Evgeniy Sedov

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

Content

Human health directly depends on nutrition. Eating foods with GMOs or grown with the use of pesticides and fertilizers leads to irreversible consequences for the body. Modern agronomists propose turning to the experience of our ancestors and making natural farming the basis of agriculture.

Organic farming - what is it?

Ecological farming differs from traditional soil cultivation by its gentle approach to natural ecosystems existing in nature. The use of pesticides and deep cultivation has become detrimental to the land, reduced fertility, disrupted the natural cycle of substances, and negated the benefits of worms and microorganisms. Eco-farming is based on the awareness of the free interaction between soil, plants, animals, and organic residues, while humans should play the role of a helper, not a pest.

Organic Farming Basics

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 labor-intensive and lead to high material costs with low efficiency. Natural farming on a farm or garden plot leads to minimal costs, while allowing for a good harvest every year.
2. Mulching is the main method to improve soil quality and create favorable conditions for natural system. Mulch is straw, sawdust, hay, fallen leaves, roots and trimmed weeds - everything that covers the beds on top protects the black soil from excessive evaporation of moisture, erosion and hypothermia.
3. Reasonable feeding, which is designed not to destroy beneficial microbes and fungi that utilize organic matter, but to give them the opportunity to multiply, suppress pathogenic bacteria, fix mineral elements, and process everything that can serve as natural humus.

Agriculture according to Ovsinsky

The initiator of parting with the classical method of digging up a vegetable garden was the Russian scientist I.E. Ovsinsky, author of many scientific works, an agronomist by training. Agriculture according to Ovsinsky - perfect way let the earth recover on its own without interfering with the natural course of nature. As evidence, the innovative breeder in 1899 wrote the work “New Farming System”, in which he argued for minimal plow intervention in the soil structure, which ensures environmental friendliness environment and obtaining high-quality, safe products.

Organic farming - Kizima method

Galina Kizima can be considered a modern authority on the benefits of organic farming. Having received her PhD degree, the woman seriously took up issues of increasing productivity through the correct approach to soil cultivation practices. Organic farming using the Kizima method has become widespread and is described in books and articles. The basic principle of her garden is the three “don’ts”: don’t weed, don’t dig, don’t water. The author introduced the concept of a “smart” garden bed into use, personal experience proved the effectiveness of her method.

Organic farming – beds

Create conditions for plants in the beds similar to those existing in wildlife, the agricultural technology of natural farming is called upon. The goals of the method: improving the quality and volume of the harvest, preserving natural fertility while saving time and effort. To bring this idea to life, the following are used:

• gentle loosening of the top 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 asked by rural residents and owners of garden plots. The answer is encouraging: you can transfer your homestead to a completely new system, known as “organic beds,” at any time of the year, but the most suitable is considered autumn period. In practice main task agriculture will be the rapid restoration of the upper fertile layer, the correct selection of means of protection, the maintenance of the natural ecosystem, and its preservation 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 soil cultivation spoils the soil, has the opposite effect on it, making it heavy, dry, lifeless, hard as stone. As practice shows, this can be avoided using certain techniques:

• divide the area 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 soil is unprotected and less fertile;
• Regularly mulch the soil to a depth of at least 10 cm, which will reduce the growth of weeds, protect plants from pests and exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and ensure long-term retention of moisture in the soil.

If you decide to grow an environmentally friendly, rich and healthy crop for yourself and your family according to the principles of natural farming, but the plot does not yet meet these principles, you should apply the recommendations and advice described below step by step. Perhaps you will have doubts whether growing vegetables, herbs and berry crops using natural farming techniques will really become easier, more interesting, the soil will be more fertile and you will get good harvests. In this case, select part of the site, at least a few beds.

So, how can you quickly switch to natural farming if you have a plot of land that was cultivated using the agricultural technology of conventional, traditional farming?

Firstly, to make caring for plants easier, it is necessary. These can be either conditionally defined beds within the boundaries of row spacing, or fenced with any material - border tiles, bricks, slate, logs. Only there is small nuance: It is not recommended to bury the border fence too deep underground, so that the root nutrition of the plants occurs not only from the bed itself, but also from the space between the rows.

