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ORGANIC and SUSTAINABLE
GARDENING
Organic Gardening
What do the following have in
common?
Apples, Strawberries, Grapes, Celery, Peaches,
Spinach, Sweet Bell Peppers, Imported Nectarines,
Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Imported Snap Peas,
Potatoes.
Reggie Reeves
Reggie Reeves
Certified Master
CertifiedGardening
Master Gardener
What do the following have in
common?
• They make up the Environmental Working Group’s 2014
“Dirty Dozen List.” Compiled annually since 1995 using
USDA and FDA data, this list includes the 12 foods that
show the highest levels of pesticide contamination after
normal washing and peeling. These would be good
foods to buy or grow organically.
• 5 Fruits (Fruits typically have the highest levels of
residual chemicals)
• (Meat fat, milk and coffee are also discussed as having
high levels of pesticides. Meat and dairy products also
often contain growth hormones and antibiotics)
What is Organic Gardening?
• Organic Gardening is a system of gardening that
attempts to utilize only sustainable, ecologically sound
gardening practices.
• Rejects the use of artificial pesticides.
• Rejects the use of chemical fertilizers.
• Emphasizes building soil organic matter and relies on
natural sources of supplemental nutrients.
Why Organic Gardening?
A 2010 report by The President’s Cancer Panel entitled,
“Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do
Now,” says:
• “Exposure to pesticides can be decreased by choosing, to
the extent possible, food grown without pesticides or
chemical fertilizers …Similarly, exposure to antibiotics,
growth hormones, and toxic run-off from livestock feed
lots can be minimized by eating free-range meat raised
without these medications.”
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Why Organic Gardening?
• Many synthetic pesticides and fertilizers have been
documented to cause a significant reduction in soil life
and fertility, as well as cause an accumulation of salts in
the soil.
• Healthy soil has lots of organic matter and is alive with
microorganisms and invertebrates, and naturally cycles
nitrogen and other nutrients to your plants.
• Focus on building and feeding your soil, and let your soil
feed your plants.
Seed Catalogs
• Seed catalogues provide a good deal of information
about each variety of vegetable and fruit that you might
want to grow
• They provide more choices, including organic, heirloom,
and disease resistant varieties of vegetables and fruits
• Some mail order seed companies specialize in organic
and heirloom vegetable seeds and fruit/nut trees,
including: Seed Savers Exchange; Southern Exposure
Seed Exchange; Seeds of the South; Seeds of Change;
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds; Territorial Seed Company;
D. Landreth Seed Company; and Johnny’s Selected
Seeds.
Soil Test
• Soil Test Kits are available from Ag Extension.
• Collect, combine, and dry soil samples from throughout
your garden.
• Add dried soil to the test kit box, complete the soil test kit
form, and return to Ag Extension.
• Carefully review the soil test results, and apply at no
more than the rate recommended. (See Fertilization
Section)
• You may wish to convert the inorganic fertilizer
recommendation to an organic one. (See Fertilization
Section for information on converting your inorganic
fertilizers to organic)
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Cover Crops and Soil Preparation
• In the fall, plant cover crops such as clover, oars, winter
peas, hairy vetch, and cereal rye, and then turn them into
the soil before they go to seed to add nutrients and
organic matter.
Composting
• Composting is an essential, fundamental principal of
organic gardening, and is the cornerstone to improving
soil fertility and tilthe.
• Or, gather and add at least 2 inches of organic matter to
your soil. Good sources of organic matter include
compost, coffee grounds, composted manure, shredded
leaves, and grass clippings from chemical free lawns.
• Composting is the ultimate recycler, diverting what might
otherwise be “waste” from your kitchen, yard, and
garden, into a rich organic fertilizer and soil amendment.
• Add lime if your are using significant amounts of coffee
grounds to control acidity.
• Anyone can compost anywhere!
• In late winter, incorporate organic matter by lightly turning
the soil to a depth of about 4 inches, preferable with a
pitchfork or broad fork. Break up clods and discard rocks
and roots.
