Today I’m pleased to introduce you to an infographic I found on visual.ly, brought to us by northcarolinahealth.com
This graphic has a lot of great info for the beginner with growing organically. I personally prefer the no-till method
to planting cover crops but either way not allowing soil to remain bare is crucial to keeping soil healthy.
It’s important to note the line “chemicals developed for military applications were applied to agriculture” in reference to chemical fertilizers. After WWII there was a huge surplus of nitrates that had been used to make explosives that needed to be disposed of and the chemical fertilizer industry was born. With this came several decades (and it’s still going on) of corporations and government subsidizing chemical methods over organic.
Feeding soil rather than plants is a sure path to success. Plant disease, nutrient deficiencies and the presence of insect pests can all be used as clues to the health of your soil.
Mulch conserves water so it’s best to keep a thick layer on top of your soil but not right against plant stems. Regardless the method you try, you’ll have to find what works best for you in your climate. hope you’ll try organic methods if you’re not already.
From Visually.