Lesson number one is to find information from reliable sources. There is a lot of noise, and consequently misinformation regarding organic gardening on the internet and out in the real world. Reliable sources would include the University of Florida or any College of Agriculture from any state university. Florida's would obviously contain more localized information for our area. The Florida Organic Growers Association is a trustworthy source, as is the Organic Materials Review Institute.
The USDA National Organic Program was developed to bring uniformity to all commercial farms who claim to produce organic food products. Part time organic farmers, who gross less than $5,000 a year are not required to be certified, but are required to comply with the NOP standards.
The backyard gardener, who makes no money from their bounty is not allowed to use NOP labels. That doesn't mean we can't follow organic standards. If you have your mind set on organic veggie gardening for your own use and to share with your friends and family, here are some tips:
Remember that in order for a producer to become certified organic, they must be participating in a system. The system of plant production must follow certain steps which maintain the organic integrity. How do we follow a system? Let's start with the soil. Begin with a soil test from your local Extension Office. Find out what the soil needs or doesn't need. We can amend our soil by building up organic matter. Hay, leaves, pine needles, etc. all contribute to enriching the soil and assisting its moisture retention value. Composting is a fantastic way to add amendments to the soil. Use yard debris, shredded paper and table scraps to build a healthy compost pile. Do not throw in any animal products except egg shells. Problems with E. coli and other infectious diseases are leading us away from the use of raw manure of any type. There are commercially available processed manures, such as Black Kow, which we can utilize as a safer method of applying nitrates.
The next step is to obtain the seeds or transplants. Very few organic transplants are available. Unless you come across a certified farmer who is selling them, they are hard to come by. How do you know the seeds you buy are organic? Look for the certified organic label.
Only food products and their seed can be certified organic. So, how do we know the other items we use in gardening are approved for organic production? "Inputs" such as fertilizer and pest control products that carry a seal of approval from OMRI are what UF recommends to retain the integrity of your personal organic garden. Cultural practices go a long way to help reduce critter and weed problems. Rotate your crops each season. Study the plant families. Don't put that same plant family in your garden plot each season. This will discourage the pests who are looking for a free buffet of their favorite foods. Use cover crops when your garden is not in use. This will discourage weeds, keep the soil in place and add nitrates to the soil when you plow it under. Fish emulsion products are very beneficial to your garden's nutrient requirements. Read the label for when, where and how to use them. When applying fish emulsion products, don't wear clothes you have any attachment to!
Below are links to the publication Organic Vegetable Gardening in Florida, as well as to the organizations mentioned in this article.
Happy Gardening!
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/HS/HS121500.pdf
http://www.foginfo.org/
https://www.omri.org/
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop
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