Principles of Organic Small Fruit and Vegetable Production in VA

1
Principles of Organic Small Fruit and Vegetable
Production in VA

• R. Allen Straw
• Area Specialist
• SW VA AREV
• Virginia Cooperative Extension

2
Beginnings

• What was your first contact with organic
  agriculture?
• or
• How were you introduced to organic agriculture?

3
Presuppositions

• We all have presuppositions.
• We need to be aware of these presuppositions when
  evaluating new or potentially controversial
  issues.
• My personal introduction to Organics
• Very negative
• My attitude
• The proponents attitude

4
Experiences

• For some producers, it is a very spiritual
  issue.
• For others, it is all about stewardship.
• For a few, it is all about money.
• Remember
• Faith or spirituality is not always set in
  opposition to science. They can be complimentary.

5
Types of Organic Producers

• Through time I have come to identify three groups
  of organic producers.
• Fanatic
• Hard Core or Die Hard organic and will likely
  be out of business in 2 to 3 years

• Balanced
• Has a level head and understands the reality of
  production
• Greedy
• Are only in it for the money and are likely to
  fudge and give other organic producers a bad
  name

6
Our Goal as Extension . . .

• Obviously, to help all three types of producers
  with production and marketing issues.
• But also find ways to help those producers on the
  extremes move toward a more balanced approach.

7
How?

• Identifying our presuppositions
• Learning all we can about the production system
• Exercising patience in educating clients
• Being positive in our interaction with clients
• Being honest and realistic with clients

8
What is Organic Farming?

• It is a system that focuses primarily on building
  healthy, living soils.
• These soils are high in O.M. and beneficial
  organisms.
• These soils have the ability to grow naturally
  healthy plants that exhibit resistance to insects
  and diseases.

9
What is Organic Farming?

• Along with an emphasis on healthy soil, organic
  production tries to minimize the use of chemical
  pest control.
• Emphasis is placed on cultural and biological
  pest control.
• If chemical control is required, only natural
  and safe pest control products are utilized.

10
Claims about Organic Production

• Organically grown crops or livestock are of
  higher quality.
• Higher nutritional quality or content.
• Better tasting.
• Healthier, due to lower or no pesticide residues.

11
Are these claims true?

• More nutritional
• There is no evidence to support this.
• The plant only takes up nutrients as dissolved
  ions, it does not know or care about the source
  of the nutrients.

• Better tasting
• There is no evidence to support this.
• It is likely that the difference in taste and
  perceived nutritional advantage is a result of
  freshness and stage of harvest.

12
Are these claims true?

• Healthier, due to fewer or no pesticide residues.
• Many of our crop protectants leave no residue in
  the plants.
• If residues are present there is a built in 100
  fold safety factor.

• When plants are stressed they produce their own
  natural defense.
• Alkaloids
• Other chemicals
• Some of the natural products are more toxic or
  carcinogenic than the traditional chemicals.

13
It is Good for the Environment

• Builds soil health
• The addition of manure, compost, mulch, green
  manure crops, etc. increase the soil organic
  matter.
• However, too much manure can result in water
  pollution!

• Increased organic matter
• Increases soil tilth
• Increases soil structure
• Increases water holding capacity
• Evens out nutrient release?
• May reduce runoff and subsequent erosion

14
Food Safety Concerns

• A recent scientific study revealed some startling
  findings.
• E. Coli 0157H7 was found inside the tissue of
  lettuce leaves!!
• It appears to have crossed the root membrane.

• 8 of all beef and dairy manure contain E. Coli
  0157H7.
• E. Coli 0157H7 has frequently been found to
  survive composting.
• Use well composted manure in fruit and vegetable
  production.

15
Limitations toOrganic Production

• Climactic effects
• Northern Plains
• Western U.S.
• Warm, humid Southeast is not the easiest place to
  produce organic crops.
• Ability or inability to tolerate damage

• Lack of effective controls for some pests
• Cost
• Cost of control measures
• Cost of nutrients
• Lower yield
• Sources
• Pest control products

16
Reality

• Organic production is here to stay
• Retail sales of organic products increase each
  year
• Increasing interest by large corporations
• There will always be niche markets for organic
  production
• But remember organic production is not for
  everyone.