Composting
• Collect kitchen scraps in a small container located under
the kitchen sink or other convenient location. Add all
kitchen scraps except meat and dairy products to this
container.
• Stainless steel kitchen composting bins are
recommended and can be found at many local retailers,
including World Market, Valley Growers, Target, etc.
• Composting diverts useable nutrient rich materials from
the waste stream and provides free organic matter and
nutrients for you garden.
Composting
Composting
Homemade Compost Bins Include:
• Purchase or make an outside compost bin.
• Composting can be as simple as piling chopped yard
waste such as grass clippings, leaves and garden waste
in a corner of your yard, adding kitchen scraps, and
turning the pile occasionally to keep it aerated.
• Your compost bin or pile should be about 3 to 4 feet tall
and wide. You may need more than one, so that as one
bin is filled it can continue to compost while you begin to
fill another.
• Wire Bin - a 3 to 4 foot high length of fencing or concrete
reinforcement wire formed into a circle 3 to 4 feet wide.
• Pallet Bin – 4 wood pallets stood on their edges and
wired or bolted together to make a 4-sided enclosure.
• Barrel Bin – an approximate 55 gallon plastic food grade
barrel with ½ inch holes drilled in it for aeration.
• Wood Slat Bin – Built with cedar lumber and/or wire
fencing material. Often built as a 3-bin system to allow
continuous composting throughout the year.
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Homemade Compost Bins
Barrel Bin
Homemade Compost Bins
Wood Pallet Bin
Homemade Compost Bins
3 Bin Compost Station
Wire Fence Bin
Composting
Black Soldier Fly Larvae
140 Degrees
Raised Beds
• Raised beds allow you to focus your soil improvement
efforts on the specific areas where you are growing
crops. They also tend to drain well and warm up a little
earlier in the spring.
• Raised beds can be as simple as raking soil up to form
elevated rows that are higher than the paths between
them, or they can be made more permanent by using
boards or other materials to contain them.
• Do not use pressure treated lumber, as many of the
chemicals used to treat such lumber are generally not
labeled for use in contact with food crops. Untreated
cedar is preferred, though pine treated with linseed oil or
other natural wood sealer can be safely used.
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Raised Beds
Raised Beds
Water Harvesting
Rain Barrels
• A rain barrel can be made using an approximate 55
gallon plastic food grade barrel connected to a
downspout, with a standard water faucet placed at the
bottom and an overflow placed near the top.
• Be sure to direct overflow away from the foundation of
your house, and to screen the top inlet opening to keep
mosquitoes and debris out.
• Elevate your rain barrel as much as possible to generate
good water flow at the outlet faucet.
• Plastic food grade barrels can be found locally at the
Farmers Co-op, Farrer Brothers, etc. Fittings can be
found at most hardware stores.
Water Harvesting
Rain Barrels
• If possible, place rain barrels in the shade or on the east
or north side of your home or other structure to reduce
heat gain from direct sunlight.
• Clean your rain barrel at the end of each season, and
leave disconnected from your downspout for the winter,
or use a water diverter in your down spout to divert water
from your rain barrel on through your downspout.
• Some studies suggest that rain barrel water should not
be applied directly to the leaves or fruit of vegetables
due to possible contamination from shingles, bird
droppings, and algae growth. If this is a concern, use
rain barrels to water shrubs, trees, flowerbeds and
potted plants, and as a soil drench around vegetables.
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Rain Barrels
Basic Homemade Setup
Screened Inlet
Homemade Rain Barrels
Ready Made Rain Barrels
Water Harvesting
Water Harvesting
Air Conditioner Condensation
Air Conditioner Condensation
• During the summer months your A/C unit will produce
and discharge as much as 5 to 10 gallons of pure,
distilled water per day. The higher the humidity, the
more water it produces.
• Locate your A/C condensation discharge drain pipe and
place a 5 gallon bucket under it.
• Some discharge drains are located at or near ground
level and may need an extension pipe or hose to reach a
location low enough to place a collection bucket under it.