Unlike conventional farming, when the beds are quite wide and not very easy to maintain, and the row spacing is narrow, in smart farming the opposite is true. To ensure uniform illumination of plants, to provide them with sufficient space for development, as well as convenience when caring for plants, the beds are made from 0.5 to 1 m wide, and the row spacing is about 1 m. In addition, the beds are located along a line from north to south - so plants will get the maximum sunlight, and will not obscure each other. For residents of the central and northern regions, where plants do not receive enough spring and autumn heat, it is recommended to place the beds at a slight slope to the south, since it is believed that a slope of 1 degree is equivalent to moving the site 100 km to the south. When constructing beds, you can also solve the problem with spring flooding of the site - make raised beds– boxes raised above the main ground level.

To quickly improve soil fertility in the beds and mix it with the soil. Coarse sand is added to non-sandy soils to improve their looseness and heat capacity. This rather labor-intensive procedure is necessary only at the beginning, and later soil fertility is achieved by sowing green manure, mulching and adding organic matter. To “start” the soil, you can populate it with earthworms, which you can dig up in wet soils forests, near streams and rivers. And in order to saturate the soil with beneficial microorganisms necessary for processing organic matter, spill it with a solution (for example, Siyanie, Vostok, Baikal...).

If you decide to switch to natural farming in late summer or autumn, it is good to sow in the beds. It could be white mustard, Shrovetide radish, sweet clover, winter rye, vetch... One type of plant - green manure or a mixture of several are sown shallowly in fairly dense rows, or scattered under a rake. By winter, your soil will be covered with a green carpet, which will protect the soil from freezing and weathering, and when decomposed, will fertilize it and give it structure. In the spring, two to three weeks before sowing the main crops, green manure is cut with a flat cutter to a depth of 5-7 cm and left on the soil as mulch.

If you do not plan to sow green manure before winter, then the soil must be covered with a layer of hay, straw, and fallen leaves. The mulch layer covering the beds and row spacing acts as a blanket for the soil - it retains heat in cool weather, and in hot weather it protects the soil from high temperatures. In addition, mulch preserves soil moisture and structure; condensation occurs on it due to the difference between day and night temperatures, and as it flows down, it moistens the soil. In addition to the beds, paths should also “work” for the benefit of the crop, which should be mulched; organic residues can be added to them under mulch, or they can be sown with lawn grasses.

At the end, after preparing the beds and paths, if there is no rain, the area is well watered, since both air and moisture are necessary for the life of soil animals.

in spring next year In order for the soil to warm up faster, we free our organic beds from unrotted mulch, which we rake into the aisles. When the soil warms up enough for sowing seeds, we cultivate the soil with a flat cutter to a depth of 7 cm, loosening top layer soil, and then, after cutting grooves, we sow. After sowing, lightly mulch the beds, and as the plants develop, add mulching material so that its layer is from 5 to 10 or more centimeters.

Video seminar of the Center for Natural Agriculture in Ufa " First steps in natural farming»

So, to switch to natural farming you need to:

• Prepare the beds
• Fill the beds with organic matter
• Sow green manure
• Mulch
• Minimal tillage.

Currently, the popularity of growing vegetables at home is growing rapidly. Many residents of large cities and megalopolises are starting to buy suburban areas to provide yourself with healthy food with minimal pesticide content. Such an activity does not require large investments and can be done by every average person. Therefore, every year the number of gardeners and gardeners is growing steadily.

About the technique

So that the future occupation brings good results, you need to take care of it in advance proper preparation soil composition. Important, so that the soil in the selected area was breathable and fluffy with a high nutrient content. In this case, you will be able to grow strong and fertile crops.

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

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

When preparing a garden bed for an upcoming activity, it is not necessary to dig up the soil. Instead, the soil must be carefully loosened using a fork. For cleaning rows you can use a flat cutter to remove weeds and other unwanted plants.

All preparatory work include leveling beds and the space between them in a ratio of 1:2:

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

If you are using the same bed, digging up the soil is not necessary, because... As crops grow and develop, humus will begin to accumulate in the soil, which will give it looseness and moisture.

