# Organic Gardening - Why we all should be doing it



## Muddskipper

So I went to the class, where the owner of Micro-Life (Steve) was speaking and it was very informative.

It was a good over view and common since approach to what supplements we are putting in our yards and gardens and how a number of the common problems are caused by what we are doing.
&
How come plants do so well out in the wild without any aid?

In nature there are natural things that take place, and help the aid of that plant, sod, or tree.

Currently there is a big movement to go organic in the commercial landscaping world.

College campuses, hospitals, and big companies that want to send the message that they care about the environment.

*2 BIG THINGS WITH ORGANIC*

- Nutrition
- Reduce Cultural Stress

*4 KEYS*

- Being committed
- Great Cultural Practices
- Efficient Irrigation
- Quality Granular Input - Fertilizer

What is in the fertilizer that we use in everyday applications?

- Well the biggest thing that is causing issues is *salt. *The make-up of synthetic fertilizer is the majority of salt. The Salt has some benefits, but the amount is causing more issues, and causing us to treat additional things with the problems it is causing.

The number one thing it's causing is, it dries up the soil, and hurts the soil by not allowing the roots expand. This causes us to water more, and the "efficient irrigation" piece just went out the door.

It's also stressing the plant, tree or grass, therefor making it weak, and allowing pest and bad organisms attack the plant.

Did you know you can use the majority of fertilizers found in big box stores as a *de-icer*, because of the high salt content? It


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## Muddskipper

I hate when things get cut off ...


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## Muddskipper

*Building Healthy Soils*

*Building Healthy Soils*

Healthy soils are a complex ever changing biological continuum. Healthy soils contain an abundance of life. The total amount of living organisms in the soil is unbelievably large. In a single gram of healthy soil there are as many as 500 million microorganisms consisting of algae, fungi, bacteria, protozoan's, nematodes, etc. That translates to 10,000 lb. to 50,000 lb. total weight of positive soil microorganisms in an acre plow slice of soil.

As these microorganisms live and die throughout the year, they act as a hidden workforce on our behalf by adding organic matter to the soil through their decomposition, chelating soil minerals for plant use, fighting plant disease and pest insects, increasing soil fertility by increasing the base exchange capacity, improving soil structure by releasing polysaccharides and creating humic acid through the breakdown of organic matter. As soil structure improves, this allows for greater fertility, root growth, water conservation and oxygen exchange.

*Healthy soils equal healthy plants and healthy plants are productive without the cost of pesticides. *
_*Unless the soil is alive, truly alive, artificial stimulators like chemical fertilizers only sustain plant growth which by passes the natural process.*_ Chemical fertilizers are derivatives of mineral salts in a concentrated form. The high salts in chemical fertilizers destroy soil life. Plants existing on only chemical fertilizers require increased amounts of pesticides because the plants cannot build natural immunities. If chemical fertilizers are used, insist on good quality, avoiding all fertilizers with Ammonia Nitrate and Potassium Chloride. (Muriate of Potash)
In addition, a healthy soil microorganism population can contribute up to 300 lb. of nitrogen per year per acre to the plants! To maintain healthy soils in landscape, agriculture and nursery operations requires a continuous management program and the results are well worth the effort.


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## Muddskipper

For a well managed soil system and therefore productive plants, _constantly add organic matter as a food source for microorganisms and to improve soil health and structure_. Return crop residues, lawn clippings and add mulch/compost to crops whenever possible. *Avoid the use of soil applied insecticides, herbicides and fungicides whenever possible as these agents are poisons often with long residuals that destroy soil life and weaken the entire system.*
For example, between 1950 and 1980 American farmers applied 12 x as much pesticides (50 million lbs.-600 million lbs.) and still suffered twice the crop loss due to insects.

