Term
| What is Organic Gardening? |
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Definition
| Organic gardening is a system inspired by processes that exist in nature |
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Term
| What is the biggest difference between organic and conventional gardeners? |
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Definition
| The difference is their attitudes toward using chemicals in the garden. Conventional gardeners rely on synthetic chemicals as an important source of plant nutrition and for quick remedies for pest problems. The organic gardeners use natural mineral supplements to boost soil fertility and botanically derived poisons to fight pests- but only as a last resort. Also the organic gardener looks first to long term biological processes to solve for fertility and pest problems |
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Term
| What is the eight point system in organic gardening? |
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Definition
1) Garden with a plan
2) make compost
3) feed the soil
4) keep the garden clean
5) learn to manage pest problems
6) practice disease prevention
7) banish weeds
8) keep records |
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Term
| Which makes a better garden, rows on level soil or raised beds 3 ft. wide, where everything is within arm's reach? |
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Definition
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Term
| What are some advantages of raised beds? |
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Definition
1) Better weed, disease, and pest control
2) more attractive
3) easier to keep clean
4) everything is within arm's reach |
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Term
| What is the basic principle that organic gardeners live by? |
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Definition
| Feed the soil and let the soil feed the plants. |
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Term
| What is the challenge for the Organic Gardener? |
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Definition
| To balance the soil so it provides all the conditions plants need to survive |
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Term
| What is the best PH range for garden crops? |
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Definition
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Term
| Should meat scraps be added to a compost pile? |
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Definition
| No, because the scraps will tend to increase the unwanted rodent population around the home as well as in the garden area |
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Term
| Why is organcic matter considered as the keystone of soil fertility? |
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Definition
| Organic matter supplies raw materials to earthworms, fungi, bacteria, etc. These organisms then break it down in the decay cycle. The complex compounds can then be absorbed by the plant roots, creating a natural recycling process |
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Term
| What detrimental side effects do synthetic fertilizers (chemical fertilizers) have on soil? |
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Definition
| 1) They are highly soluble and may leach through the soil and end up polluting groundwater, 2) they discourage soil microorganisms, so their populations are altered, and 3) they intefere with the breakdown of organic matter, enventually causing soil structure and water holding capacity to decline. |
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Term
| What percentage of the soil does each of the following components (air,minerals,water, and organic matter) comprise? |
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Definition
| Air- 25%; minerals- 45%; water- 25%; and organic matter- 5% |
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Term
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Definition
| A mix of decomposed plant materials that improves soil structure, provides nutrients for plant growth, and encourages beneficial soil organisms. |
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Term
| How does low soil pH adversely affect plant growth? |
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Definition
| By increasing soil acidity, and creating an imbalance in soil nutrients, resulting in an excess amount of metallic elements, (iron, aluminum, zinc, etc.) |
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Term
| In the cambium layer of dicot plants are two important plant tissues (xylem and phloem). What is the primary function of each? |
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Definition
| The xylem is primarily responsible for transporting food and water (Ex: nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium) through the plants roots up into other parts of the plant, and the phloem is primarily responsible for transporting food (sugars, etc.) made in the plant leaves to other parts of the plant |
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Term
| What is the estimated percent of carbon dioxide in the air? |
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Definition
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Term
| As mentioned during class lecture, the stomates in the plant leaves play a very important role in plant growth and development. What are two important functions of this role? |
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Definition
| Take in carbon dioxide from the air, and release water from the plant into the atmosphere. |
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Term
| Of all the water taken in by the plant for its sustainment, approximately how much of this water is actually retained in the plant to carry on its metabolic functions? |
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Definition
| 1%,, the remaining 99% is released into the air |
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Term
| How do plants obtain their energy? |
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Definition
| Through a process called photosynthesis |
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Term
| What are the two stages plants go through? |
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Definition
| Vegetative and reproductive |
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Term
| What is the primary function of lime in soils with low pH levels? |
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Definition
| To elevate the pH level to the point of creating an optimum plant growing environment for most garden crops |
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Term
| Where should one establish a garden? |
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Definition
| Try to select a garden site that is on well drained sandy loam soil with full sunlight. The garden should never be located (1) near the north side of a home, (2) under shady trees, (3) on wet land or, (4) on heavily stony or rocky soil |
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Term
| How should one prepare the soil in the garden for good seed germination and plant growth? |
