Organic farming at the dacha. Transition to organic farming in the garden. The role of mulch and mulching in natural farming

Currently, the popularity of growing vegetable crops at home is growing rapidly. Many residents of large cities and metropolitan areas are beginning to buy suburban areas in order to provide themselves with healthy food with a minimum content of pesticides. Such an occupation does not require large investments and is within the power of every average person. Therefore, every year the number of gardeners and gardeners is steadily growing.

About the methodology

In order for the future lesson to bring good results, it is necessary to take care of the proper preparation of the soil composition in advance. Important, so that the soil in the selected area was breathable and loose with a high nutrient content. In this case, you will be able to grow strong and prolific crops.

If you intend to treat the soil composition with chemicals, then such an action will not only impregnate all food products with unsafe toxins, but will also begin to kill valuable microorganisms in the substrate, due to which the development of plants will not be complete.

An important condition for proper organic cultivation is comfortable lighting. For this reason, when choosing a suitable place for planting vegetables or fruits, give preference to open areas where daylight hours last at least six hours.

When preparing the garden for the upcoming lesson, it is not necessary to dig the earth. Instead, the soil must be carefully loosened using a fork. For cleaning row spacing from weeds and other unwanted plants, you can use a flat cutter.

All preparatory work includes leveling the beds and the spaces between them in the ratio 1:2:

• the optimal width of the beds is 40 centimeters;
• row spacing is 80 centimeters;

If you use the same bed, digging the soil is not necessary, because. as crops grow and develop, humus will begin to accumulate in the soil, which will give it friability and moisture.

An important feature of the processing is the mulching of row spacing. In this case, you will have to use:

• sawdust;
• humus;
• weed grass;
• peat;

Organic farming in the country should be started from a small garden bed, the size of which is constantly increasing.

Where to begin

Starting to engage in organic cultivation of vegetable and fruit crops is necessary with the choice of suitable planting material. Taking any seeds that caught your eye is highly discouraged, because you will not have any guarantees in their quality. The choice of suitable specimens should be taken with special responsibility.

Do not forget, that certain types of plants need complex care and enhanced care. In addition, they are highly exposed to all kinds of diseases and pests, which are quite difficult to get rid of. Among these plants are tomatoes.

To reduce the hassle when growing plants organically, it is necessary to give preference to those varieties of vegetable crops that can boast of strong immunity and endurance to pathogens of infections and other diseases.

You can study the morphological features of specific plants using training videos or instructions that come with a pack of seeds. In order for agriculture to be as successful as possible, it is necessary to provide the planted green spaces with a number of mandatory top dressings:

When preparing a good substrate for farming in the country, it is not necessary to use top dressing. When applying a large amount of fertilizer, there is a risk of developing many pests, which is associated with an increase in the growth rate of the crop. Slow-growing individuals independently develop strong immunity and are able to withstand many dangers without additional intervention from the summer resident.

Yields are known to decrease when a crop is grown in the same location for several years. This is not strange, because characteristic harmful microorganisms accumulate in the place of constant planting, which not only impair fruiting, but also pose a great danger to the plants themselves. To prevent such, it is enough to change the landing site on a specific bed every year.

For such purposes, you can apply a special scheme and a table that mentions the sequence of planting plants in the beds. It is known that some green spaces are subject to the same diseases, so it is impossible to plant them in one place. For understanding, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes and peppers are vulnerable to the same problems. The same goes for watermelon, squash, cucumbers and pumpkins.

Plant care in organic farming in the country

If you intend to see the result of your work in the near future, garden crops need to be provided with quality care. Mulch is used as a good protection. In addition, this procedure effectively fights weeds and pests. It is important that the mulch layer is between 2.5-5 centimeters.

Mulch based on organic materials is especially effective, because she is degradable. It is known that weeds attract all sorts of pests which, in turn, carry various diseases and infections. Also, weed plantations reduce the content of nutrients and minerals in the soil, which negatively affects the growth and development of crops. For this reason, every gardener should know how to effectively control weeds.

An important condition for successful organic farming– balanced watering. It must be carried out taking into account some subtleties:

• watering must be regular, otherwise the plant will not be able to develop well enough;
• watering is carried out directly under the trunk of plants, because. wet leaves and other green parts strongly attract pests;
• it is impossible to carry out spraying and watering by the method of sprinkling. It is better to supply water with a hose, which is placed directly at the trunk;

In order for the flowering of the crop to be full, and the harvest to be maximum, it is necessary to provide the plants with free access to a source of oxygen. This is also done using root top dressing. For the procedure to be as successful as possible, it is better to plant plants at large distances from each other. It is not difficult to prevent the development of all kinds of fungal formations. It is enough to observe a good flow of air and regularly weed the bed.

If you plant flowering plants along the edges of the beds, they will begin to attract useful "guests" who will not only protect the crop from pests, but also become good pollinators.

Organic cultivation of vegetables and fruits will be successful when combined with the planting of marigolds, zinnias, nasturtiums, purple echinacea and other flowers. Despite a number of difficulties that may arise, you must understand that the end result justifies all the efforts spent.

Soil mulching

It is not difficult to start growing plants in the country. The main thing is to correctly follow the basic recommendations and avoid irreparable mistakes. An important principle for the successful development of planted crops is the mulching of the soil. Such an action implies the provision of reliable protection with the help of covering materials. Mulching is not allowed strong hypothermia of the soil and does not allow it to overheat under the influence of direct sunlight. In addition, it protects the soil from evaporation of moisture and the rapid growth of weeds.

Under natural conditions, the earth is always covered by growing or dried grass, leaves and other organic deposits, so it practically does not dry out in the summer, and does not succumb to intense frosts in winter. When using mulch, it is possible to provide favorable conditions similar to natural ones. In the future, the used layer rots and turns into humus, which increases soil fertility. The choice of good materials must be responsible. It is better to give preference to various natural raw materials, including fallen leaves, mowed straw, sawdust, needles, peat, sand and other devices. Only organic mulch can become humus, and the use of a small layer of sand improves soil fertility.

Do not refuse the use of green manure - special plants that positively affect the soil composition and can be a good alternative to organic and mineral dressings. They are characterized by high speed growth and the ability to provide the soil with reliable protection from the harmful effects of direct sunlight and wind. In addition, such plants, as they grow, become food for beneficial living microorganisms, accumulating a number of certain substances. They also form tubules in the soil through which moisture and air enter. It is better to plant green manure in temporarily empty areas, before and after planting the main garden crops.

