Sustainable vegetable farming is only possible if people are able to use and adapt organic matter.
This is because it improves the soil and prevents it from becoming overgrown and hardening. Increases water retention capacity so that worms and other microorganisms can absorb air into the soil and slow down erosion and the later stages of decay so that organisms can release nitrogen and other nutrients that help plants to grow.
Such a strategy is old but now it is coming back because the traditional way of using synthetic materials such as fertilizers and pesticides has damaged the soil and destroyed it or organic matter so this will not be used for replanting.
So where do we get this living thing? Believe it or not, the best kind of living thing comes from animal manure. Burning is best because you can apply this directly to the soil but this should only be done in the fall and plowed to give enough time for sufficient breakdown and ammonia to release before the start of the planting season.
If you cannot find new animal manure, you can use the dried version sold in nursery and garden stores.
For those who do not use compost, you can use compost instead. This can be done with pieces of grass, leaves, food debris and other plant material. Cheap but its nutrition is very low.
There is another type of compost better known as green manure. You do not use any animal waste here but instead plant a cover crop in your garden and cultivate it below to add organic matter to the soil. The best way to maximize this is to not use the garden for one season.
You can also plant green manure in the fall and plow it down with a plow or a large tarp in early spring. That way, you can use your garden regularly while at the same time building the soil.
Annual ryegrass is a great example of making green manure and covering. This should be planted 1 to 2 feet per 1,000 square feet. If this is not available, you can use seed rye or wheat and place it at 3 to 4 feet of 1,000 square feet. This helps to prevent weed growth and for this to work properly, wait at least 2 weeks before you start planting.
Sewage is also a good source of biological resources. There are two types of milled mud and dried mud.
The first is relatively low quality. It contains from 1 to 3 percent nitrogen and should be used only during the autumn. But you should be careful when using it because it sometimes contains iron ions which are not good for use in vegetable gardens.
The second is the dried mud that is separated from the rough solid material, infused with microorganisms and ventilated. This is better than any other because it is filtered, dried and tested. It contains 5 to 6 percent of nitrogen and 5 to 7 pounds [5 to 7 kg] can cover an area of 100 square feet [100 sq m].
Note that these two types are different from dirty water. That being said, never use that in the garden or any soil.
Sustainable vegetable farming is possible only with organic matter. Now that you know this, choose compost, manure or mud.
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