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

• sawdust;
• humus;
• I will weed the grass;
• peat;

Organic farming in the country should begin with a small bed, the size of which is constantly increasing.

Where to start

You need to start organically growing vegetable and fruit crops by choosing the right one. planting material. It is highly not recommended to take any seeds that catch your eye, because you will not have any guarantees of their quality. The selection of suitable specimens should be taken with special responsibility.

Don't forget What individual species plants require complex care and increased care. In addition, they are highly susceptible to all sorts of diseases and pests, which are quite difficult to get rid of. Among such plants are tomatoes.

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

Explore morphological features Specific plants can be found using instructional videos or instructions that come with a packet of seeds. For farming to be as successful as possible, it is necessary to provide planted green spaces a number of mandatory supplements:

When preparing a good substrate for farming in the country, it is not necessary to use fertilizers. When applying large amounts of fertilizer, there is a risk of the development of 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.

It is known that yields decrease when a crop is grown in the same place for several years. This is not strange, because in the place permanent disembarkation characteristic harmful microorganisms accumulate, which not only impair fruiting, but also pose a great danger to the plants themselves. To prevent this from happening, it is enough to change the planting location on a specific bed every year.

For such purposes, you can use a special diagram and table that mentions the order of planting plants in the beds. It is known that some green spaces are susceptible to the same diseases, so they cannot be planted in one place. To give you an idea, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes and peppers are all vulnerable to the same problems. The same goes for watermelon, squash, cucumbers and pumpkin.

Caring for plants during organic farming in the country

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

Mulch based on organic materials is especially effective because... it can be decomposed. It is known that weeds attract all kinds 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 effective fight with 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 the plants, because wet leaves and other green parts strongly attract pests;
• Spraying and watering using the sprinkling method cannot be carried out. It is better to supply water with a hose, which is placed directly at the trunk;

In order for the crop to bloom fully and yield maximum, it is necessary to provide the plants with free access to a source of oxygen. This is also done using root fertilizing To make the procedure 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 maintain a good air flow and regularly weed the bed.

If you plant flowering plants along the edges of the garden bed, they will begin to attract beneficial “guests” who will not only protect the crop from pests, but will also become good pollinators.

Organic growing of vegetable and fruit plants will be successful if you combine it with planting marigolds, zinnias, nasturtiums, purple coneflowers and other flowers. Despite a number of difficulties that may arise, you must understand that the end result is worth all the effort.

Mulching the soil

Starting to grow plants in your garden is easy. The main thing is to correctly follow the basic recommendations and avoid irreparable mistakes. Important principle successful development planted crops is to mulch the soil. This action implies providing 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 sun rays. In addition, it protects the soil from moisture evaporation and the rapid growth of weeds.

Under natural conditions, the ground is always covered with growing or dried grass, leaves and other organic deposits, so it practically never dries out. summer time, and does not succumb to intense frosts in winter. When using mulch, it is possible to provide favorable conditions similar to natural ones. Subsequently, the used layer rots and turns into humus, which increases soil fertility. Choice good materials must be responsible. It is better to give preference to various natural raw materials, including fallen leaves, mown straw, sawdust, pine 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 to use green manure - special plants that have a positive effect on the soil composition and can be a good alternative to organic and mineral supplements. 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 channels 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.

When practicing organic farming in your dacha 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 mid-summer. With a lack of such substances in the soil, growth cultivated plants and crop yields are rapidly deteriorating. To reliably enrich the soil, it is enough to use special products based on living microorganisms. Among them, proven over years and experience Many gardeners use compost, which helps quickly saturate the substrate with useful elements. Besides, active substances from the composition of compost allow plants to absorb mineral fertilizers more productively.

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

If you want to engage in organic farming, you need to take into account such a feature as the influence of green spaces growing nearby. It is known that some plant species coexist freely with each other, while others cannot tolerate such “neighborhood” and negatively affect the soil and their neighbors.

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

Let's sum it up

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

Study the topic in as much detail as possible, watch training videos and take advice from professionals. This will definitely bear fruit.

We used certain methods of natural farming on our own plot when we still lived in the city in our house. Then there were individual successes in certain crops. But it was not possible to achieve a full harvest, due to a lack of attention and, most importantly, as I understand now, due to a lack of integrity in understanding the issue of agriculture.