17
Successful Organic Production
A Good Crop
A Not-So-Good Crop
18
Site Selection

• Sight Selection is very important in any cropping
  program.
• Essential in organic production!
• Soil Characteristics
• Desirable
• Undesirable
• Soil Texture
• Soil Structure
• Slope

19
Desirable Soils

• Desirable Characteristics
• Deep
• Medium Textured
• Well Drained
• Fertile

20
Undesirable Soils

• Undesirable characteristics
• Soils extremely high in clay (fine-textured or
  tight)
• Hard to work
• Form clods
• Crust after rain
• May be poorly drained,
• Which can
• Delay planting
• Result in low fertility
• Result in low ph
• Encourage plant diseases

21
Undesirable Soils (cont.)

• Undesirable characteristics (cont.)
• Soils extremely high in sand
• Tend to be low in O.M.
• Tend to have poor water holding capacities
• Tend to have poor nutrient holding capacities

22
Soil Texture

• Soil Texture
• Proportion of soil particles in relation to one
  another
• Sand
• Silt
• Clay
• Examples
• Sandy Loam
• Loamy Sand
• Clay Loam

Soil Particles Diameter (mm)
Sand 2.00- 0.05
Silt 0.05 0.002
Clay lt 0.002

23
Soil Texture (cont.)
Table 1. Size limits (diameter in millimeters) of
soil separates in the USDA soil textural
classification system.

• Soil Texture
• We cant do much to change soil texture.
• If growing on extremely heavy soils
• Haul dump truck loads of sand?
• Cost prohibitive

24
Soil Structure
Table 1. Size limits (diameter in millimeters) of
soil separates in the USDA soil textural
classification system.

• Soil Structure
• We can manipulate soil structure.
• Soil structure is the shape that the soil takes
  based on its physical, chemical and microbial (?)
  properties.
• Each individual unit of soil structure is called
  a ped.

25
Soil Structure (cont.)
Table 1. Size limits (diameter in millimeters) of
soil separates in the USDA soil textural
classification system.

• Soil Structures
• Massive
• Single Grained
• Platy
• Columnar
• Prismatic
• Blocky
• Granular

26
Massive
Table 1. Size limits (diameter in millimeters) of
soil separates in the USDA soil textural
classification system.

• Soil has no visible structure, is hard to break
  apart and appears in very large clods.

27
Single Grained
Table 1. Size limits (diameter in millimeters) of
soil separates in the USDA soil textural
classification system.

• Soil is broken into individual particles that do
  not stick together.
• Always accompanies a loose consistence.
• Commonly found in sandy soils.

28
Platy
Table 1. Size limits (diameter in millimeters) of
soil separates in the USDA soil textural
classification system.

• Thin, flat plates of soil that lie horizontally.
• Usually found in compacted soil.

29
Columnar
Table 1. Size limits (diameter in millimeters) of
soil separates in the USDA soil textural
classification system.

• Vertical columns of soil that have a salt "cap"
  at the top.
• Found in soils of arid climates.

30
Prismatic

• Vertical columns of soil that might be a number
  of cm long.
• Usually found in lower horizons.

31
Blocky

• Irregular blocks that are usually 1.5 - 5.0 cm in
  diameter.

32
Granular

• Resembles cookie crumbs and is usually less than
  0.5 cm in diameter.
• Commonly found in surface horizons where roots
  have been growing.

33
Soil Structure

• Factors that influence soil structure
• Soil Texture
• Soil Chemistry
• Fertility
• Microbial Activity
• O.M. Content
• Tillage
• Compaction
• Soil Moisture (?)

34
Slope

• Level sights are less subject to erosion.
• However
• A slight slope toward the South hastens
• Warming in the spring.
• Drying in the spring.
• A slight slope enhances air drainage, reducing
  potential frost/freeze damage.

35
Soil Testing

• A soil test is the only accurate method of
  determining the amount of
• Lime to apply.
• Fertilizer to apply.

36
Soil Testing (cont.)

• Too much fertilizer
• Wastes money.
• Can delay fruit production in flowering plants.
• Can injure, even kill plants.
• Can pollute surface and subsurface water
  supplies.

37
Soil Testing (cont.)

• Improper pH
• Reduces yield.
• Reduces quality.
• Reduces net income.
• Poor Fertility
• Reduces yield.
• Reduces quality.
• Reduces net income.

