole beans, Mustard

Cabbage Celery, Dill, Onions and Potatoes

Strawberries, tomatoes, Pole beans

Carrots Leaf lettuce, Radish, Onions, Tomatoes

Dill

Celery Onion, Cabbage, Tomato, Bush beans, Nasturtium

Corn Pumpkins, Peas, Beans, Cucumbers, Potatoes

Tomatoes

Cucumber Corn, Peas, Radishes, Beans, Sunflowers

Aromatic Herbs, Potatoes

Eggplant Beans, Marigold Lettuce Onions, Strawberries,

Carrots, Radishes, Cucumbers

Onion Lettuce, Beets, Strawberries, Tomatoes

Peas, Beans

Parsley Tomato, Asparagus Pea Carrots, Cucumbers, Corn,

Turnips, Radishes, Beans, Potatoes, Aromatic Herbs

Onion, Garlic, Leek, Shallots

Potato Beans, Corn, Cabbage, Marigolds, Horseradish

Pumpkin, Squash, Tomato, Cucumber, Sunflower

Pumpkin Corn, Marigolds Potato Radish Beets, Carrots, Spinach,

Parsnips, Cucumbers, Beans, Leaf lettuce

Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Turnips

Spinach Strawberry, Faba Bean Squash Icicle radish, Cucumbers,

Corn

Tomato Carrots, Onions, Parsley Cabbage, Cauliflower Turnip Pea Potato