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Organic Vegetable Gardening What makes it organic?? Presented by JCC/W Master Gardeners Virginia Cooperative Extension Service
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Organic Vegetable Gardening
What makes it organic??
Presented by JCC/W Master Gardeners
Virginia Cooperative Extension Service
How did plants thrive B.C.—(Before chemicals)?
“Food grown without synthetic fertilizers,
pesticides or hormones”
Natural fertilizers, such as composts and pasteurized manures
Cover crops over the winter to add nitrogen
Soil testing before gardening and every two years following
Treat your worms with loving care!
Start with Healthy Soils!
Must have 6-8 hours of sunlight
Keep garden small-never step on tilled soil
Have watering source nearby
Consider raised beds or “lasagna method” of preparing soil
Gardening Site
Plant what your family will eat Allow breathing space between
plants Plot your garden on graph paper Make use of vertical space-
trellises, stakes, cones
Planning Your Garden
Look for plants with healthy roots and leaves
Plant only certified seed
Buy plants from reputable growers
Plant Selection
Water in the morning Cover your soil with mulch Use organic herbicides to control
weeds Inspect plants for insects Dispose of diseased leaves &
plants
Discourage Insects & Disease
Build a fence to keep the big critters out!
Use row covers when plants are tiny
If necessary, hang strong-smelling soap or shiny objects to deter animals
Keeping Critters Out!
If you can’t say it, don’t spray
it!
BENEFICIALS OF
ORGANIC GARDENIN
G
Beneficial
InsectsBeneficial
Birds
CompanionPlanting
PlantsThat AttractBeneficial
Insects
YOUR GARDENHELPERS!
Everyone recognizes the familiar Ladybug, or ladybird beetle. Many species have an enormous appetite for aphids--one of our most common plant pests. Others prefer scale insects and mites and are very effective in reducing infestations.
Beneficial InsectsLadybug
Beneficial InsectsLadybug Eggs and Larvae
Ladybug Eggs and Larvae are colorful, but their ferocious appearance often causes unknowing gardeners to assume that they must be harmful. Nothing could be further from the truth. The larvae devours aphids and hundreds of other insects.
GarlicChives
Plants That Attract Beneficial InsectsTo Attract Ladybugs, Plant…
Fern-leaf Yarrow Tansy
Prairie Sunflower
Dill
ButterflyWeed
The Praying Mantis is another widely-recognized insect predator. Nymphs and adults alike lie in wait for an unlucky insect which strays too close, then strike out to grab it with their modified front legs.
Beneficial Insects
Praying Mantis
Butterfly Caterpillar
To Attract Preying Mantis…
Plant a flowering shrub nearby
Provide lots of pesky insects and moths
Place water nearby
The Green Lacewing Larvae are miniature monsters when viewed at close range. They are deadly enemies of small caterpillars, aphids, and other soft-bodied insects.
Beneficial InsectsGreen Lacewing Larvae
To Attract Lacewings, Plant---
Fern-leaf Yarrow
Fennel Caraway
Dill
Coriander
Many Small Wasps are important parasites of other insects. Adult parasites are quite small. Most range in size from 2 to 15 mm. Larvae of most parasites develop inside the bodies of their prey, but some feed externally or pupate outside the host's body. These parasites are important in suppressing populations of many insects. The adult small wasp also feeds on many destructive insects as well as providing food for birds.
Beneficial InsectsSmall Parasitic Wasps
Parasitic wasps on a tomato horn worm
To Attract Parasitic Wasps, Plant……
Chervil
Fennel
Cilantro
Mint
Companion PlantingsSome Plants Help Other Plants.
Some Plants Are Mutually Beneficial.
Some herbs and flowers naturally attract pollinating insects.
Some herbs and flowers naturally attract insect predators.
Some herbs and flowers have substances in their roots, flowers or leaves that naturally repel insects.
The asparagus beetle feeds on the asparagus spears, causing browning and scarring.
Insects you do not want in your garden!!
Leaf miners chew up your spinach leaves.
Potato beetles chew up the leaves of both potato & eggplant, weakening the plant until it cannot produce.
SoPlant…
Companion PlantingPlant vegetables together that protect each
other.
Planting radishes among your spinach draws leaf miners away from the spinach. The leaf miners will eat the radish leaves, but not harm the radishes!
Plant beans next to eggplant and the beans will repel Colorado potato beetles which harm eggplant.
Plant parsley or tomatoes next to asparagus as either repels the asparagus beetle.