38
Soil Sampling

• Use a small sampling tube, trowel or spade to
  collect samples that are at least 4 inches and no
  more than 6 inches deep
• Collect samples from 8 to 10 locations in the
  field
• Avoid sampling irregular or extremely wet areas
• Combine samples in a clean plastic container

39
Soil Testing

• Obtain a soil sample box and instructions from
  your County Extension Office
• Fill the box with the thoroughly mixed soil and
  take to the County Extension Office to be sent to
  Blacksburg
• Request Basic Test (pH, P2O5, and K2O)
• Commercial samples free
• Allow 2 weeks to receive results

40
pH and Nutrient Availability
41
pH and Nutrient Availability (cont.)

• Proper pH Range
• 6.0 6.2
• Optimum nutrient availability
• Soil Sample in the Fall

• Lime in the Fall
• Agricultural lime is variable in size and reacts
  over time
• 6 months is generally required to see much
  activity

42
Fertility Organic Production

• Fewer fertility options when growing organically.
• Prepare the soil ahead of the crop.
• Compost
• Manure
• Cover Crops
• Green Manure Crops

• Utilize
• Companion Crops
• Trap Crops
• Foliar Fertilization
• Uptake
• Leaves vs. Roots
• Can be expensive
• Usually low analysis

43
Compost and Manure

• Add enough, but dont over do it.
• Often 4 to 6 tons/A
• Incorporate several weeks ahead of time.

44
Cover Crops (cont.)

• Perennials
• Alfalfa
• Hairy Indigo
• Red Clover
• Summer Annuals
• Buckwheat
• Crimson Clover
• Hairy Vetch (?)

• Winter Annuals
• Annual Ryegrass
• Hairy Vetch (?)
• Rye
• Wheat
• Notes
• Rye supplies the most root mass.
• Hairy vetch supplies the most N.

45
Cover Crops (cont.)

• Cover Crops
• Control Erosion
• Add O.M.
• Trap unused nutrients
• Provide nutrients for subsequent crops
• Green Manure Crops
• Add nutrients
• Add O.M.

• Companion Crops
• Supply needed nutrients to the other crop
• Suppress weeds
• Utilize unused nutrients
• Trap or Catch Crops
• Capture unutilized nutrients
• Control erosion

46
Sidedressing

• Leaf producing crops and long season crops often
  benefit from additional nitrogen.
• Apply fertilizer according to the label.
• Foliar
• Soil

47
Sidedressing Guideline
Crop Time
Cucurbits When vines are 1 ft. long
Fruiting Veg. When fruit is 1 inch in diameter
Sweet Corn When plants are 12 to 18 inches tall
Greens Six weeks after seeding
Head Brassica 3 to 4 weeks after transplanting
48
Plan for Rotation

• Closely related plants are often classified in
  the same family.
• Plants within a family are often susceptible to
  the same pests.
• Rotating plants of the same family to different
  areas can reduce pest problems.

49
General Crop Groupings
Crop Group Vegetable Crops
Cucurbits Cucumber, Muskmelon, Pumpkin, Squash, Watermelon
Brassica, Stem and Leaf Broccoli, Cabbage, Collard, Kale, Lettuce, Mustard, Turnip
Fruiting Vegetables Eggplant, Irish Potato, Okra, Pepper, Tomato
Root Crops Beet, Carrot, Garlic, Sweetpotato
Grasses Sweet Corn
Legumes Beans, Cowpeas, Peas
50
Keys to Choosing Varieties

• High Yields
• Horticulturally Acceptable
• Uniform
• Color
• Shape
• Size
• Good Flavor
• Proper Color

• Horticulturally Acceptable (cont.)
• Proper Firmness
• Ease of Harvest
• Long Shelf Life
• Disease Resistant
• Insect Resistant

51
Practical Guideto Variety Selection

• Identify a variety that satisfies your market
  requirements.
• Learn how to grow that variety to maximize yield
  and quality.
• Researchers
• Extension
• Other growers
• Your own records

52
Hybrid vs. Open-Pollinated

• Hybrid Varieties
• Seed is more expensive
• Higher yields
• More Uniform
• Better disease resistance
• Better insect resistance

• O.P. Varieties
• Seed is less expensive
• Lower yields
• Less uniform
• Limited disease resistance
• Limited insect resistance

53
Asparagus

• Disease Tolerance
• Fusarium Wilt (F)
• Cercospora Leaf Spot (C)
• Rust (R)
• Hybrid (H)
• All Male Plants (M)
• Color
• Purple (P)
• Green (G)