• Or, you may need to excavate a hole in the ground near
your drain and place your collection bucket in the hole
below ground level to catch condensation either directly
from the discharge drain pipe or from an extension pipe
or hose.
• Be careful not to block or obstruct you’re A/C
discharge drain!
• Enjoy free distilled water all summer!
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Fertilization
• If your soil test recommends fertilizers and other soil
amendments, consider using OMRI listed (Organic
Materials Review Institute) or NOP listed (National
Organic Program) fertilizers, or make your own.
• Always read and follow all label instructions!
• An objective of organic gardening is to build your soil
fertility and let your soil feed your plants.
• By using organic gardening practices, you may over time
be able to increase soil fertility enough to greatly reduce
or even eliminate the need for added fertilizers.
Fertilization
• Primary nutrients are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and
Potash or Potassium (K), as well as trace elements.
• If your soil test recommends fertilizers, apply a ready
made organic fertilizer at the rate and ratio
recommended.
•
A publication entitled, “Converting Soil Test Results to
Organic Fertilizer Recommendations”, is very helpful and
is available from the Georgia Cooperative Extension.
Service
http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=
C853
Organic Fertilizers
Fertilization
• Homemade organic fertilizer recipe by Steve Solomon.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/OrganicGardening/2006-06-01/A-Better-Way-to-Fertilize-YourGarden.aspx
• Some organic sources of fertilizers and their
approximate analysis follow. Consider using OMRI or
NOP listed products when possible.
• The following materials should be readily available at
most garden centers, and may be combined to equal the
approximate fertilizer recommendations from a soil test.
• Source: University of Georgia Extension
Organic Fertilizers
• Blood Meal: (12-1.5-0.6) Medium to rapid release,
derived from dried slaughterhouse waste.
• Alfalfa Meal: (3.0-1.0-2.0) Slow to medium release, seed
meals are derived from the processing of vegetable oil.
• Bone Meal: (0.7 to 4.0-11.0 to 34.0-0) Slow to medium
release, derived from dried slaughterhouse waste.
• Cottonseed Meal: (6.0-2.5-1.7) Slow to medium release.
• Fish Emulsion: (5.0-2.0-2.0) Medium rapid release.
• Granite Dust: (0-0-6.0) Slow release, trace elements.
• Greensand: (0-1.0 to 2.0-5.0) Slow release, also
improves structure of clay soils.
• Soybean Meal: (6.7-1.6-2.3) Rapid release.
• Kelp: (0.9-0.5-1.0) Slow release, also contains a wide
rage of trace minerals, growth regulators, and natural
hormones.
*Most organic fertilizer constituents also improve soil
structure by adding organic matter.
• Colloidal Phosphate: (0-18.0 to 24.0-0) Slow release,
derived from marine deposits, 2% of Phosphorus is
available per year. Can also use Rock Phosphate.
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Organic Fertilizers-Free Stuff!
• The following materials can usually be found or gathered
for free for use in your garden!
• They act as both fertilizers and soil conditioners by
adding nutrients and organic matter to your soil.
• They are generally added to your garden beds and
incorporated into the soil in the fall and winter, or are
added to your compost bin.
Source: Organic Lawn Care Manual, Paul Tukey
Organic Fertilizers-Free Stuff!
Organic Fertilizers-Free Stuff!
• Coffee Grounds: (2-0.3-0.3) Slow release, should be
balanced with wood ash or garden lime.
• Compost: (1-0.5-1) Slow release, balanced fertilizer, the
basis of organic gardening.
• Grass Clippings: (4-1-3) Slow release, should not come
from chemically treated lawns.
• Cover Crops: (.75-.2-.5) Slow release.
Organic Fertilizers-Free Stuff!
Free Leaves
Free Coffee Grounds
• Leaves: (.8-.4-.2) Slow release, should be finely
shredded.
• Dried Manure (Horse): (0.6-0.2-0.5) Slow release,
should be well cured.
• Dried Manure (Steer): (2.0-0.5-1.9) Medium release,
should be well cured.
• Wood Ash: (0-2-6) Rapid release, will raise the soil pH
similar to lime.