Being engaged in organic farming in the country from scratch, be sure to enrich the soil with microorganisms. In our latitudes, cold climatic conditions reduce the number of such inhabitants, so it is restored only in the middle of summer. With a lack of such substances in the soil, the growth of cultivated plants and yields are rapidly deteriorating. To reliably enrich the soil, it is enough to use special tools based on living microorganisms. Among them, tested by years and experience many gardeners use compost, which helps to quickly saturate the substrate with useful elements. In addition, the active substances from the composition of the compost allow plants to absorb mineral supplements more productively.

Many summer residents and gardeners are accustomed to fertilizing the land with organic top dressing. For this reason, they often use organic mulch and water plants with herbal infusions. In the process, you can leave potato tops on the beds and prepare compost from all plant waste.

If you want to do organic farming, you need to take into account such a feature as the influence of green spaces growing nearby. It is known that some types of plants coexist freely with each other, while others do not tolerate such a "neighborhood" and negatively affect the soil and their neighbors.

For successful crop management rotation must be observed. It is known that not all plants are able to bear fruit annually in the same place without a transplant.

Summing up

Everyone can grow healthy vegetable and fruit crops in their country house. To do this, you need to “roll up your sleeves” and start acting, despite any difficulties that may arise in the process.

Learn the topic in as much detail as possible, watch training videos and use the advice of professionals. This will definitely bear fruit.

Organic garden farming should be considered as an alternative to intensive gardening, which often uses unnecessarily large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides. Of course, the yield of an intensive type garden will be higher, but what is the price? After all, it is no secret that in order to get a decent harvest, it is necessary to carry out chemical protection measures several times during the season. And this means that plants are doomed to accumulate compounds toxic to humans, and, in addition, irreparable harm is caused to the environment, bees and bumblebees die, soil microorganisms and birds suffer.

The practice of organic farming means that only natural fertilizers are used in the garden - manure, compost, leaf humus and other organic matter, as well as wood ash.

In the fight against diseases, the application of the most important principle of crop rotation gives a good effect. Attracting birds and beneficial insects that feed on these pests to the garden helps to fight them.

The destruction of weeds is not carried out with the help of herbicides, but through competent agrotechnical measures, mulching and proper crop rotation.

Taking on the creation and arrangement of the garden, we must remember that the key to success is a respectful attitude towards the earth. It should be noted that this is by no means "dirt" in which hands and clothes get dirty, as some people think. The soil is a living organism, the abode of microorganisms, protozoa, fungi and soil fauna. This is a complex biological system, a pantry of mineral and organic elements, from where plants draw strength to give a harvest. With proper handling, the soil is able to maintain fertility on its own.

Causes of pollution and depletion of the fertile soil layer

The depletion of the fertile soil layer leads to chronic crop failures, problems with pests and plant diseases. Soil fertility directly depends on the presence of humus in it, the main soil component, its organic part, which is formed as a result of biochemical transformations of animal and plant residues. It is in the humus, which combines with soil minerals, that all the necessary nutrients of the plant world are found. With the help of saprophyte microorganisms, symbiont fungi and soil fauna, the process of soil formation takes place.

The reasons for the depletion of the soil lie in the fact that, unfortunately, a person rather unceremoniously interferes with the complex processes that take place in the upper soil horizons. Constant digging violates the microbiological balance of soils. The unreasonable use of pesticides kills all life, including beneficial soil flora and fauna. The constant use of mineral fertilizers leads to salinization of the soil, because of this, the plants, in the end, are not able to receive nutrients. Pollution and depletion of the soil leads to the fact that almost nothing grows on the site, except for weeds.

It is well known that it is organic fertilizers that are better integrated into the food chains of microorganisms living in the soil, while supplying plants with all the nutrients. It takes a lot of effort to hurt. There is practically no overdose, the excess is weathered and washed out by precipitation. Therefore, the use of organic matter at all stages of crop cultivation is becoming more and more preferable.

The basic techniques of organic farming, that is, literally making the earth, come down to three main techniques: composting, using green manure plants and mulching.

Types of organic fertilizers in natural agriculture: they are ...

Is it possible to do without mineral fertilizers? To abandon mineral fertilizers or reduce their use to a minimum, it is necessary to use organic matter. All the main elements necessary for the normal development of plants - nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium - are contained in manure and compost. Bird droppings, peat, bone meal can also be successfully used as an organic fertilizer in natural agriculture. Wood ash has always been an excellent source of trace elements. All types of organic fertilizers are safe for both humans and soil microorganisms.

Organic fertilizers are manure, compost, humus, bird droppings and much more. Our ancestors did not have any fertilizer at their disposal, except for furnace ash and manure. This universal fertilizer, which contributes not only to the growth of yields, but also improves the structure and fertility of the soil, has been used in agriculture since ancient times. He was still on the snow, on a sleigh, taken out (the word manure itself comes from this) to the fields. But even now the use of manure has not been canceled. You yourself know what a tasty and large potato grows "on manure"!

What kind of manure and litter is the best for the garden as an organic fertilizer

What is the best manure for a vegetable garden and how to use this source of micronutrients?

For a garden plot, any manure is suitable, with the exception of pork.

The trouble is that the almost complete disappearance of cattle from private farms in rural areas, the reduction in the number of horses has led to the fact that now organic manure, especially horse manure, has become an almost inaccessible luxury. Where there are many gardening associations, and there are only one or two farms in the district, getting a manure truck is a great success. In recent years, private stables have begun to appear in our country, which inspires a timid hope that horse manure will finally become more accessible to the gardener.

Bird droppings and its use. This is a very concentrated organic manure fertilizer, so it must be applied with care. From pure dried bird droppings, which is commercially available, liquid top dressing is made. To do this, pour 500 g of dry litter in a ten-liter bucket with water. When the contents of the bucket turn into a homogeneous substance, this concentrate must be diluted with water at the rate of 1:20 (for example, dilute 0.5 l in 10 l) and water the plants under the root with this working solution (but do not spray!).

Is it true that you can bring a bear with cow dung? Yes, such a threat exists. Cow dung has its own problems. Only rotted manure can be used. If you bought fresh manure, leave it to "ripen" in some secluded corner of the garden, but be careful - bears love to make nests there, successfully winter in a warm environment and breed in large numbers. Therefore, by the time the manure is ready, there is a danger of the bear spreading throughout the garden. To avoid this threat, it is better to purchase and store manure in plastic bags, where it will also ripen perfectly, but is not available to the bear.

Which manure is better to use as fertilizer: fresh or rotted?