Encourage the use of organic fertilizers like MicroLife as they not only feed the plant, they provide a food source for soil microorganisms. Adjust the pH in the soil, provide proper drainage, and reduce soil compaction. _Poor health in soils is breeding grounds for weeds and diseases._ Check into the use of bio-inoculant's like MicroGro, for they will build populations of positive soil microorganisms, remove toxins, remove salts and herbicide residuals while improving soil tilth. Bio-inoculant's will also reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides. As the soils become healthier, the plants become stronger and that is a profitable situation for us all


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## Muddskipper

*Checklist for Healthy Soils*

*Checklist for Healthy Soils*
There are indicators that will tell us the health of the soil. The key to healthy and productive plants is the soil. Here are some indicators that you can use.

*#1 The Look, Feel and Smell of the Soil*
Healthy soil will look rich & healthy. Dark with Organic matter & Humus. Healthy soil will feel good in your hand, crumbly & friable. Not too loose or too tight. Healthy soil will smell sweet, kind of like chocolate because of microorganism activity.

*#2 Earthworms*
Healthy soil will have 10 Earthworms or more per square foot. Without Earthworms you do not have healthy soil, at the most you will have is an artificial growing medium in which the plants can only live through constant chemical inputs. A Paradox, consistent use of chemicals kills Earthworms.

*#3 Microbial Count*
Healthy soils will have a Microbe count of 500-800 million per gram of soil. Soils that are near sterile conditions will have a count of 4 million microbes per gram. When you have healthy Microbe counts you have more productive plants with less cost. Organics give you that healthy soil.


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## Muddskipper

*How to Go Organic in 10 Steps*

*How to Go Organic in 10 Steps*

*#1 Plant the right plant for the site*
Don't ask a plant to do something it's genetically not designed to do. Instead, use natives or adapted varieties. Use plants that like the area you are planting.
*#2 Stop using bad fertilizers and chemical pesticides*
These items weaken the soil, the plants and kill your allies like Earthworms, good insects, and good microorganisms. Without your allies, problems are compounded.
*#3 Add organic matter whenever possible*
Mulch/Compost all bare areas. Leave grass clippings on Turf. Add compost and/or Humates regularly to all beds and turf areas. 
*#4 Use organic fertilizers and add quality organic amendments regularly*
The use of these products, like the MicroLife Fertilizers and Humates, will provide the best nutrition for soil and plant life possible. You'll get incredible, healthy, natural production, conservation of resources and strong, positive energy for the bio system. 
*#5 Increase oxygen in your soils*
Plants need Oxygen more than they need any other nutrient. By adding compost, Humates and MicroLife Organic fertilizers you are increasing the Oxygen flow to your plants.
*#6 Balance the pH and adjust the minerals in your soils to proper levels*
For plants to work at the optimum, they need a balanced pH and minerals at the right levels. For example, we generally want a 5 to 1 Calcium to Magnesium ratio. Make use of soil tests and adjust accordingly.
*#7 Biodiversity*
Avoid Monoculture of crops and plantings. Encourage a rich diversity of animal life like beneficial insects.
*#8 View pest insects and diseases as indicators*
Pest insects and diseases are the symptoms of a deeper problem. It's not natural for a healthy plant to have problems. Find out what's really wrong and why the plant is under stress.
*#9 Spray Fish / Seaweed / Molasses / Humic Acid Concentrates everywhere*
Nothing beats this combination for plant nutrition, plant stimulation, and disease and pest insect resistance.
*#10 Manage Irrigation properly*


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## Muddskipper

*Pest Insect Control*


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## Muddskipper

*Pest Insect Control*

You will have fewer problems by going Organic

Soft Bodied Insects - Neem Oil, Orange Oil, BT, Soybean Oil, Rotenone/Pyrethrin
Fire Ants - Baits and Orange Oil drenches
Scale - combine Orange Oil + Rotenone/Pyrethrin
*Disease Control* -

You will have fewer problems by going Organic

Leaf Spot, Blight, etc - Neem Oil
Soil Diseases - MicroGro, PGA, Neem Oil
*Weed Control*

You will have fewer problems by going Organic

AgraLawn - Spot Treat
BlackJack 21 - Spot Treat
Corn Gluten Pre-Emergent


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## castaway300

do you work for Mike Serant ?