Organic Fertilizers-Free Stuff!
Compost Tea
• Compost tea can readily be made from well cured
compost using only a small aquarium pump, a bubbler
stone, mesh bag and 5 gallon bucket.
• Add a scoop of compost to a mesh bag and place the
bag in a 5-gallon bucket of water.
• Add 1 tablespoon of blackstrap molasses to the water.
• Place bubbler stone in bucket and turn on the pump.
• Your compost tea should be ready in about 24 hours.
• Compost tea is a slow release balanced fertilizer and
mild fungicide.
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Organic Pest Control
Types of Pests
• Two basic categories of pests
Organic Pest Control
Horticultural Practices
• Insecticides should be used as a last resort, and used
beginning with the least toxic. First try alternatives.
– Piercing and sucking: very difficult to control,
generally a contact pesticide is required and must be
sprayed directly on pests.
• Many pests and their eggs can simply be hand picked.
– Chewing: easier to control, can generally be
controlled by spraying a liquid pesticide (stomach
poison or neurotoxin) on plants being affected.
Affects only pest which are consuming your plants
and only after being consumed by the pests.
• Keep your garden clear of debris, and practice proper
crop rotation year to year.
• Use row covers or insect netting on crops until the first
blooms appear.
• Grow flowering plants in your garden to encourage
beneficial insects.
• Attract birds by providing perches, feeders, and water.
Pest Control
Pest Control
Organic Pesticides
• If pesticides are needed, consider using homemade or
purchased OMRI or NOP listed products, spray only
when and where needed, and only late in the day after
most beneficial pollinators are no longer active.
• Beneficial Essential Oils: Made from the oils of various
plants, including clove, wintergreen, cinnamon, rosemary,
and peppermint.
• Always read and follow all label instructions. Just
because a pesticide is labeled for organic use doesn’t
mean that it is not dangerous to humans and wildlife.
• Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis): A naturally occurring
bacterium that is used to control foliar feeding caterpillars
and worms. It affects the pest once it is ingested.
• Generally speaking-insecticidal oils and soaps are nonselective and must be sprayed directly on the pest to be
effective; while those that are first sprayed on plants and
then consumed by pests are more selective.
• Citrus Oil: Coats and suffocates pest.
• Some common organic pesticides follow.
Source: Good Bug, Bad Bug – Jessica Walliser
Pest Control
Organic Pesticides
• Horticultural Oils: Controls soft bodied pest by
dehydrating and suffocating them.
• Insecticidal Soap: A contact pesticide made from fatty
acids that controls pest by dehydrating and suffocating
them. Can be bought ready to use or can be homemade.
• Iron Phosphate: Used to control slugs and snails, and is
not harmful to pets. (Pets that ingest conventional slug
bait may become sick) Breaks down into iron and
phosphorous.
Organic Pesticides
• Diatomaceous Earth: Made from the crushed
exoskeletons of microscopic sea organisms. Controls
soft bodies pest by lacerating their bodies and thereby
dehydrating them.
Pest Control
Organic Pesticides
• Kaolin Clay: A naturally occurring clay from the
weathering of aluminous materials such as fieldspar. It
is a white powdery clay that deters pest from landing on
vegetables and fruits, creates an unsuitable surface for
feeding and egg laying, and acts as an irritant to the
pest.
• Milky Spore: A naturally occurring bacterium that
controls grubs, but does not harm other forms of soil life
or mammals.
• Neem Oil: Made from the seeds of the tropical neem
tree. Does not harm soil life or mammals. Is effective
against a wide range of pests and also serves as a
fungicide.
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Pest Control
Organic Pesticides
• Pyrethrins: Made from the powdered, dried flower heads
of a species of chrysanthemum. Do not use the
synthetic form called pyrethroids. Pyrethrins are a fast
acting contact pesticide effective against a wide range of
pest, but also affects many beneficial insects and aquatic
life, and should be used only with caution and as a last
resort.