How to properly use manure. Manure has three degrees of maturity. It is good to add fresh manure to the beds during the autumn digging of the soil. There, until spring, he will reach the desired condition. Otherwise, you can burn the roots of plants. In spring, it can be used to create warm beds, walled up to a depth of half a meter, thrown with branches, large plant debris, etc. Slowly decomposing, it will release additional heat, which allows you to grow cucumbers directly in open ground. Manure that has been lying down for a year (it doesn’t matter if it’s in your garden or somewhere else) can already be used in greenhouses, when planting beds in the spring, when planting potatoes and tomatoes. Therefore, the answer to the question of which manure is better: fresh or rotted, will depend on the goals pursued by the gardener.

Two-year-old manure, in fact, already completely rots and turns into humus. To keep it in working condition, it’s good to shovel a bunch, try not to overdry it, water it if necessary and be sure to cover it with a film. This is done to protect against weeds and maintain a certain humidity. Dry manure loses more than half of its useful properties.

Another way to use manure as fertilizer: put a barrel in the greenhouse, fill it halfway with manure and fill it with water to the top. The gas that will be released during fermentation will accelerate the growth of plants in the greenhouse. But, keep in mind - the aroma in the greenhouse will be specific!

From a concentrated infusion taken from the same barrel, you can prepare a solution for liquid top dressing during the first half of summer. To do this, it must be diluted 10 times (1 liter per ten-liter bucket). Water under the root, trying not to get on the leaves. In smaller concentrations (1 glass per bucket), manure infusion is successfully used to combat powdery mildew.

In addition, it is very useful to use manure in the preparation of compost, sandwiching plant residues and kitchen waste stacked for composting with it.

Growing on your personal plot, first of all, environmentally friendly products is the dream and goal of many gardeners. And one of the ways to achieve it was organic farming in the country, practice has proven its effectiveness and increased the ranks of adherents and advocates of this method of organizing gardening and gardening.

What it is

The ideas of organic farming are not an innovation that appeared at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries. Few people know that the foundations of this method of working with the land were developed at the end of the 19th century by the agronomist and breeder I. E. Osinsky. But then the turbulent 20th century, with a bias towards intensive agriculture, made his ideas irrelevant. And yet, the method proposed by the scientist was not forgotten, and now, out of a fashionable hobby for a non-standard approach to growing different crops, organic farming in the country is a practice that has become familiar to many gardeners.

The terms organic and natural farming are often used interchangeably. The difference between the natural and organic methods of cultivation is determined if we are talking about the result of the farmer's activity - obtaining environmentally friendly products and selling them.

In order to position products as organic, it is necessary to obtain a certificate for compliance with the relevant standards, and not only for the vegetables or fruits themselves. The entire farm and the cultivation technologies used by it, as well as the packaging in which the products are packaged, and even the type of delivery to the consumer, must be fully certified.

Fundamentals of organic farming

The organic farming system is based on a fundamental thesis that defines the earth as a living system, an organism, by acting on which a person can completely destroy the soil ecosystem formed over the centuries. As a result, the earth will cease to bear fruit in the way it is able to do it, if not for human activity. What do we do as soon as we start working with the land?

Of course, we pick up a shovel and set off to dig, destroy weeds, and even try to dig deeper so that not a single root of harmful plants remains in the garden. Why are we doing this? And because everyone does it, they did it before us and will do it after us! And if we knew more facts about how the soil works, how would our behavior change?

Let's give some examples. Example. “500 kg of biohumus per year or a couple of “KAMAZ trucks” of imported manure” Scientists in the course of research found that in the soil of only one hundred square meters, untreated with chemicals, there are about 200 kg of bacteria and microorganisms, about the same number of worms. And all these workers produce 500 kg of biohumus in 1 year. We appear, obsessed with the idea of ​​​​cleaning the garden, digging it under two bayonets of a shovel, with a tank for treating plants from pests at the ready.

In general, the result is clear: with this approach, we will not get even 50 kg. biohumus per year, because there will be no one to produce it. Nothing! We will bring new land, saturate it with manure and ... dig again. Example. "Upside down" All microorganisms and bacteria are distributed in the earth in separate layers. In the upper layer at a depth of no more than 10 cm, aerobic microorganisms live. They require a constant supply of oxygen to survive. Thanks to the work of these bacteria, all organic substances are converted into minerals, thanks to which the nutrition of plants is ensured.

In the lower layer with a depth of 10 to 20 cm there are anaerobic bacteria, for which oxygen and high temperature are destructive. Their task is to create humus, which is the basis of soil nutrition. And here again we appear at the dacha with a shovel. By digging and turning the earth, with pleasure cutting an inverted clod, slapping it a couple of times with this wonderful tool, wiping sweat from our foreheads, we mix the layers, and anaerobic bacteria, having got to the top, die from excess oxygen and high temperature, while aerobic bacteria suffocate in the lower layer and do not withstand the new temperature conditions for them.

For those who love sports and extreme sports, we can offer to start walking on our hands to feel the difference in sensations after changing the position of the body and get closer to understanding what happens to the earth after our impact on it.

We dug up the ground and are surprised that the weeds have not disappeared anywhere. Why? When digging, fresh weed seeds moved into the lower layers of the soil. They will be there until the next digging, and some of them will perfectly tolerate such “storage” in the cool lower soil layers. And up we raised the seeds of weeds from the lower layer, which, having gained access to light, begin to actively develop and grow. But we did a good job and were very tired!

Example. “Not a speck, not a blade of grass” Let's imagine the following picture: an ideal garden, flat beds “under the string”, no weeds, rows of well-groomed cultivated plants. Well, if this is the result of manual labor and patience, and not a generous treatment with chemicals that kill any weed. And here it is - the long-awaited warmth that everyone has been waiting for. With the onset of really hot days, our plants noticeably wither, stop growing. It's okay, we will generously water them, add fertilizer!

However, when watering, we notice that the water is poorly absorbed, literally, rolling down from the garden bed, the top layer of the soil acquires light shades, and dust forms. There are cracks and cracks on the paths. And at the same time in the forest, even with prolonged heat, most of the plants continue to actively develop, there is no dust or cracks. The ground is covered with a pillow of foliage, branches, needles, and it is impossible to find a single piece of bare soil in the forest. The difference is obvious.

What to do? Continue to dig, carry manure, heroically drag it around the site, overcome difficulties, pour water and treat the back that took the hit. Or you can stop and think about how to make your life easier. If you stop digging and planting a garden for at least one year, you can see how the earth will begin to recover on its own without our help. It used to be called: leaving the land "fallow". On such soil, weeds actively grow. The earth begins to heal itself, as the weed is the cover of the top layer of soil and the future nutrient medium - after it rots in the winter.