And only when we began to “apply the whole range of natural farming techniques” did we begin to get a more or less full-fledged harvest of vegetable crops in our garden. I will repeat my thought: individual techniques work on their own, but full-fledged results can be obtained by applying the entire complex of developments.

We cultivate only the top 5-7 cm of the soil, i.e. we don’t dig the ground! Digging, as well as rotation of the layer during mechanical plowing, leads to mixing of soil layers. And then the aerobic (breathing) soil microorganisms of the upper layer are buried deep in the soil, and the deep anaerobic (non-breathing) “residents” are placed on top, this leads to the destruction of both. When digging, many worms are also “cut off”. So why dig if this destroys the main “miners” of the soil (microorganisms and worms), which form the fertile humus of the soil. Digging also disrupts the natural porous structure of the soil. There is only one answer: DON'T DIGGING! We cultivate the soil with a Fokin flat cutter and hoe. If desired, you can use a garden fork to “loose” dense areas without turning over the ground.

Cover the soil with mulch(a thick layer of organic matter), this allows you to retain valuable moisture in the soil in the summer, prevents the growth of “weeds”, acts as a fertilizer, promotes the activity of soil microorganisms, and also protects the soil from freezing in winter. As you can see, there are many “pluses”. The meaning is the following: in nature, the soil is always covered! For example, in a forest with leaves, in a meadow with plant debris. We do the same. All beds all year round We are covered with hay, wood chips, sawdust, cardboard, we use everything we have at hand!

We use green manure plants. Green manures are fast-growing plants with a developed root system. We use it for structuring and deep loosening of the soil. Some of them enrich the soil useful substances(legumes). Green manure tops are incorporated into the soil as fertilizer or used as mulch. For example, my mother talks with delight about her experience of planting mustard (green manure) in the garden, immediately after harvesting. He says that in the spring these beds, even without digging, have surprisingly loose and fertile soil.

Mulched beds go into winter in this form.

Crop rotation. Every season we change the place where crops are planted, i.e. we change the purpose of the beds. Why? Because plants in the process of life produce substances that are poison for the same crop, i.e. this is how plants fight competitors of their own species.

Mixed plantings. We try to plant different crops together. We are moving away from monoculture, with all its disadvantages (competition, pests). Various plants have roots of different lengths, peak activity in different times, they need different nutrients. Therefore, they do not compete, but often contribute to the creation of favorable conditions for their “neighbor.” There are very successful classic combinations: onions with carrots; marigolds planted next to cabbage repel pest butterflies; phacelia mixed with potatoes reduces the population of the Colorado potato beetle, etc.

We do not use any synthetic fertilizers, poisons, growth accelerators, etc. These additives disrupt the natural balance and are poisons for all living organisms, including humans.

The use of natural microorganisms and fertilizers. We liked using homemade fertilizer and making an infusion of herbs. It’s simple, fill a 50-liter barrel with water, put plant tops in there, more nettles, a little wormwood, any herbs you want... Place it in the sun. After a few days (readiness is determined by the pungent smell), the infusion of natural microorganisms and herbal extracts with nutrients is ready. It must be used additionally diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. By watering our beds with this solution, we noticed a noticeable increase in the plants; they began to look stronger and healthier.

What are the benefits of using these methods?

First, healthy living soil is formed: structured, with many soil channels. In the beds under mulch, the soil is loose, soft, moist, even on hot, dry days it is teeming with life, a huge number of microorganisms, insects and worms. This year we practically didn’t water our beds; it all came down to watering and fertilizing several times a season. From year to year the soil becomes more fertile and the layer of humus increases! And then the essence of farming is fully revealed (making land!)

Secondly, there is less work: no digging, no watering. We weed much less, because there are fewer weeds. And we have a different attitude towards weeds, they are more “employees” of the garden, more often they do not interfere, at least until they obviously begin to crush the “cultivated plant”. There are fewer pests, which means less hassle associated with them.

Thirdly, we get complete, healthy, tasty fruits that are well stored due to the absence of diseases in them.