• Varieties
• Jersey Gem
• F, C, R, H, M, P
• Jersey Giant
• F, C, R, H, M, P
• Jersey Knight
• F, C, R, H, M, P
• UC 157 F1
• F, P, H, G

54
Bush Snap Beans

• Diseases
• Anthracnose (A)
• Bacterial Brown Spot (BBS)
• Common Bean Mosaic Virus (BV)
• Curly Top Virus (CTV)
• Downy Mildew (D)
• Halo Blight (HB)

• Diseases (cont.)
• Bean Mosaic Virus (N15)
• NL8 Mosaic Virus (N8)
• Powdery Mildew (PM)
• Rust (R)
• White Mold (WM)

55
Bush Snap Beans

• Tasman (57)
• A, BV1, HB
• Charon (58)
• BBS, CTV, N8, N15, HB
• Grenoble (58)
• A, BV1, HB
• Capricorn (59)
• BV1, N15, CTV
• Caprice (60)
• BV1, BBS

• Bush Snap Beans
• Provider (50)
• BV1, N15, PM
• Ambra (52)
• BV1, CTV
• Dusky (56)
• BV1, BBS, N8, N15, HB
• Concesa (55)
• BV1, CTV, R, HB

56
Half-Runner and Pole Beans

• Half-Runner
• State (60)
• BV1
• Volunteer (60)
• BV1, R
• Disease Resistance
• None in Pole

• Pole Type (60 /-)
• Dade
• Kentucky Blue
• McCaslin
• Kentucky Wonder ?

57
Other Beans

• Roma Beans
• Roma II (58)
• BV1
• Horticultural Beans
• Supremo (72)
• BV1
• Teggia (?)
• BV1, R38

• Lima Beans
• Jackson Wonder (65)
• Bridgeton (74)
• D
• Forhook 242
• Fordhook 90-1
• D

58
Southern Peas

• Diseases
• Fusarium (F)
• Mosaic Viruses (M)
• Nematodes (N)

• Varieties
• Mississippi Pinkeye (70)
• F, M, N
• Mississippi Purple (70)
• Purple Hull Pinkeye
• Some strains tolerance to mosaic viruses

59
Garden Beet Varieties

• Diseases
• No major disease problems
• No tolerance or resistance
• Varieties
• Red Ace (53)
• Warrior (57)
• Detroit Dark Red (63)

60
Broccoli Varieties

• Diseases
• Black Rot (BR)
• Black Speck (BS)
• Downey Mildew (D)
• Hollow Stem (HS)
• Domed Heads
• Resist bacterial diseases

• Broccoli
• Packman (60)
• Premium Crop (65)
• D
• Arcadia (70)
• D
• Greenbelt (78)
• BR, BS, D, HS
• Shogun (?)
• Sultan (?)

61
Brussels Sprouts and Cauliflower Varieties

• Brussels Sprouts
• Hybrid
• Jade Cross E (85)
• Brilliant (90)
• Open Pollinated
• Prince Marvel
• Royal Marvel

• Cauliflower
• Snow Crown (63)
• High dome
• Candid Charm (65)
• Semi-dome
• Snow Pak (?)
• Several new hybrid varieties

62
Cabbage Varieties

• Diseases
• Black Leg (BL)
• Black Rot (BR)
• Black Speck (BS)
• Downy Mildew (D)
• Fusarium Yellows (F)
• Tip Burn (TB)
• Turnip Mosaic Virus (TuMV)
• Insects
• Thrip (T)

• Varieties
• Platinum Dynasty (65)
• BR, F, TB
• Blue Vantage (67)
• BR, BS, F, TB
• Bronco (78)
• F, TB, T
• Ramada (83)
• F, TB
• Red Dynasty (72)
• BR, TB
• Super Red 80 (82)
• TB, T

63
Sweet Corn Genetics

• su normal sugary
• se heterozygous sugary enhancer
• 25 kernels have se gene
• se se homozygous sugary enhancer
• 100 kernels have se gene
• sh2 shrunken-2
• Multi-gene types
• se, su, sh2 all expressed on 1 ear

Shh! Listen to the sweetness!!
64
Sweet Corn Diseasesand Kernel Color

• Diseases
• Common Rust (CR)
• Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus (MDMV)
• Northern Corn Leaf Blight (NCLB)
• Southern Corn Leaf Blight (SCLB)
• Stewarts Wilt (SW)

