Back in my hippy-dippy days of the late 1960s and early ’70s, I was a devotee of the organic gardening movement with subscriptions to Rodale’s Organic Gardening magazine along with Prevention and Mother Earth News. My favorite cookbook was “Diet for a Small Planet” and Adelle Davis’ “Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit.” I had a fabulous organic garden and a very large compost pile. At that time, my passion for organic gardening was far from mainstream.
Fast forward 40 years and I am pleased to say that organic gardening and eating healthy have become the norm and it is very gratifying to see it happen. Here is a quick overview of the essence of what organic gardening is about:
At the heart of the organic gardening movement is the idea that healthy soil will produce healthy plants, so if we focus on keeping our soil healthy we will have far less insect and disease issues to deal with and our crops will be more nutritious. Feed the soil and not the plant.
A healthy soil consists of a chemical, physical and biological component. The chemical part refers to the nutrient content, the physical part refers to the structure and texture as in sand, silt or clay and organic material and the biological part refers to all those microscopic critters that we can’t see but we also can’t live without. It is the biological component that for the most part organic gardening is concerned.
We need to understand that there is a close association between plants and soil organisms. In the soil we can find fungi, bacteria, protozoa and arthropods to name a few. The fungi colonize plant roots and extend the root system into the surrounding soil. This relationship is beneficial because the plant enjoys improved nutrient and water uptake, disease resistance and superior survival and growth.
Here’s how it works: Mycorrhizal fungi attach themselves to plant roots and increase the absorptive ability of roots up to 1,000 times. Mycorrhizae are capable of releasing into the soil powerful chemicals that dissolve hard-to-capture nutrients like phosphorus and iron. Mycorrhizae release antibiotics into the soil that immobilize and kill disease organisms. They also increase the ability of plants to take up water, resulting in increased drought tolerance.
Mycorrhizal fungi improve soil structure by releasing humic compounds and organic “glues” that bind soil particles into aggregates, improving porosity. Soils with poor porosity tend to become waterlogged and disease prone. These little guys do a tremendous job of keeping our plants healthy and thriving.
The good news is that gardeners can improve the biological component of their soils by adding compost on a yearly basis and incorporating organic fertilizers that have been fortified with the addition of mycorrhizae. Paying attention to the biological element of our soils is good stewardship. Healthy soils make for healthy plants. Whether we are growing flowers and shrubs for our landscaping enjoyment or vegetables for our culinary pleasure, we need to remember the critical role of soil organisms.
Steve Smith is owner of Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville and can be reached online at info@sunnysidenursery.net.
Class
There will be an organic gardening class at 10 a.m. Saturday at Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville. Call 425-334-2002 to reserve a spot.
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