As well as a decrease in acreage with a constant increase in the quantity and quality of the harvest!

We don’t destroy weeds, we control them. In moderation it does not interfere.

— We try to use sustainable, time-tested plant varieties. Zoned, folk selection and from trusted suppliers. We do not use hybrid seeds; we create our own seed fund.

— To cultivate virgin soil for future beds, we used a “chicken tractor.” In the summer, chickens live and graze on virgin soil in a mobile pen, eat vegetation, fertilize the soil, and partially loosen it. Then we move the chickens further, and on the prepared soil we loosen 5 cm, mulch and the bed is ready.

— Holzer recommends constructing natural reservoirs and water reservoirs on the site. Lake or pond. They will help improve the level groundwater in the area, humidity during the dry period, stabilize the temperature during short-term frosts. That is, reservoirs create favorable conditions for gardening. So last year we dug a pond and a lake on the estate.

— We create different microclimatic zones on the site. Next to the reservoirs, protective earthen ramparts (ridges) 1.5 and 3 m high were built from the excavated soil.

Now, on the terraces, slopes of ridges (especially the southern slope), and coastal zones, warm or humid, windless favorable conditions have been created for the growth of appropriate plants.

Season 2013

The first beds on the estate began to be planted in the fall of 2011, and in 2012 they continued to increase the area under crops. We have a large plot - 1.5 hectares. In the first year of development, the question arose: where is the best place to locate the vegetable garden? We need to find the zone of greatest vegetation. That is, the place where the vegetation is most lush, tall, strong grass. Vegetables will grow beautifully there too.

In the past gardening season of 2013, we set the task of providing ourselves with basic vegetable crops for the summer and root vegetables for the winter, in order to eliminate the purchase of vegetables as much as possible. We have prepared several new beds; we are making the beds stationary, with passages between them. The peculiarity of our site is that it is located on virgin soil, a former hayfield. There are gullies running through the estate that collect flood waters. Lowland, the place is quite wet, there are mature trees along the ravines on the site. The vegetable garden was located next to summer kitchen and home, in the area of ​​permanent residence of people.

We have our own observations: in Bashkortostan recent years hot and dry, with virtually no precipitation in the second half of summer. Therefore, beds with root crops located in partial shade (sun in the morning, shade in the afternoon) provided best result, as they did not dry out in the heat.

In spring and autumn, planting continued on the estate fruit bushes and trees, planting hedges along the border of the site.

This year we tried to implement all the Natural Farming methods recommended above in a comprehensive manner. And it “worked” - the harvest was obtained and they worked with interest. We observed all stages of plant germination, since we live on the estate all the time.

All summer we ate cucumbers, tomatoes, greens, new potatoes, and carrots. For the winter we prepared pumpkin, turnips, potatoes, carrots, beets, radishes, and rutabaga. And we received all these gifts without much trouble.

The son demonstrates the summer harvest.

Our daily diet now includes dishes made from our own vegetables! We receive great pleasure from the gifts of the earth. And most importantly, the work is going on for the future, because the soil is becoming more and more fertile and ready to produce high yields.

Albert Ibatullin,
settlement of family estates (village) “Chik-Elga”,
Republic of Bashkortostan

Virgin soil processing. In the first year in advance (or early spring, as soon as the snow has melted) cover with mulch up to 50 cm, we mainly use hay. In May, we rake the mulch to the side and hoe the top 5-7 cm and loosen it. If necessary, use a pitchfork to “loose” dense areas. That's it, the soil is ready! We use mulch again in this bed.

Transplanting. We spread the mulch, make a hole, and plant a bush. We move the mulch tightly around the stem, in a thick layer of 20-30 cm. Watering is not necessary; as a rule, it is damp under the mulch. Feed with herbal infusion two or three times in June, then observe, if it is damp under the mulch, there is no need to water.

Planting seeds. The bed is already covered with mulch 15-20 cm thick. We spread the mulch in rows and make furrows. Press the mulch (hay) well between the rows. We sow. Even if the furrow dries out, the spaces between the rows under the mulch are moist.

Planting large seeds. Garlic, onion sets, beans, beans, peas, sunflower. We dig through the mulch and stick in a seed.