• Kernel Color
• Bicolor (BC)
• White (W)
• Yellow (Y)

65
Sweet Corn Varieties

• su Varieties
• Bicolor
• Sugar and Gold (67)
• SCLB
• White
• Silver Queen (93)
• NCLB, SCLB, SW
• Yellow
• Merit (88)
• SW

• se Varieties
• Bicolor
• Absolute (78)
• NCLB, SCLB, SW
• White
• Silver King (84)
• CR, NCLB, SW
• Yellow
• Incredible (83)
• CR, SCLB, SW

66
Sweet Corn Varieties

• sh2 Varieties
• Bicolor
• Bicolor Saturn (75)
• CR, NCLB, SCLB, SW
• White
• Millenium (82)
• CR, NCLB, SW
• Yellow
• Saturn (75)
• CR, NCLB, SCLB, SW

• Multi-gene Varieties
• Bicolor
• Providence (80)
• CR
• White
• Avalon (84)
• none
• Yellow
• Honey Select (79)
• none

67
Turnip Varieties

• Diseases
• Turnip Mosaic Virus (TuMV)
• Downy Mildew (D)
• Insects
• Aphids (A)

• Varieties
• All Top (35)
• TuMV, A
• Topper (35)
• TuMV, DM, A
• Seven Top (45)
• D, A
• Purple Top White Globe (55)
• none

68
Greens Varieties

• Recommended
• Mustard
• Southern Giant Curled
• Tendergreen
• Kale
• Dwarf Siberian
• Vates
• Collards
• Vates

• Local Favorites and For Trial
• Mustard
• Florida Broadleaf
• Green Wave
• Savannah F1
• Diseases
• No known tolerances

69
Okra

• Varieties
• Hybrids
• Annie Oakley II F1
• Cajun Delight F1
• North South F1
• Open Pollinated
• Clemson Spineless
• Diseases
• No known tolerances

70
Bell Peppers

• Diseases
• Bacterial Leaf Spot (BLS)
• Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)
• Phytophthera (P)
• Potato Virus Y (PY)

• Bell Varieties
• X3R Aristotle (71)
• BLS1,2,3, P
• Alliance (71 72)
• BLS1,2,3, CMV, P, PY
• Revolution (72)
• BLS1,2,3, CMV, P, PY
• Lafayette (Y) (72)
• BLS1,2,3

71
Colored Bell Peppers

• Tequila
• Blushing Beauty
• Macras
• Queen
• Valencia
• Canary
• Gold Finch
• Blackbird
• Dove
• Blue Jay

• Lilac to Red
• Yellow to Red
• Purple to Red
• Green to Orange
• Green to Orange
• BY to G/Y
• LY / LG / CY / Red
• P / G / Br / B / DR
• W / PG / C / Y / O / R
• G / L / Grape / O / R

72
Non-Bell Pepper Varieties

• Jalapeno Varieties
• El Rey (64)
• BLS1,2,3
• Grande (75)
• none
• Ixtapa X3R (75)
• BLS1,2,3
• Other Non-Bell Types
• Pimiento
• Serrano
• Habanero

• Non-Bell (cont.)
• Cubanelle
• Cayenne
• Banana
• Hot
• Sweet
• Chili
• Hot Cherry
• Anaheim
• Poblano / Mulato
• Poblano / Ancho
• Hot Portugal
• Italian

73
Sweetpotato Varieties
Variety Yield Pot. Skin Color Flesh Color Plus Minus
Beaure-gard High Copper Orange SP Slow sprout
Jewel High Copper Deep Orange N, Cork SP Crack
Centen-nial High Rose? Deep Orange Color Cook Unif?
Hernan-dez High Burnt Orange Deep Orange FW,N SP Too Many
74
Potatoes

• Variety Considerations
• White
• Kennebec main season sales leader
• Superior early season round white
• Red
• LaRouge main season large potatoes
• Dark Red Norland early season light red
• ND2224-5R main season dark red
• No disease resistance

75
Tomato Varieties

• Diseases
• Early Blight (EB)
• Verticillium Wilt (V)
• Fusarium Wilt (F)
• Fusarium Crown Rot (FCR)
• Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)
• Alternaria Stem Canker (ASC)
• Stemphylium Blight (S)
• Bacterial Speck (BS)
• Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV)
• Nematode (N)