• Spinosad: Derived from the aerobic fermentation of a
bacterium found in the Caribbean Islands in 1982,
Spinosad is effective against a wide range of pest, but
has a low toxicity against most beneficial insects. It
activates the nervous system of pest causing loss of
muscle control.
Pest Control
Label Your Pesticide Sprayers!
Pest Control
Homemade Organic Insecticidal Soap, Horticultural Oil,
and Fungicide
• Insecticidal Soap: Combine 2 teaspoons of dishwashing
soap in 1 gallon of water, and apply with a 1 quart spray
bottle or larger 1 gallon pump sprayer to control soft
bodied pests.
• Horticultural Oil: Combine 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
and 1 teaspoon of dish soap in 1 gallon of water, and
apply as a spray on dormant fruit trees.
• Fungicide: Combine 2 tablespoons of baking soda or
potassium bicarbonate and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
per gallon of water to use as a fungicide. (Cautionbaking soda adds small amounts of sodium to the soil)
Pest Control
Other Methods
• Wooden spoon and an inverted plastic milk carton with
the bottom cut out and a collecting bag attached to the
spout.
• One part canola oil and one part soy sauce in a shallow
dish placed in the garden will attract and trap pest.
• Beer in a shallow dish will attract and trap slugs.
• Cordless shop vaccum with diatomaceous earth in the
collecting bag.
• Foil or cardboard roll from tissues or paper towels around
the base of individual plants.
Pest Control
Pest Control
Insect Netting
Insect Netting
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Pesticide Bee Safety
Pesticide Bee Safety
• Honey and other bees are required for the pollination of
many vegetable and fruit crops. Without adequate
populations of bees, production of many crops would be
impossible.
• Apply insecticides only when bees are not actively
foraging. Honey bees are active primarily from morning
through early afternoon, therefore many insecticides can
be safely applied in the late afternoon or evening.
• Bees may be killed while foraging on blooming plants
that have been treated by certain pesticides. The
greatest hazard, however, is from insecticides, such as
carbaryl (Sevin), Penncap-M, nicotinoids and others,
some of which may be unintentionally carried with pollen
back to the hive.
• Be very cautious when applying insecticides to
vegetables and fruits that are in bloom.
• Dust and wetable powder formulations tend to be more
hazardous to bees than granules and emulsifiable
concentrates.
• It is a violation of federal law if you do not apply
insecticides according to the label!
• READ THE LABEL! Are there bee precaution
directions listed under environmental hazards?
Pesticide Label
• Read and Follow the Environmental Hazards
Example: Spinosad (organic)
– Is toxic to bees for 3 hours following treatment, and is
toxic to aquatic invertebrates. Do not apply to
blooming, pollen-shedding, or nectar producing parts
of plants if bees may forage during this time period.
– Max Number of Applications Per Season (beans-6)
– Min. Number Days to Wait Before Reapplying (beans5)
– Min. Number of Days to Wait From Last Application to
Harvest (beans-3)
Organic Weed Control
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Horticultural Practices
Establish permanent raised beds.
Use grass clippings, shredded leaves, straw, etc. as
mulch around plants in beds to suppress weeds, retain
moisture, and suppress soil born diseases.
Maintain a thick layer of wood chips or a grass and
clover mix in paths between beds.
Weed by hand diligently.
Carefully hoe around plants when necessary.
Use cover crops or a thick layer of organic matter when
beds are idle.
Use corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent weed control.
Do not use until after garden seeds have come up.
Use 1 gallon of 5% acidity vinegar with 1 tbs. of dish
soap and 1 tbs. of vegetable oil as a post-emergent
weed control. Apply as a spray. Works best on annual
weeds, and when temperatures are high.
Organic Weed Control
Cover Crops
Mulch
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Renewable Garden Structures
Native River Cane
Renewable Garden Structures
Native River Cane
Garden Structures
• Consider growing native river cane (Arundinaria
gigantea) as a source of renewable garden structures to
support plants, to use as trellises, fences, etc.
• Canes can be harvested annually and will regrow.
• Native river cane does spread, so be sure and plant it
where it can be contained or where it can be allowed to
spread.