But if there is no desire to stop gardening, you can start applying the principles of organic farming.

There are not so many of them, but if you follow them, in a couple of years you can put the state of the soil in the country in order and at the same time stop spending a huge amount of time and effort on working with the land. The principle of "DO NOT dig" To implement it, you must:

• replace the shovel with a pitchfork, since processing with such a tool does much less harm;
• purchase a flat cutter and learn how to work with it, and if you wish, you can make it yourself ();
• break the beds and, if possible, install boxes of any design;
• digging and tillage should be replaced by loosening the top layer no deeper than 5 cm.

Mulch principle Mulch is a protective layer that performs several functions:

• protection against weathering of the upper soil layer;
• maintaining the optimum temperature in the soil, its protection against overheating;
• weed control, as mulch inhibits their growth;
• formation of optimal conditions for the vital activity of soil microorganisms;
• moisture retention, which will significantly reduce the need for watering;
• when overheated, the mulch layer is recycled, turning into organic fertilizer.

As mulch, mowed grass, weeded weeds (until the formation of seeds on them), straw, processed bark, pine needle, foliage, sawdust can be used.

The principle "Help the earth, fertilize with "green" manure fertilizers" Cultivation of green manure allows you to replace the application of manure and chemical fertilizers. They nourish the earth, heal it. These plants include: mustard, phacelia, buckwheat, oil radish, beans, lupins, vetch, oats, rye. The features of agricultural technology used in organic farming include:

• application of crop rotation principles and planting planning;
• mixed plantings, in which several types of different crops are planted on the beds, helping each other to develop, repel pests and form a crop;
• the use of non-chemical methods of combating diseases and pests;
• replacement of chemical fertilizers with organic ones.

Agriculture according to Ovsinsky

In 1899, I. E. Ovsinsky published the book "The New System of Agriculture". He analyzed the experience and results of farming with the use of deep plowing with a plow turning over an earthen clod, and provided convincing evidence of the harm from such a method of tillage. The book provides indicators of increasing yields and soil fertility in cases where interference with the soil structure is minimized. In addition, the scientist proved that the earth, if left alone for a year (without growing any crops), will recover on its own. On these principles, organic farming was later built.

Kizima method

Those who start looking for information about the basics of natural agriculture will definitely find information about Galina Aleksandrovna Kizima. At 80, she continues to run the household on her own, while calling her plot "a vegetable garden for the lazy." Of course, laziness here should be understood not as doing nothing, but as the ability to grow plants, saving one's own strength and not doing unnecessary work.

Galina Alexandrovna is a practitioner, and her proposals on the rules and technologies for growing different crops are not theorizing, but an assessment and demonstration of real results.

Its technology is built on three basic principles: do not dig, do not weed and do not water. By acting in this way, we not only save our strength, but also help the earth fulfill its purpose: to grow crops. According to Kizima's books, one can learn the principles of natural farming, or, as Galina Alexandrovna calls it, the biodynamic method of farming, starting from the stage of preparing beds and ending with the cultivation of individual crops.

beds

The beds in organic farming are not just straight rows with beautiful borders. To properly organize them, you need to work a little. Perhaps, it is this stage of working with the land that will be the most time-consuming, but incomparable with the efforts that have to be applied for digging or plowing.

Firstly, it is necessary to mark out the plot for the beds, calculating not only the width of the planting area itself, but also making the correct paths - row spacing. They must be wide. Of course, not everyone is ready to go for such an "uneconomical" consumption of land, making paths 60-80 cm wide, and the beds themselves 45-50. But still, increasing the space between plantings to at least 50 cm will allow the gardener to provide the plants with more light, and this will positively affect the general condition of the crops at the time of the growing season and increase the yield.

Secondly, the beds must be prepared in advance: not on the eve of sowing the plant, but in the fall. To do this, you can use several methods. Way. Immediately after harvesting, it is necessary to sow the ridges with green manure and not remove them from the surface until spring. By this time, they will either completely overheat, or remain as the first layer of mulch, however, quite thin, it will have to be further increased after planting. Way. Refueling the beds with organic matter is essentially the process of forming warm beds. For this, furrows are dug at least 40 cm deep, and this is the only case when you have to pick up a shovel when arranging a garden. Next, branches, organic materials, fresh grass, soil are laid in layers, after which the bed is covered with a mulching cloth.

That's it, now you don't need to touch it until spring. In the first year of operation, we plant melons, cucumbers, tomatoes. Further use of beds using the principle of crop rotation. Such an organic bed can work effectively for 3-4 years. If organics are introduced in the spring, then soil is added to the planting holes so that the plants do not burn out under the influence of temperature, which increases as a result of overheating of the organic layers.

Where to begin

It is necessary to start the transition from the classical method to growing plants according to the principles of organic farming in your garden plot by studying this technology. It is important to decide whether the gardener is ready to accept such a philosophy of working with the land, or whether he strongly doubts its effectiveness.

If in doubt, you can select a small sample area to understand how it all works in practice.

That is, to carry out one or two seasons of agrotechnical work in natural ways: stop digging, cover the ground with mulch, plant green manure, refuse to use chemistry or reduce its amount at least by half. Then it remains only to compare the results and draw conclusions.

Practice

If a gardener decides to learn the basics of natural farming, you need to understand that, starting from scratch, you will not be able to achieve amazing success right away. The earth needs to recuperate, so a tangible result will be visible in the second year of the application of organic farming. It is also important to remember that using only one of the methods will not lead to the desired result. You can stop digging, but if you do not mulch the ground, treat the plants with chemistry and do not follow the requirements for crop rotation, there will be no active positive changes. What does a farmer acquire when starting to service his garden in new ways and means:

1. Labor costs for sowing and planting plants, weeding and loosening are reduced, while saving time and effort is significant.
2. Water consumption is reduced, watering is required less often and not as plentiful as with classical agricultural technology.
3. Plants get sick less, grow stronger, increase yields, so smaller volumes can be planted.
4. The soil composition improves and even heavy clay soils become easier to work.

Minuses

Is organic farming technology ideal? Of course not. On large areas, it is difficult and financially expensive to comply with all the principles of natural farming: covering materials will have to be purchased for mulching, and replacing chemicals with biological ones will also be expensive. Within a small personal plot, these tasks are easier to perform, and, nevertheless, the gardener will also need to make certain investments in the purchase of tools, biological products, mulching materials, if it is impossible to find their natural counterparts.

