Artistic Arborist, Inc. - Complete Tree Health Management
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Artistic Arborist, Inc. - Complete Tree Health Management |
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(602) 263-8889 |
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Organics For Landscape Horticulture On June 25-26, 2003 Artistic Arborist hosted Jeff Frank, Director of the Nature Lyceum and one of the original Green Guerrillas, for a 2-Day Course in Organics. Speakers were brought from around the United States who spoke of their experiences integrating organic methods to the realm of landscape horticulture and arboriculture. The big buzz words were composts, compost teas, biodynamics, rock dust, horticultural vinegar, humic acids and organic fertilizers that are now gradually being used in the industry. Representatives of companies who manufacture these products were on hand to discuss their products and distributed samples to the participants. Among the new challenges to using these products is getting information on the rates of application, especially with regard to compost teas. It was unclear exactly how the different compost teas were brewed and where the best compost starting materials could be obtained. One of the speakers, Mr. James Sotillo, discussed his success in setting up a tea brewer inside a box truck beside his spray tank. This was to insure that the tea was brewed fresh daily and kept aerated while it was in the truck. He also discussed the importance of good aeration and preventing anaerobic conditions from forming in the tea brewer, as anaerobic microorganisms were detrimental if applied to the soil. He also mention the difference between food sources for the microorganisms and the type of microorganisms that are desired in a healthy tea. The different food sources include molasses- a source of simple sugar which promotes bacterial growth versus the complex carbon compounds found in fish emulsions, humates, yucca and kelp extracts that promote fungal growth. There is a F:B ratio, (Fungal:Bacteria) that is beneficial to different types of landscape plants. For example, conifers benefit from fungal dominated teas (F:B = 1000), while deciduous trees prefer lower fungal ratios (F:B = 100). Turf grasses prefer bacterial dominated teas (F:B = 0.1) and bedding plants favor more equivalent ratios (F:B = 1-10). How do you know what type of tea you have can be determined by lab tests. Another interesting presentation was made by Laura Riccardi of the Josephine Porter Institute of Applied Biodynamics Inc. She spoke of "Preps" which are preparations made from cow manure stuffed in bovine horns that are aged underground using methods developed by Rudolf Steiner back in the 1920's and 30's. These preps are then mixed with water and sprinkled onto the land with amazing results. She also spoke of how planting and harvesting according to the phases of the moon can have a profound outcome on productivity and flavor of food crops. It was very wild stuff! Other speakers included Steve Shellet, who spoke of the transformation of his lawncare business into organics. We also heard from Glenn Batten from Mother Earth Organics.com who told of his Feedback Liquid Compost product, a compost tea concentrate that can be used in place of freshly brewed teas. Mark Smallwood talked about the efforts of running an organic farm in Connecticut where he grows organic free-range chickens for the local market place. Finally, Kathleen Rugerio spoke about personal health care and the need for antioxidants and organically grown food in our diets. The participants received a good introduction into field organics and got a lot of new ideas about how things can be done differently. The next day they went to work and started trying it. © 2003-2004 Artistic-arborist.com, Inc. All rights reserved. |
