ORGANIC PEST MANAGEMENT

This is part 4 of a series reprinted with permission from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. In an ongoing effort to become the best educated consumers possible, we felt it important to share what the US Department of Agriculture has to say about what certified organic is and is not, and also the practices they approve. Last week we learned about OMRI Certificaion and how it fits into Organic Certificatied practices.

Pest Management Continued Although certified organic products are free of common synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, certified organic producers may use approved pesticides and apply fertility amendments to their crops.(OMRI Certified Products Some of the more popular organically approved fertilizers include manure-based products and items mined from the earth such as lime, potassium sulfate, and sodium nitrate. Some approved pesticides include Safer Brand EndALL Insect Killer (using pyrethrum from specific plants in the daisy, or Aster, family), DiPel (using Bacillus thuringiensis, a naturally occurring soil bacterium), and Conserve Fire Ant Bait (using a byproduct of the soil bacterium Saccharopolysora spinosa).

DEFINITIONS
Pest: Any organism (bacteria, viruses, fungi, weeds, insect, or other animal) causing economic damage to a desired plant or landscape.

Pesticide: Any material or substance that causes harm to a pest. Examples of NOP-approved pesticides are oil spray, pyrethrum, and copper sulfate. Examples of pesticides not used in certified organic production are glyphosate, (editor’s note: glyphosate is an herbicide, not a pesticide) hydramethylnon, and carbaryl.

Fertilizer: A material or substance that contains one or more of the 16 essential nutrients for plant growth. Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are derived from air and water; nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca), boron (B), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), chlorine (Cl), potassium (K), sulfur (S), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), and zinc (Zn) are derived from natural and synthetic materials. Fertilizers can be plant based, as in compost tea; mineral based, as with dolomitic limestone; or synthetic, as in a crystalline, water-soluble brand such as Miracle-Gro Plant Food or an encapsulated slow-release brand such as Pennington Lawn Food.

This article did not include information about herbicides (a substance that is toxic to plants, used to destroy unwanted vegetation), probably because they are not utilized at all in any type oganic production. Next week we will look at Levels of Organic Foods & What it Means for Home Gardners

MARKET CHITCHAT

Wasn’t Friday Splendid? It was a joy to work in the fresh air with the nice breezes that occasionally came through. As always we enjoyed seeing each of you and count it a privilege to serve you with the Wiregrass’s freshest healthiest farm products!

Viki Richter will be managing the Dothan Pickup location next Friday as Ros handles a family situation. Thank you in advance for showing her every courtesy. She and Kathy are treasures we don’t take for granted!

New & Relisted Products – Woo-Hoo!

• Lemon Bundt Cake from Laura’s Confections
• Jumbo Blueberry Muffins from Laura’s Confections

THIS WEEK’S GROWER NOTES

We have the best Growers in the Wiregrass! Please learn more about them on our Grower Page.

DANNY’S GREENS Danny’s rotation system was hit pretty hard by the three weeks of heat and drought our region just experienced. The young lettuce beds did not grow at all and the more mature beds grew much slower than normal. He could not plant for future harvest because lettuce seed does not germinate in super hot weather. So Danny is taking a few days to let his beds catch up before posting again. He’ll be planting summer varieties next week that should be ready in July. The existing beds seem to be perking up with the break in the weather.