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## Muddskipper

nope .... and only meet him for the 1st time recently

Just trying to pass on the good word


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## fangard

I went organic when my son(19months) was diagnosed with cancer. Not because I thought the chems caused it, but because I wanted to take as many things I could control out of the equation for the future.

Have been organic for 6 years. Over time, it is actually less work. I look back and think of how many times we have rolled around in the grass, used grass as whistles(remember that) and seen my pets run around. I just feel better about being out there.

Sorry for the tangent.

Take care,

fangard


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## Muddskipper

Pets and my kids are the biggest reason I went Organic .... I was told that 60,000 pets in thr USA die from the things we put in our yard .... Just like you we have played in our yards and I want the best things for them....

For a fishing forum, we all want the best for the enviorment, and run off is another reason I wanted to pass along the organic message. It makes sence for us fisherman to do the right thing for the enviroment ... we could up eating the things the fish eat!


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## Tate

I second that. 

I practice organic gardening techniques with great success in my suburban backyard garden. People come over and are amazed at the size of my plants and vegetables etc. They are especially shocked when I tell them I only use Microlife and organic compost (usually leaf mold compost) as fertilize with only minimal organic pesticides and that is usually for fire ant control. 


Tate


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## Muddskipper

WIth all this heat, there has been alot of stress on our lawns and plants ....

Great reason to consider moving to the Organic side of things.

Take a read again through the 1st post on this thread


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## swifty

Mudskipper, fangard and Tate...wish more of us thought this way. Up here in the hill country we have a weekly radio show on KLBJ AM devoted to Organic gardening - John Dromgoole sponsers the show. All he speaks about are the benefits of the natural way...AKA Natures Way as Mudskipper pointed out.

Nice to be able to walk out with the kiddos and pick a fresh cherry mater and plop it in the mouth with worrying about chemical side effects.

Kudos to y'all.


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## Muddskipper

Bringing this back to the top ...

Lots of you have thought about making the jump .... here is a post I did a while back!!!


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## Muddskipper

Another organic write up I wanted to bring to the top


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## w_r_ranch

Muddskipper said:


> Bringing this back to the top ...





Muddskipper said:


> Another organic write up I wanted to bring to the top


You may want to be careful with this skipper, you know how the rules are enforced here (random as that may be... I know this fact firsthand).



> The following subjects are NOT allowed here:
> 
> 5. ttt, or bumped threads (to the top)


You probably should actually post new articles to accomplish your stated goal...


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## Longshot270

My hydroponic gardens always did better than my neighbor's gardens that used bagged soil and fertilizer. There is a lot of truth behind the hands-off organic gardening methods.

But like Ranch said, don't bump. I click on these thinking there is something new and it gets irritating to keep seeing "bump".


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## Meadowlark

X2...bumps are irritating in the garden section.


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## Muddskipper

Guys I truly apologize 

I figured I was helping ..... But it won't happen again


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## Longshot270

Just bring something new to the table every time you want the thread brought to the top.


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## Muddskipper

Your full of great advice

Besides jr game wardens I guess your up for jr moderator


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## Longshot270

Muddskipper said:


> Your full of great advice
> 
> Besides jr game wardens I guess your up for jr moderator


No, some are just less tolerant of weeds that keep popping up. Still nothing new in the world of organic gardening?


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## Dick Hanks

I try to go as organic as I can. Particularly with vegies, but not as much with fruit trees and bushes. I do a lot of mulching with ground up dry leaves, pine needles etc. I try to match the pH of the mulch to the plants needs that is growing there. The mulch cuts down the need for watering so much and at the end of the season the mulch is turned under the soil. This improves the quality of the soil, ups the # of worms in the soil , and cuts back the need for fertilizer. I can get by with very little packaged fertilizers. Insects, however, need to be dealt quickly at times. Other times, you can let nature run it's coarse. The more aware you are of your options, the easier it is to stay more organic.