• Varieties
• Celebrity (72)
• V, F1,2,, TMV, ASC, S, N
• BHN 640 (76)
• V, F1,2,3, TSWV
• Mt. Fresh Plus (75)
• EB, V, F1,2, N
• Amelia (80)
• V, F1,2,3, TSWV
• Sebring (77)
• V, F1,2,3, FCR, S
• Most Early Blight Tolerant Variety
• Mt. Supreme
• Totally Tomatoes

76
Pumpkin Varieties

• Diseases
• Powdery Mildew (PM)
• Zucchini Mosaic Virus (ZYMV)

• Varieties
• Magic Lantern (15)
• PM (hetero)
• Aladdin (20)
• PM (hetero)
• Magician (12)
• PM (homo), ZYMV
• Cannon Ball (4-5)
• PM (homo)

77
Specialty Pumpkin Varieties

• Edible Types
• Buckskin
• Small Sugar
• White
• Lumina
• Miniature White
• Baby Boo
• Cinderella Type
• Rouge Vif dEtempes
• Fairytale

78
Winter Squash Varieties

• Acorn
• Taybelle
• Taybelle PM
• Powdery Mildew
• Table Queen
• Butternut
• Butternut Supreme
• Ultra Butternut
• Waltham Butternut

• Buttercup
• Buttercup
• Ambercup
• Sweet Mama
• Spaghetti
• Vegetable Spaghetti
• Stripetti

79
Muskmelon Varieties

• Diseases
• Fusarium (F)
• Powdery Mildew (PM)

• Varieties
• Aphrodite (80)
• F0,1,2, PM1,2
• Odyssey (80)
• F0,1,2, PM2
• Athena (83)
• F0,1,2, PM1,2
• Eclipse (85)
• F0,2, PM

80
Yellow Squash Varieties

• Varieties
• Cougar (52)
• CMV, PRSV, WMV, ZYMV
• Lioness (52)
• CMV, PRSV, WMV, ZYMV

• Diseases
• Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)
• Powdery Mildew (PM)
• Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV)
• Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV)
• Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV)

81
Zucchini Squash Varieties

• Varieties
• Zucchini 718
• CMV, ZYMV
• Lynx (46)
• PM, PRSV, WMV, ZYMV
• Dividend (47)
• CMV, WMV, ZYMV
• Golden Delight (47) Y
• WMV, ZYMV

• Diseases
• Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)
• Powdery Mildew (PM)
• Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV)
• Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV)
• Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV)

82
Cucumber Varieties

• Diseases
• Anthracnose (A)
• Angular Leaf Spot (ALS)
• Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)
• Downy Mildew (DM)
• Powdery Mildew (PM)
• Papaya Ring Spot Virus (PRSV)
• Scab (S)
• Target Leaf Spot (T)
• Watermelon Mosaic Virus (WMV)
• Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus (ZYMV)

• Varieties
• Slicers
• Indy (59)
• A, CMV, PM, PRSV, S, WMV, ZYMV
• Stonewall (59)
• A, ALS, CMV, DM, PM, S
• Daytona (60)
• A, CMV, PM, PRSV, S, WMV, ZYMV
• Pickles
• Jackson Supreme (52)
• A, ALS, CMV, DM, PM, S
• Eureka (57)
• A, ALS, CMV, DM, PM, PRSV, S, T, WMV, ZYMV

83
Watermelon Varieties

• Seeded Types
• All Sweet
• Crimson Sweet
• Royal Flush
• StarGazer
• Stars n Stripes
• Royal Sweet
• Madi Gras

• Seedless Types
• Crimson Trio
• Scarlet Trio
• Tri-X-Shadow
• Tri-X-313
• Boston
• Diseases
• Some Anthracnose and Fusarium tolerance

84
Methods of Disease Control

• Cultural
• Site Selection
• Soil Tillage
• Crop Rotation
• Sanitation
• Utilizing Disease Free Seed / Transplants
• Seed Treatment
• Solarization
• Proper Planting Date

• Mulches
• Staking or Trellising
• Resistant Varieties
• Proper Watering
• Proper Plant Spacing
• Avoid Using Tobacco Products
• Proper Fertilization
• Insect Control
• Nematode Control

85
Methods of Disease Control (cont.)

• Biological Control
• Beneficial Bacteria
• Phages (?)
• Chemical Control
• Bactericides
• Fungicides
• Always follow label directions
• Make sure the product is approved for certified
  organic production