Potato. We plant under hay, directly on the surface of the ground, or even on a layer of mulch. Cover the top of the tubers with a thick layer, and as they sprout, add mulch again around the bushes.

Weeds. There are few weeds in the treated soil under the mulch, but you need to monitor them so that they do not grow too much. If you feel that they are starting to interfere with your plantings, cut them back with a flat cutter or by hand and leave them right there as mulch.

Autumn tillage. After harvesting, we cover the beds again with mulch. If desired, you can first loosen the soil with a flat cutter.

Growing primarily environmentally friendly products on your personal plot 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 defenders of this method of organizing gardening and gardening work.

What is it

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 basics of this method of working with land were developed at the end of the 19th century by agronomist and breeder I.E. Osinsky. But then the turbulent 20th century, with its shift toward intensive agriculture, made his ideas irrelevant. And yet, the method proposed by the scientist was not forgotten, and now, out of a fashionable passion 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 natural and organic way 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 of compliance with the relevant standards, and not only for the vegetables or fruits themselves. The entire farm and the growing technologies it uses must be fully certified, as well as the packaging in which the products are packaged, and even the type of delivery to the consumer.

Organic Farming Basics

The organic farming system is based on a fundamental thesis that defines the earth as a living system, an organism, by influencing which a person can completely destroy the soil ecosystem formed over centuries. As a result, the earth will cease to bear fruit in the way that it is capable of doing so 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 also try to dig deeper so that not a single root of harmful plants remains in the garden bed. Why are we doing this? But because everyone does it, did it before us and will do it after us! What if we knew more facts about how the soil works, how our behavior would change?

Let's give a few examples. Example. “500 kg of vermicompost per year or a couple of Kamaz trucks of brought manure” During research, scientists found that in the soil of just one hundred square meters, untreated with chemicals, there are approximately 200 kg of bacteria and microorganisms, approximately the same number of worms. And all these workers produce 500 kg of vermicompost in 1 year. We appear, obsessed with the idea of ​​cleaning out the garden, digging it up with two shovels, with a tank for treating plants against pests at the ready.

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

In the lower layer, 10 to 20 cm deep, 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. Digging and turning over the earth, happily cutting the inverted lump, slamming it a couple of times with this wonderful tool, wiping sweat from the forehead, we mix the layers, and anaerobic bacteria, having got to the top, die from excess oxygen and high temperature, and aerobic bacteria suffocate in the lower layer and cannot withstand the new temperature regime.

For those who love sports and extreme sports, we can suggest starting to walk on your hands in order to feel the difference in sensations after changing body position and get closer to understanding what happens to the earth after our impact on it.

We dug up the ground and were surprised that the weeds had not disappeared. 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 tolerate such “storage” in the cool lower soil layers just fine. And to the top we raised weed seeds from the lower layer, which, having access to light, begin to actively develop and grow. But we worked hard and were very tired!

Example. “Not a speck, not a blade of grass” Let’s imagine the following picture: an ideal vegetable garden, even beds “with a string”, no weeds, rows of well-groomed cultivated plants. It is good 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 truly hot days, our plants become noticeably weaker and stop growing. It’s okay, we’ll water them generously and add fertilizer!

However, when watering, we notice that the water is poorly absorbed; literally, when it rolls off the bed, the top layer of soil acquires light shades and dust forms. Breaks and cracks appear on the paths. 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 cushion of leaves, branches, pine 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 your back, which took the blow. 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. This was once called: leaving the land “fallow.” Weeds actively grow on such soil. The earth begins to heal itself, since the weed is a shelter for the top layer of soil and a future nutrient medium - after it rots in the winter.

But if you don’t want to stop gardening, you can start applying the principles of organic farming.

There are not many of them, but if you follow them, in a couple of years you can put the soil in your dacha in order and at the same time stop spending a huge amount of time and effort working with the soil. The “DO NOT DIG” principle To implement it you must:

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

The principle of “Carry out mulching” Mulch - protective layer, which performs several functions:

• protection against weathering of the top soil layer;
• maintaining optimal temperature in the soil, protecting it from overheating;
• control of weeds, since mulch suppresses their growth;
• formation 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 processed, turning into organic fertilizer.