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## Muddskipper

DH

I have been reading more and more, where if you up the organic material you take stress off the plant needing the PH to be low (high in acid)

The plant still needs trace minerals, which can be found in green sand, lava sand and shale

So even though you have the best homade compost, there are some minor things that can help bring balance to soils needing that little extra...

It's the reason I brought back up one article and answers the other

Check out Howard Garret's radio podcast if you ever get the chance.... He's out of Dallas but listened to all over the USA


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## chuck leaman

My organic bug control should hopefully be here Thursday afternoon in the form of 3 little Indian Runner Ducks. Im gonna fence it off in mid -late May when the stink bugs and stuff start getting bad and put the ducks in there daily. Organic is the way to go. I've gotten much better production since I've switched over.


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## Dick Hanks

chuck leaman said:


> My organic bug control should hopefully be here Thursday afternoon in the form of 3 little Indian Runner Ducks. Im gonna fence it off in mid -late May when the stink bugs and stuff start getting bad and put the ducks in there daily. Organic is the way to go. I've gotten much better production since I've switched over.


Ducks for bug control. I like it. Entertainment and bug elimination at the same time. The good news is the ducks won't be so hard on the garden like chicken would be.


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## w_r_ranch

And they poop too... that's as organic as it gets.


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## chuck leaman

Our chickens were hell on my butternut squash at the old house so they got fenced out of the garden. For the new place Im gonna make a pen out of pvc and poultry netting that I can put around different sections of the garden and let the ducks go to work. My garden at the new house is a lot smaller so this will work pretty good.


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## Muddskipper

Chuck

The duck idea is way cool

Very few people don't realize how efferent those ducks are.....

Great job on the ducks

I guess it comes down to ideas that need to be shared

They also take out certain weeds

Since going truly organic I have few and fewer weeds but it takes time.... Weeds seek out places where nothing else can grow or bad soil (mostly from a poor synthetic program)



Longshot270 said:


> No, some are just less tolerant of weeds that keep popping up. Still nothing new in the world of organic gardening?


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## monkeyman1

having gotten out of gardening for years, the wife and i started again full-swing this spring and have been organic all the way. we've been composting anything we can get our hands on - horse manure, chicken manure, rabbit manure, leaves, grass, plant and vegetable waste, coffee grounds, etc., and all at no charge. the toughest thing to control has been the orange/black stink bug looking critters. but, i didn't apply DE and orange oil as religiously as i should have done.

i know the key to a good garden is the soil, and we'll get there!

good info - thanks for sharing (and bumping).


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## chuck leaman

Folks in Southeast Asia have been using the runner ducks in that way for years. I figured it would work here for me. We bought 2 gosling's a few weeks ago and they love go through the garden and weed with me.


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## samredarmy

Superb logic. No words after that.


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## chuck leaman

Muddskipper, where are you getting your dried molasses? Ive checked just about every feed store between Stafford and El Campo and no one has it.


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## mas360

I saw on Youtube gardeners are using human urine for fertilizer. That's about as organic as one can get.


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## chuck leaman

mas360 said:


> I saw on Youtube gardeners are using human urine for fertilizer. That's about as organic as one can get.


No thanks.


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## Meadowlark

mas360 said:


> I saw on Youtube gardeners are using human urine for fertilizer. That's about as organic as one can get.


Well, the nice thing about living out in the country is freedom of release...and I practice that but draw the line at the vegetable garden.


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## Muddskipper

chuck leaman said:


> Muddskipper, where are you getting your dried molasses? Ive checked just about every feed store between Stafford and El Campo and no one has it.


Plants for all season
&
Wabash

both keep it in stock

But it's a feed supplement for livestock and any good feed store in the country can get you a big bag on an order


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## rapnrod

chuck leaman said:


> Muddskipper, where are you getting your dried molasses? Ive checked just about every feed store between Stafford and El Campo and no one has it.


 I got mine at Maas Nursery on Toddville Rd.


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