The earth's ecosystem is changing, new viruses and diseases are appearing, which are sometimes impossible to fight with biological products alone. The earth does not have time to develop immunity against the new pathogenic flora. Therefore, in some cases, gardeners either completely stop growing crops susceptible to diseases that need to be treated with chemicals, or, in extreme cases, resort to the use of chemistry. The same applies to pests that appear during the migration of plants from one region to another, especially when crops appear from abroad. As a rule, there are no methods of natural struggle against them yet, in this case it is also possible to use chemistry.

Evgeny Sedov

When hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)

Content

Human health is directly dependent on nutrition. Eating foods with GMOs or grown using pesticides and fertilizers leads to irreversible consequences for the body. Modern agronomists propose to turn to the experience of our ancestors, to make natural farming the basis of agriculture.

Organic farming - what is it

Organic farming differs from traditional soil cultivation in a gentle approach to the natural ecosystems that exist in nature. The use of pesticides, deep processing has become detrimental to the earth, reduced fertility, disrupted the natural cycle of substances, nullified the benefits of worms and microorganisms. Eco-farming is based on the awareness of the free interaction between soil, plants, animals, organic residues, while a person should play the role of a helper, not a pest.

Fundamentals of organic farming

The principles and basics of organic farming are easy to understand and are as follows:

1. The earth is a living organism, the structure of which should not be disturbed. Intensive cultivation of the arable layer, excessive digging, loosening, mineralization, and other agricultural work are very laborious and lead to high material costs with low efficiency. Natural farming on a farm or garden plot leads to minimal costs, while allowing a good harvest every year.
2. Mulching is the main method to improve the quality of the soil, to create favorable conditions for the natural system. Mulch is straw, sawdust, hay, fallen leaves, roots and cut weeds - everything that covers the beds from above protects the black soil from excessive evaporation of moisture, erosion and hypothermia.
3. Reasonable top dressing, which is designed not to destroy beneficial microbes, fungi that utilize organic matter, but to enable them to multiply, suppress pathogenic bacteria, fix mineral elements, process everything that can serve as natural humus.

Agriculture according to Ovsinsky

The Russian scientist I.E. became the initiator of parting with the classical way of digging a garden. Ovsinsky, author of many scientific papers, agronomist by education. Farming according to Ovsinsky is an ideal way to let the earth recover itself without interfering with the natural course of nature. As evidence, the pioneering breeder wrote The New System of Farming in 1899, in which he argued for minimal plow interference with the soil structure, which ensures an environmentally friendly environment and high-quality, safe products.

Organic farming - Kizima's method

Galina Kizima can be considered a contemporary authority on the benefits of organic farming. After receiving a Ph.D., the woman seriously took up issues of increasing productivity through the right approach to the practice of cultivating the soil. Organic farming according to the Kizima method has become widespread, described in books and articles. The basic principle of her garden is three “not”: do not weed, do not dig, do not water. The author introduced the concept of a “smart” garden bed into use, and proved the effectiveness of her method from personal experience.

Organic farming - beds

To create conditions for plants in the beds, similar to those that exist in the wild, the agricultural technology of natural farming is called upon. The goals of the method: improving the quality, volume of the crop, preserving natural fertility while saving time and effort. To implement this idea, we use:

• gentle loosening of the upper 5-7 cm of soil in spring and autumn;
• the use of exclusively organic fertilizers in the garden plot, including compost, manure, humus, green manure, as well as microbiological developments;
• biological products, agricultural products that protect plants from pests and diseases.

Organic farming - where to start

The question of when and where to start organic farming is increasingly being asked by rural residents, owners of garden plots. The answer is reassuring: you can switch your home garden to a completely new system known as "organic beds" at any time of the year, but the autumn period is considered the most suitable. In practice, the main task of agriculture will be the rapid restoration of the upper fertile layer, the correct selection of protective equipment, the maintenance of the natural ecosystem, and the preservation of it in this state through elementary actions.

Natural farming in the garden - practice

Periodic, deep digging is not acceptable if your goal is organic farming in the country. The desire for perfect tillage spoils the earth, has the opposite effect on it, making it heavy, dry, lifeless, hard as a stone. As practice shows, this can be avoided using certain techniques:

• break the site into small beds, depending on the species composition of the plants that will be planted;
• try to cover the soil with natural, organic materials, since bare land is unprotected, less infertile;
• regularly mulch the soil to a depth of at least 10 cm, which will reduce the growth of weeds, protect plants from pests, exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and ensure long-term preservation of moisture in the ground.

Galina Kizima glorifies lazy farming in her books and articles. Covers with her name are full of slogans: Do not dig! Don't weed! Do not water! What is it she advises? Throw your favorite garden and garden, forget about them, like a bad dream? Or is it still about how to organize work for them so that there is a harvest and the health of their owners is preserved? We'll have to deal with this in more detail!

Galina Alexandrovna Kizima has more than half a century of practical gardening and horticulture on her account. She went from amateur to guru of organic farming, trying all her methods in practice. At the head of everything, of course, are the foundations of natural farming, which teaches you to work according to the laws of nature, to conserve its resources and at the same time save your own strength and nerves, but remain with an excellent harvest.

Kizima organic farming

Organic farming according to the method of Galina Kizima - like everything new, it is a well-forgotten old one. Just a hundred years ago, every peasant was guided by these principles, and today they are hardly returning to our existence and for many are considered something fantastic. Technological progress, sadly, has nullified the centuries-old experience of natural farming and led to the depletion of soils and the destruction, if not of potential crops, then of their benefits in terms of healthy nutrition, definitely.

According to Galina Kizima, organic farming is based on three main principles:

1. Don't dig! This principle consists in the rejection of deep active digging of the soil, which helps to keep its internal structure, nutrient layer and beneficial inhabitants of the soil intact. Only surface loosening is allowed to a depth of not more than 5 cm. In this way, the quality of the soil, its water and air permeability are preserved, and an excellent layer of humus is created.
2. Don't weed! Endless weeding is not only tedious and troublesome, it is ineffective. Weeds do not need to be fought with radical methods, they must be oppressed by cutting off the surface part, and leaving the roots in the ground. You will have to do this several times over the summer, but it's worth it. At the same time, it is very appropriate to use the remains of weeds for the benefit of the soil and the garden as a whole, because weeds are excellent food for the inhabitants of the soil.
3. Do not water! It would seem that this is a laborious and necessary process, without which gardening and horticulture are unthinkable. In fact, it turns out that such a valuable resource as water is often wasted, so you need to learn how to keep moisture in the beds instead of watering them every hour.