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Definition
| Normally, the selected garden site will contain a number of different weeds during early spring or late summer and at the time of soil preparation for planting. If the weeds are sparse and in their early life stage, disking once or twice with a small farm tractor, garden tractor, or rototiller may be adequate to prepare a good seedbed. If the weeds cover more than 90% of the garden site and consist of a mixture of young and old matured weeds, then, they should be plowed under and left to decay for two or three weeks before disking once or twice for seedbed preparation |
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Term
| What should one do to determine whether there is adequate amounts of plant food (fertilizer) present in the soil of the garden site where his selected plants will be grown? |
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Definition
| Plants which will be grown need food just as humans in order to survive. They obtain most of their food (e.g. phosphorus and potassium) from the soil. Therefore, the gardener should contact the local extension agent for information about how soil samples should be taken from the garden site. When the samples have been taken, they should be sent off to a local laboratory to be tested for the presence of plant food. This test will result in recommendations as to the amount of organic fertilizer and lime that is to be added, if any, to the soil for maximum plant growth. There may be a small fee for this laboratory service, but is minimal compared to the benefits derived. |
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Term
| Where and how should soil samples be taken from one's garden site? |
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Definition
| Using a soil probe, take soil samples (9-10 samples 6-8 inches deep at various locations in a garden site aobut 1000 square feet) from a selected garden site. Place all samples into a clean bucket (plastic if possible), and mix thoroughly. Then spread a mix out on a clean surface and allow to air dry over night. Place about a pint of the dried mix into a plastic bag and seal it in a firm cardboard box to be sent to a local soil testing laboratory. Check with a local county extension agent about where to send the sample and how to interpret the results of the soil test. |
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Term
| How should one arrang the planting of his garden so that maximum sunlight may reach all plants? |
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Definition
| Plant all tall growing plants such as sweet corn together on one side of the garden so that they will not block the sunlight from the lower growing plants such as summer squash or snap beans. Don't plant seed too deep. Plant small seeds such as collards and carrots about 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep. Plant larger seeds, such as squash, beans and peas about 1 inch deep. Check with your local county extension agent about planting arrangements. |
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Term
| Should one water his garden? |
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Definition
| Yes, it is very important that the garden be watered. Plants need water to survive just as humans. Try to apply about one-inch of water per week using a lawn sprinkler, but drip irrigation is preferable. If a sprinkler system is used, water early in the mornings so that the plants can dry before night. The drip irrigation system uses less water than a lawn sprinkler because it places the water directly around the plant root system where it is neeed most. Garden crops are less liely to be attacked by diseases when a drip irrigation system is used because the water is dripped from small holes in a plastic tubing pipe which flows directly onto the ground, thus avoid wetting the top portion (foliage) of the plant. Diseases thrive better on moist foliage than dry foliage. Check with a local garden supply store for a plastic drip irrigation kit (contact an extension agent to help set it up); if it is not available, then use your lawn sprinkler. Any watering system is better than no watering system. |
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Term
| Should on stop caring for his garden after the plants have been established and growing well? |
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Definition
| No, continue to water the garden as needed, and maintain a good watering schedule throughout the growing season. Observe young growing plants closely (particulary the transplants) for diseased plants. If diseases plants are detected, remove them from your garden in an effort to prevent the disease from spreading to neighboring plants |
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Term
| How long should one wait before he begins cultivating his garden for weed control? |
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Definition
| Since it is difficult and recommended not to use herbicides to control weeds in a garden, one should try to remove weeds from his garden in their early stage of growth, as soon as they are seen, If the weeds are allowed to continue growing in the garden, they will eventually rob the selected crops of valuable food from the soil. These weeds will compete with desirable plants for moisture as well as harbor insects which may be destructive to the garden. |
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Term
| What should one do to control destructive insects in his garden during the growin season? |
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Definition
| Check with your local county extension agent and inquire about the proper organic insect controls to use on the garden crops. Once the controls have been selected, apply them as instructed on a timely basis. A poor schedule is almost as bad as no schedule. Try to apply the insecticides early in the morning while most insects are not active in an effort not to destroy any beneficial insects such as bees; they help pollinate certain crops |
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Term
| What should one do besides rotation of crops annually to control plant diseases in the garden? |
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Definition
| Plant diseases are to be highly respected. When diseases are detected in the garden, all that one can do is try to control them if possible. Diseases are one of the main crop destroyers; thus, a good preventative program is strongly suggested. One must ensure that the seeds are transplants used in the garden are certified and disease free, purchased from a reputable distributor. If this is done, then you are off to a good start, but remeber diseases can stil attack your plants by way of the soil, insects, wind, rodents, and by man. Therefore, it is very important that the garden crops be observed closely on a daily basis for signs of diseases. Control diseases in their early stage by applying the proper disease control to the plants. Check with your local county extension agent for the proper fungicide or bactericide to use on the plants |
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