Cabbage moths may look pretty, but their eggs turn into hungry caterpillars that gobble up cabbage leaves.
More insects you do not want in your garden…
Aphids enjoy eating most vegetable leaves, drawing out their sap and spreading viruses. They are one of the most common garden pests.
Tomato hornworms are voracious, munching entire leaves, small stems, and even parts of immature fruit.
So plant..
Companion PlantingsPlant herbs that protect vegetables near
them .
Plant chives & coriander to keep aphids out of your garden.
Plant pot marigold or opal basil next to tomatoes to keep the tomato hornworm away.
Plant rosemary or sage with cabbage to keep the cabbage moth and caterpillar away.
More insects you don’t want in your garden…
Look for the eggs of the potato beetle and remove them before the beetle hatches!
The squash bug loves to eat up all your squash leaves, weakening the squash plant.
Nematodes can seriously damage most garden plants by puncturing cell walls and sucking out their insides..
So plant..Bean plant leaves are the favorite food of the bean beetle.
Marigolds repel many types of beetles, aphids and nematodes and attracts pollinators as well as enhancing the growth of many vegetables.
Companion PlantingSome flowers do more than look pretty!
Sweet alyssum repels the potato beetle and other damaging insects as well as attracting beneficial insects.
Nasturtium repels squash bugs, attracts beneficial insects and tastes good.
Beneficial Birds
Blue Bird
Wren
CardinalSwallow
To Attract Beneficial Birds, Add…
Birdhouse
Lots of Bugs
Bird Bath
DaisiesSunflowers
Bird Feede
r
Remove rotting leaves immediately
Pick ripe produce every week Cut back overgrown plants Resolve pest & disease problems
as they appear Always pick the most
environmentally-friendly solutions first
Keeping Your Garden Healthy!
Removing Pests OrganicallyThe Least Invasive Methods
For insect eggs and aphids-scrape them off or spray them off into a jar of water.,,or spray with insecticidal soap For tomato
hornworms and slugs-pick them off and dispose of them or stamp on them.
But leave the ladybug eggs and let them hatch!
Insecticidal Soap Spray 2 tbs liquid soap
without additives or perfume
1-3 tbs horticultural or canola oil
quart of water
Removing Pests OrganicallyAnother Less Invasive Method
Fill spray bottle with solution. Spray small invasive insects thoroughly. Let dry and rinse with clear water.
Removing Pests OrganicallyMore Less Invasive Methods
Use floating row covers to protect squash from squash bugs or beans from the Mexican bean beetle.
Use sticky traps for any insects that are attracted to color such as aphids. They are also useful in protecting cucumber from the cucumber beetle.
Blossom End Rot
Tomato Blossom End RotTry to prevent it organically.
try to prevent it!
Plant in warm soil & water often.
Work in plenty of rich compost & mulch well. Add crushed egg shells
and/or clam & oyster shells for calcium.
Squash Vine BorersAn Effective Organic Method of Control
There are three stages of the squash vine borer. The first are minuscule eggs, then a red-bellied adult and finally a hungry caterpillar that devours the stem.
A floating row cover early, then a commercial organic insecticidal soap, and finally, if the caterpillar still appears-an organic BTK such as Thuricide are efficient organic controls.
Recommended Organic Pesticides
Product1 Insects Controlled RemarksBacillus thuringiensis Most caterpillars, loopers, This product, also known as Bt.,
hornworms, bagworms is sold under many trade names
M-One, M-Track, Colorado potato beetle Two strains of Bt will control potato Foil, Novodor beetles: Bacillus thuringiensis ssp.
san diego & ssp.tenebrionis.
Insecticidal soap Works well on soft bodied insects, in This product is sold under many particular aphids, mites, mealy bugs trade names & is a fatty acid
soap.
Rotenone Colorado potato beetle, aphids, Usually sold as a dust, but some
weevils, Mexican bean beetles can be mixed with water, Pyrethrum/Diato- Whiteflies, fire ants See label for precautionsMaceous Earth
Neem Broad spectrum See label for precautions.
Hot Pepper Wax Aphids, mites, thripes See label for precautions
Ode for
Organic Vegetable Gardeners
..as we are respecting
all life on our planet.
Our gardens
don’t always
look perfect…
When we try to
control nature,
we’re on the losing
side.
Thank YouAny Questions??
…but our harvest
is beautiful
and delicious
!!
www.jccwmg.orgor
757-564-2175
Our task must be to free ourselvesBy widening our circle of compassionTo embrace all living creaturesAnd the whole of nature in its beauty
..Albert Einstein