Of course, organic farming according to the Kizima method is much more than giving up the usual gardening chores. It’s just that in everything that concerns plants, from top dressing to protection from pests and diseases, you need to rely on natural self-regulation mechanisms, which are more effective than you can find, and then the plants will be healthy, strong and persistent.

And although the adherents of traditional farming are convinced that it is unrealistic to use these methods in the conditions of a summer cottage, since large expenses will be required, nevertheless, in practice, one can be convinced of the opposite. Even on the traditional 6 acres, organic farming is revealed from a completely different perspective. Yes, and it turns out that it is much easier to organize it on a small piece of land.

The main thing is:

• Understand the mechanisms of nature and organize your work according to them;
• stop exploiting the soil and start conserving and improving it;
• rationally use the planting area and their efforts in order to collect the richest possible harvest.

Pros and cons of organic farming

The idea of ​​a rich harvest with minimal labor looks very attractive. Indeed, with a reasonable approach to this issue, organic farming shows remarkable results, especially when it comes to small areas. But what if it comes to large farmland? Here there may be some snags.

pros

• Preservation of ecology. Organic farming helps keep the air, water and soil clean, as it does not involve the use of chemicals and harsh, destructive impacts on these resources. In our age, when environmental pollution has reached unprecedented proportions, this is worth a lot.
• The absence of large financial investments, since this type of agriculture is quite self-sufficient. The only necessary condition is the presence of organic matter. And it can be obtained without difficulty. If the farm has livestock, this is the presence of manure. In its absence, green manure and humus are needed, which can almost completely provide the necessary nutrition for the soil.
• Environmentally friendly products. With the correct introduction of organic matter, vegetables and fruits do not accumulate nitrates, which means they will only benefit the body.

A little about the cons

• Unfortunately, not every organic matter contains minerals in the proper amount, which, whatever one may say, are necessary for good fruiting of plants. The fact is that in different regions, depending on the composition of the soil, the composition of organic matter can also be different, and only an expensive analysis in the laboratory will help to know it for sure. The lack of one or another element can affect the organisms of people, animals, plants and their organic remains. Therefore, in some cases, avoiding the application of mineral fertilizers will not work.
• Protecting plants from pests is completely and guaranteed impossible. For example, there is no way to manually collect Colorado beetles from vast territories. And when using hired labor, the price can be prohibitive.
• Economic non-competitiveness. Unfortunately, the production of organic products is unprofitable. In theory, these are healthy vegetables and fruits, with high palatability, which should cost more than their counterparts, which are beautiful in appearance, but tasteless and often contain a high amount of nitrates. However, in reality, the latter are more in demand by buyers, since they appear a few weeks earlier, for which various chemicals are naturally used to ensure that the fruits set earlier and ripen on time. But in the end, this is not of interest to most people who crave fresh vegetables and fruits so much in early spring that they do not pay any attention to their quality. Because of this, it is necessary to sell high-quality products for nothing, which leads to the decline of the entire economy as a whole.
• It takes time for the whole natural farming system to work to its full potential. Time for decay of organic matter, for the development of beneficial microflora in the soil, for the reproduction of beneficial microorganisms, for the appearance of natural exterminators of harmful insects. But does a farmer who, for example, has taken out a loan have this time? This is especially true for the zone of risky farming, because by refusing chemicals, the owner of the land agrees with a low level of predictability of the results of his work.

That is why everything needs to be approached from a reasonable point of view, weighing all the pros and cons, soberly assessing your capabilities and conditions for growing crops. in the end, a competent combination of the principles of traditional farming and organic may be a completely natural solution.

Video natural farming by Galina Kizima

Organic farming where to start

If you have decided to master organic farming on your site, then the first thing to start with is to realize that the usual methods of tillage are now banned. Hide the shovel and understand that the autumn and spring digging of the earth harms it. Soil is a unique living organism, where various microorganisms are responsible for fertility. Digging it over and over again, we destroy earthworms and bacteria that enrich and loosen the earth.

For tillage, a wonderful tool called Fokin's flat cutter, named after its inventor, is useful. This simple unit, similar to a short scythe, can perform more than 20 operations: loosening, hilling, cutting weeds, it can make holes, grooves and even mow grass. There are flat cutters of various lengths, blade thicknesses and overall sizes. The only important condition for working with them is a good sharpening. Having learned how to use this tool correctly, you can forever abandon the shovel, this way you will not only save the soil, but also your own health, even the disabled can use it, the load on the back is minimal.

In addition to changing the tools and your attitude to agriculture in general, you will need to work hard to properly organize the further process, but then you will only have to be reasonably lazy and reap the environmentally friendly fruits of your labor. But first, it does not hurt to get acquainted with the main aspects of organic farming.

Basic rules and principles of organic farming

1. So, the most important thing is to preserve the valuable surface layer of soil by loosening to a depth of 5 cm, refusing to dig. This shallow treatment is enough to oxygenate the ground, cut weeds and prepare them for planting. The roots themselves will find their way to the nutrients that bacteria and worms will provide them with, loosening the earth to a considerable depth.
2. One of the following essential principles of organic farming is soil mulching. Mulch is anything that covers the ground: clipped weeds, fallen leaves, hay, straw, black non-woven fabric, compost. It is important to know that there is no bare soil in nature, it is constantly covered with either green grass, or dry, or foliage. Empty, black land - dead land. Being exposed and unprotected, the soil overheats, gives off moisture too intensively, erodes it from rains, and erodes from frosts. There is no question of any microorganisms in such land, and therefore a layer of useful humus is not formed on it. Mulch is a natural or artificial protection that allows you to keep everything useful in its place. And you need to cover the ground not only in summer, but also in winter!
3. Constant soil nutrition is another fundamental principle. It refers to the nutrition and feeding of earthworms and bacteria, which maintain the natural balance. This is done with the help of green manure - plants that are natural fertilizers, as well as organic matter: compost, humus and manure.
4. The use of effective microorganisms is an invaluable aid in maintaining soil fertility. This technology was developed by a Japanese scientist and has been used for more than 15 years. Beneficial fungi and microbes, getting into the ground, actively multiply in it, processing organic substances into a substance that is perfectly absorbed by plants, while pathogenic microorganisms and fungi are suppressed. Plant growth is accelerated, the quality and size of the fruit is increased. Aerobic (whose life needs oxygen, live no deeper than 10 cm) bacteria convert organic residues into minerals necessary for the development and nutrition of plants, and anaerobic (oxygen is contraindicated for their life, live deeper than 10-20 cm) take care of the formation of a good layer of humus .