Other Organic Gardening Tips
• Select disease resistant varieties of vegetables and
fruit trees (see seed catalogues or web-search for
disease resistant varieties of vegetables, or of
particular fruit trees-like apples, peaches, pears, etc.)
• Disease resistant varieties are not disease proof, but
are much less likely to contract diseases, thereby
often reducing the need to control diseases.
• Disease resistant varieties are not pest resistant
Organic Lawn Care
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Aerate annually
Fertilize with seed meals or compost
Dethatch as needed
Overseed annually at appropriate time (warm or cool
season) (reconsider Bermuda grass-extremely invasive!)
• Sow a low growing white clover into your lawn to help
add nitrogen, color, and to provide nectar for bees
• Consider migrating to chemical free lawn care:
http://www.safelawns.org/blog/
http://www.organiclawncare101.com/
http://www.rodale.com/green-lawn-care
Organic Lawn Care
• Consider using a push type reel mower to maintain small
lawns, or portions of larger lawns, and rechargeable
electric mowers, trimmers, and blowers to reduce gas
and oil consumption, emissions, and noise.
• Mow frequently and at correct height
• Leave grass clippings on lawn
• Apply compost tea 2 to 4 times a year
• Use corn gluten to control weeds and add nitrogen
• Pull or spot treat weeds as needed
• Apply beneficial nematodes or milky spore to control
grubs if necessary
Garden Design Magazine - April 2011
Michele Owens
• Forget the Chemicals: Organic soils encourage a greater
balance and diversity of mocrobes to serve plants and
better control pathogens.
• Add Organic Matter: Compost, cover crops, manure, and
mulch offer habitat to beneficial soil creatures.
• Rethink the Tiller: Tilling disrupts soil communities and
fungal networks.
• Consider Heirloom Vegetables: Plant varieties that
precede the development of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides.
Source: The Organic Lawn Care Manual-Paul Tukey
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Helpful Resources
UT Extension Publications:
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Guide to Spring-Planted Cool-Season Vegetables (SP 291-0)
Guide to Warm-Season Garden Vegetables (SP 291-P)
Fall Vegetable Gardens (SP 291-G)
Organic Vegetable Gardening (PB 1391)
Managing Landscape and Garden Waste (PB 1578)
Composting Yard, Garden, and Food Waste at Home (PB 1479)
Disease Resistance in Recommended Vegetable Varieties for Home
Gardens ( SP277K)
Tree Fruit, Tree Nut and Small Fruit Cultivar Recommendations for
Tennessee (PB746)
Helpful Resources
Helpful Resources
Books
State and Federal Government Resources
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UT Ag Extension-eOrganics
http://www.extension.org/organic%20production
UT Organic and Sustainable Crop Production
http://organics.utk.edu/
TN Department of Agriculture-Organics
http://tennessee.gov/agriculture/marketing/organics.html
USDA National Organic Program
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
http://attra.ncat.org/
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Good Bug, Bad Bug – Jessica Walliser
The Organic Lawn Care Manual – Paul Tukey
Carrots Love Tomatoes – Louise Riotte
The Organic Manifesto – Maria Rodale/Eric Scholser
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – Barbara Kingsolver
The Omnivore’s Dilemma – Michael Pollon
Mini Farming – Brett Markham
Square Foot Gardening – Mel Bartholomew
The Winter Harvest Handbook – Elliot Coleman
Root Cellaring - Nancy and Mike Bubel
Putting Foods By – Janet Green, Ruth Hertzberg, Beatrice Vaughn
Decoding Gardening Advice: The Science Behind the 100 Most
Common Recommendations - Gillman, Jeff
Helpful Resources
Television Programs
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Volunteer Gardener
Victory Garden
Growing a Greener World
Other Web Sites
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Resource Guide for Organic Insect and Disease Management
http://web.pppmb.cals.cornell.edu/resourceguide/
Organic Materials Review Institute
http://www.omri.org/
Safe Lawns
http://www.safelawns.org/index.cfm
Thanks!
Questions?
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