86
Methods of Insect Control

• Cultural Practices
• Site Selection (avoid sod)
• Crop Rotation
• Remove Crop Residues
• Promote Healthy Plants
• Time of Planting
• Companion Plantings
• Control Weeds
• Grow Resistant Varieties
• Harvest in a Timely Manner

• Mechanical Control
• Solarization
• During the summer months
• Reflective (Colored) Mulch
• Yellow repels aphids
• Silver repels thrips
• Physical Barriers
• Aluminum foil, small cans
• Hand Picking - Hornworms
• Cutting out Vine Borers
• Sweeping

87
Methods of Insect Control (cont.)

• Biological Control
• Predators
• Lady Beetle
• Small, soft bodied insects
• Ground Beetle
• Small, soft bodied insects, eggs, worms
• Lacewing
• Small, soft bodied insects, eggs, worms
• Damsel Bug
• Small, soft bodied insects, eggs, worms

• Spider (not and insect)
• Almost any insect
• Praying Mantis or Mantid
• Lazy and feed on beneficial insects
• Parasites
• Braconid Wasp
• Diseases
• Protazoa
• Bacteria (most effective)
• Fungi
• Virus

88
Methods of Insect Control (cont.)

• Chemical
• Common Insecticides
• Bt
• Entrust
• Safer Insecticidal Soap
• Rotenone (as a last resort)
• Always follow label directions
• Make sure the product is approved for certified
  organic production

89
Resistance Management

• Fungicides
• Rotate between products with different modes of
  action

• Insecticides
• Rotate between products with different modes of
  action
• Pay attention to life cycles and generations

90
Weed Control Methods

• Site Selection
• Select land without a history of severe weed
  pressure
• Select land free of difficult to control
  perennial weeds
• Perennial Weed Control
• Control at least one year prior to growing
  vegetables

91
Weed Control Methods (cont.)

• Produce the least competitive crop on the land
  with a history of the least weed pressure.
• Prevent weeds from going to seed.

92
Weed Control Methods (cont.)

• Plant in a timely manner into a well-prepared
  seed bed to reduce early weed pressure.
• Shallow cultivate as close to the row as possible
  without damaging the crop or crop roots.
• Grow low growing crops on raised beds.
• Utilize guided row cultivator

93
Weed Control Methods (cont.)

• Use mulches as a barrier to weed establishment.
• Synthetic
• Solid
• Woven
• Natural
• No-till
• Avoid weed seed

94
Plasticulture
95
Hilled
96
Stale Seedbed - Theory

• The Stale Seedbed Technique controls weeds prior
  to planting.
• After weeds emerge, kill them
• Cultivation

• Most weeds
• Germinate in the upper 2 of soil
• Geminate in the first 2 to 4 weeks after initial
  soil preparation
• 50 field capacity soil moisture
• 70oF soil temperature

97
Stale Seedbed Practice

• Once temperatures become conducive for weed seed
  germination, conduct any operation that disturbs
  the soil.
• Plow, Disk, etc.
• Incorporate any manure or fertilizer
• Let seedbed stand at least 2 weeks
• If no rain, then irrigate

98
Stale Seedbed - Practice

• When most of the weeds in the upper 2 have
  germinated
• Cultivate less than 2 deep

99
Solarization

• The use of the suns energy to sterilize the
  soil.
• Procedure
• 2 layers of plastic, separated
• Cover for 4 to 6 weeks
• June - August

100
Biofumigation

• The use of naturally occurring compounds to
  fumigate the soil.
• Brassica crops are very high in these compounds.
• Similar to Vapam MITC.

• Some Brassica crops contain isothiocyantes that
  are 50 times more effective than MITC.
• The use of seed meals instead of green product.

101
Solarization and Biofumigation

• Since solarization often produces sub-lethal
  temperatures, the 2 technologies are being
  combined.
• Solarization weakens the pathogen, biofumigation
  then kills it.

• Active biofumigation research at UT Dr.Carl
  Sams
• Web site for solarization
• http//agri3.huji.ac.il/katan/

102
Sources of Information

• OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute)
• Box 11558 Eugene, OR 97440-3758
  541-343-7600 541-343-8971 FAX www.omri.org

• Cooperative Extension Service
• County Faculty
• Specialists
• Good Books
• The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman
• Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control
  from Rodale Press