That is why deep digging of the soil is contraindicated, in its process the microbes cease to act according to their nature and the land becomes depleted. when working with a flat cutter, this destructive effect does not occur. In the spring, with timely processing, this tool turns out weeds with small roots, cutting them at the stage of a thin thread. In the summer, a new wave of weeds can no longer withstand competition with grown cultivated plants, so after harvesting, it will not be difficult to remove them with a flat cutter.

Organic farming beds, warm beds

Of course, the beds for organic farming should have a certain look. and structure. They are also called warm, since the introduced organic matter, decomposing, releases heat, which is so necessary for plants. They are more difficult to prepare than traditional ones, but they must be permanent, so you only need to work hard once. The best time for this is the end of summer or early autumn.

Here, oddly enough, you will need a sharp shovel, as well as a pitchfork and a board the width of a garden bed, so that it is convenient to dig up the soil. Organic beds have a small width of 1-1.2 m, so that it is convenient to work with them, reaching to the middle of the ridge on both sides. The length can be any, depending on personal preference and the size of the site.

1. First you need to mark the bed.
2. Next, it is worth watering the area for digging to facilitate your work. First, the top layer is moistened, and then more abundant watering is performed. As soon as a layer of water begins to go into the soil within a couple of seconds, then there is enough water. After a day, water again and let stand for another hour or two. Now you can dig.
3. It is necessary to dig a transverse trench from one edge of the bed. First, you need to remove squares of sod 5-7 cm thick, from which all rhizomes are selected, and lay next to the bed. Thus, the entire trench is cleared. After removing the sod, a layer of soil is dug out.
4. After that, the forks go to work. they dig another 30 cm of soil. At the same time, the clods are not broken, but only turned over, the so-called deep loosening. The turf is turned over with grass down and laid on the bed.
5. Next, 10-15 cm of humus or fresh green mass or any other organic matter is added.
6. Then the next trench is dug, the soil from which is transferred to the previous one. Thus, the entire bed is dug up. You can only move on it with the help of the board. The earth taken from the first is brought into the last trench.
7. The prepared bed will be 20 cm above the soil level, but will settle over time. Then it remains only to frame the garden bed and wait for spring plantings.

Organic farming vegetable garden where to start in spring

If the decision to start organic farming came in the spring, then you will have to start with the development of virgin lands. To clear a place for a vegetable garden from turf, you do not need to take up a shovel. It is better to stock up on newspapers and cardboard, you can use black film, as well as green manure and special em preparations.

The area allotted for the garden is watered with preparations that accelerate the biodegradation of organic matter, and then tightly covered with a layer of paper, cardboard or film. In two months, the sod will rot, and the soil will be enriched with minerals and oxygen.

You can also get rid of weeds, especially wheatgrass, with the help of green manure. You need to scrape the ground with a flat cutter in early spring, scatter a double norm of rye seeds over it and water it well. When the grass grows back, cut it off and leave it to rot on the future bed under cover of film or paper. You can also speed up the process with biodegradable products. By autumn, the soil will be ready for the formation of warm beds.

Organic farming planting potatoes, a way for rich harvests

To get a rich potato harvest in organic farming, you need to properly prepare the tubers before planting. However, you will have to be patient, because it will take a month and a half.

Galina Kizima advises to hold potatoes in a solution of potassium permanganate or phytosporin. To do this, it is placed in hot water, when it cools down, a solution of potassium permanganate is added, bringing the water to a rich pink color. If phytosporin is used, then its solution is transparent, the required amount should be measured according to the instructions on the package. The tubers are placed in a hot solution and kept in it until the water has completely cooled, after which they are removed and dried thoroughly. This measure helps to get rid of potential pathogens of potato diseases.

Next, the tubers are placed in three-liter jars and left in the light for up to 20 days. During this time, the potato will not only germinate in such conditions, but will also turn green, as corned beef poison forms under its skin. This substance will in no way affect the future crop, but it will reliably scare away rodents and insect pests. If the jars are placed on the windowsill, they will need to be rotated daily to the sunny side so that the process goes evenly. You can also spread the potatoes directly on the windowsill or on newspapers. But the use of cans is much more convenient.

There are two ways to determine the timing of planting: bird cherry has bloomed in your area or the topsoil has completely dried out. The planting process according to the method of Galina Kizima is quite unusual, so you first need to familiarize yourself with a short note about some of the features of a plant such as potatoes.

Potato tubers do not grow in the root system of potatoes, but on long horizontal shoots extending from the stems, they are called stolons. These shoots don't need soil! They need darkness. That is why you can often find young potato tubers mysteriously appearing in compost, under films, caps, and even in the cellar. In connection with this feature, you can safely obey the main rule of organic farming and not dig a garden bed.

Sprouted potatoes are laid out directly on undigged ground in two rows at a distance of 50 cm from each other. The distance between the tubers themselves is 25 cm, the same amount of space must be left at the end of the garden. Thus, 8 potatoes will be required in both rows per 1 sq.m.

The optimal size of seed potatoes is the size of a chicken egg. Smaller ones will have too few nutrients to develop a quality plant. Larger ones will give a chic bush, but the development of the root system will be delayed, so it is better to cut them in half, preferably across, so that an equal number of eyes are obtained on both parts. Be sure to sprinkle the cut with ash to avoid the process of decay.

The more stems on a potato bush, the richer the crop, which means that you need to increase the number of sprouts on the seed tuber. To do this, a transverse incision is made on each potato, or a thin strip of peel is removed. This stimulates the awakening of new reserve buds in the lower part, from here new stems will appear in the future plant.

Under the potato bed is a place where the sun will shine all day. This guarantees a rich harvest of tubers, and not a chic forest of tops. Dry material is placed on top of the laid out tubers, which easily passes moisture and air. It can be well-dried compost, a thick layer of hay or dry leaves. In extreme cases, you can use newsprint or pieces of cardboard. Only potatoes are filled with material, row spacing is not required. A layer of non-woven fabric saves from wind and possible frosts: lutrasil, spunbond or old bags.

When there is a threat of frost in minutes, the canvas is removed, and everything that is usually put in compost is laid on the bed, on top of newspapers or hay. Weeds are left there. This will provide decent nutrition for the soil and its inhabitants. The main thing is not to overwhelm potato shoots. Hilling is carried out not with earth, but with compost and weeds. It is also important to ensure that the roots of the plants are not exposed.

All these measures will help to avoid the application of mineral fertilizers and watering. After all, a layer of mulch perfectly nourishes the plants and retains moisture in the soil.