Mown grass, weeded weeds (before they form seeds), straw, processed bark, pine needles, foliage, and sawdust can be used as mulch.

The principle of “Helping the earth, fertilizing with “green” green manure fertilizers” Growing green manure allows you to replace the application of manure and chemical fertilizers. They nourish the earth and heal it. These plants include: mustard, phacelia, buckwheat, oilseed radish, beans, lupine, vetch, oats, rye. 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 in the beds, helping each other to develop, repel pests and form a harvest;
• the use of non-chemical methods of controlling diseases and pests;
• replacing 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 using deep plowing with a plow turning over a ball of earth, and provided convincing evidence of the harm from this method of tillage. The book provides indicators of increased yields and soil fertility in cases where intervention in the soil structure is minimized. In addition, the scientist proved that the earth, if left alone for a year (not growing any crops), will recover on its own. Organic farming was subsequently built on these principles.

Kizima method

Those who start looking for information about the basics of natural farming will definitely find information about Galina Aleksandrovna Kizima. At 80 years old, she continues to farm independently, calling her plot “a 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 Aleksandrovna is a practitioner, and her proposals about the rules and technologies for growing different crops are not theorizing, but an assessment and demonstration of the actual results obtained.

Its technology is built on three basic principles: no digging, no weeding and no watering. By acting in this way, we not only save our energy, but also help the earth fulfill its purpose: to grow crops. Using Kizima’s books, you can study the principles of natural farming, or, as Galina Aleksandrovna calls it, the biodynamic method of farming, starting from the stage of preparing beds and ending with the cultivation of individual crops.

beds

Beds in organic farming are not just straight rows with beautiful edges. To organize them correctly, you need to work a little. Perhaps this stage of working with the soil will be the most labor-intensive, but incomparable with the efforts that have to be made for digging or plowing.

Firstly, it is necessary to mark out the area for the beds, calculating not only the width of the planting area itself, but also making the correct paths - row spacing. They should be wide. Of course, not everyone is ready to make such an “uneconomical” use of land, making paths 60-80 cm wide, and the beds themselves 45-50 cm wide. 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 have a positive effect on the general condition of the crops during the growing season and will increase the yield.

Secondly, the beds must be prepared in advance: not on the eve of sowing the plant, but in the fall. There are several ways you can do this. 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 rot or remain as the first layer of mulch, although it will be quite thin; it will have to be further increased after planting the plants. Way. Filling beds with organic matter is essentially the process of forming warm beds. To do this, furrows with a depth of at least 40 cm are dug, and this is the only case when you will have to pick up a shovel when setting up a garden. Next, branches are laid in layers, organic materials, fresh grass, soil, after which the bed is covered with mulch cloth.

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

Where to start

Start transition from classic way To grow plants according to the principles of organic farming in your garden plot, you need to study this technology. It is important to decide whether the gardener is ready to accept such a philosophy of working with the soil, or whether he strongly doubts its effectiveness.

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

That is, spend one or two seasons agrotechnical work natural ways: stop digging, cover the ground with mulch, plant green manure, stop using chemicals or reduce their amount by at least half. Then all that remains is to compare the results and draw conclusions.

Practice

If a gardener decides to learn the basics of natural farming, he must understand that starting from scratch will not immediately achieve amazing success. The earth must regain its strength, so tangible results will be visible in the second year of using organic agricultural technology. 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 soil, treat the plants with chemicals and do not comply with crop rotation requirements, active positive changes will not occur. What does a farmer gain when he begins to maintain 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 frequently and is not as abundant as with classical agricultural technology.
3. Plants get sick less, grow stronger, and increase productivity, so smaller quantities can be planted.
4. The composition of the soil improves, and even heavy clay soils become easier to cultivate.

Cons

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

The earth's ecosystem is changing, new viruses and diseases are appearing, which sometimes cannot be combated only with biological products. The earth does not have time to develop immunity against new pathogenic flora. Therefore, in some cases, gardeners either completely stop growing crops that are susceptible to diseases that need to be treated chemicals, or in extreme cases they 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 natural control methods against them yet; in this case, the use of chemistry is also possible.