During the flowering of potatoes, nodules begin to form on the stolons. Since the plant spends a lot of energy on flowering and fruit set, it would be quite logical to remove all the flowers. Then the bushes will double their efforts in growing tubers, i.e. in vegetative propagation. An example is foreign varieties in which flowering is almost completely absent! But a couple of bouquets should still be left in each row, because they are a guideline by which you can understand that it's time to collect young potatoes for the table. To do this, the compost layer is carefully removed and tubers of an acceptable size are selected, and the rest will be collected later, when they grow up and please the owner with their size and quantity.

Organic farming tomato planting, cultivation method

Having prepared a warm high bed since autumn, in early spring you can think about planting tomatoes. There is an interesting method in organic farming that is especially good when there is a small amount of land, when it is not possible to change crops every year.

When the soil warms up a little, the bed should be slightly loosened with a flat cutter and sown with a mixture of green manure, for example, phacelia and mustard. Before planting the main crop, this natural fertilizer will have time to grow and bring significant benefits. A week before planting seedlings, break through this entire crop with your hands or weed it with a chopper and lay it on the ground in a dense layer. This is a ready-made mulch, more useful than which is hard to find.

Next, the standard procedure for digging holes is carried out, the mulch is slightly shifted to the side, and then laid back, reliably covering the soil at the foot of freshly planted tomatoes. In this scenario, mineral fertilizers are not required. As top dressing, you can use herbal infusions twice a season.

Plants can be planted close enough to each other - at a distance of 15-20 cm. Planting methods such as two plants in one hole and combined with other crops are also used. Read more about these methods

Regular watering before the start of fruit set is carried out from a barrel with warm, settled water. Since the cold injures plants, especially on hot days. With the formation of fruits, watering is stopped, with the exception of only the hottest and driest days. An excellent harvest of tomatoes with minimal labor and completely without the use of chemicals is guaranteed!

Organic farming planting peppers, cultivation method

Bulgarian pepper - the plant is not as simple as it seems. It is quite demanding on growing conditions, both at the seedling stage and in the ground. Pepper needs a lot of light, heat, and it does not tolerate picking. Therefore, it is advisable to plant the seedlings in separate cups and provide the necessary temperature and lighting, since the sowing dates are very early: from mid-January to mid-February. Already at the stage of opening the cotyledon leaves, the plant needs to be fed with infusion of ash or azophos. When the third leaf appears, the plants are transplanted into cups with a volume of 0.5 l or even more.

Peppers are planted on warm beds early enough, so they must be protected from recurrent frosts with the help of lutrasil and films stretched over arcs. Even better if it is a real greenhouse. The soil can be additionally insulated with a layer of compost, hay or any other mulch. However, the use of manure when planting peppers is best avoided, it gives too much nitrogen, due to which the plant will drop buds and give a lot of green mass.

Pepper gets along well with many garden crops, so it can be used in conference and compacted plantings. This growing method will benefit both the pepper itself and its companions, such as cucumbers.

The good survival rate of seedlings can be judged by the appearance of the plants: if the young leaves are lighter, the process is going well. As soon as a new leaf appears on the pepper, it can be fed with a weak solution of urea, ash or chicken manure. Feed the pepper every two weeks.

Watering is carried out regularly, with warm settled water Be sure to monitor the layer of mulch under the plants, it must be at least 10 cm thick. The plant is very sensitive to watering! You can not overdry the root system, as well as overfill, all this can adversely affect the ovary of the fruit.

Tall varieties, like tomatoes, require garters and shaping. At the bottom of the stem, before the fork, you need to remove all the leaves and stepchildren, as well as the branches directed inside the bush, they thicken the plant. During the season, 2-3 forks are formed on each branch, from which 2-3 pepper crops can be harvested over the summer. However, from the end of July, it is worth cutting off all the buds and flowers, and pinching the ends of the branches so that the bush has the strength to ripen massive fruits by September, and not a bunch of useless little things.

The first fork on a pepper bush is important - a single fruit usually develops in it, with a special inhibitor substance, it must be removed so that it does not suppress the formation of buds on the plant. If the goal is to collect seeds from a plant, then this fruit, on the contrary, is left, while the fruits on this bush will differ in relatively small sizes.

Bulgarian pepper is often exposed to various diseases and pests. From diseases, for example, late blight, garlic infusion helps, 150 g per 10 l, which is sprayed on plants. Insects can be fought in a natural way, attracting their enemies: ground beetles and ladybugs - by spraying bushes with infusions of herbs.

There are many secrets to growing onions, but if you master them, you can get a wonderful harvest with the help of organic farming and a small fraction of mineral fertilizers. Caring for the upcoming onion wealth should begin in the fall, when it comes time to spice up the high bed with a good layer of manure. This procedure can be successfully replaced by sowing green manure, for example, rye or phacelia, which are left in the soil for the winter, and mixed with the soil in the spring using a flat cutter.

In the spring, the first step is to protect the planting material from rot. To do this, the well-known solution of potassium permanganate is used, in which the seeds are placed for 10 minutes, after which they are well dried.

For better germination in the beds, small onions are cut from above, then this process will go many times faster.

To prevent the onion fly from reaching your crop, arrange a bed not far from the rows with carrots, at the same time scare away the carrot fly from it, or sprinkle some sea salt when planting. You need to sow onions as early as possible, while the pest larvae are still sleeping. If late, then the crops can be protected by adding peat and naphthalene to the humus layer, which should serve as mulch. Once every two weeks, plants can be watered from a watering can with a salt solution: 300-600 grams of salt per large garden watering can.

For the entire summer period, three onion feedings are carried out. The first of them is done at the stage of the appearance of the second sheet. Use slurry, or a solution of chicken manure and ash. For the second, in two weeks, you will need a solution of 10 grams of urea, 30 grams of superphosphate and 5 grams of potassium per bucket of water. A similar top dressing is carried out in another two weeks. Too much nitrogen fertilizer is not recommended, otherwise the heads will be small, and your crop will be a pile of green tops.

Harvesting should be timely, before the start of the September rains. In this case, it will be perfectly stored all winter, because no matter how wet the sushi, it will still rot. If you follow all the tips and tricks, a bountiful harvest of large healthy onions is guaranteed!

Organic farming is not just a way to get a rich harvest with little effort - it is a whole philosophy, a life position based on peaceful coexistence with nature and any of its manifestations. Love her and treat her with care, and then she will answer you not only with her generous gifts and the beauty of the garden, but also with your health and spiritual harmony.