postings: 8
countries: Philippines, South Africa, USA (Maryland, Texas), Virgin Islands
organizations/institutions/companies: Cornell University, Minifarms Network, University of Maryland, University of the Virgin Islands

From: Gail Andrews
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
Subject: Home gardening- most pertinent points of no- tillage and the use of legumes.
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003

I have been asked to write an article for a home gardening magazine on the advantages of No-till and the use of legumes. This would be for South Africa.
I was wondering if any one could help with basic information that the home owner could apply. or What would the most pertinent points be for a home owner?

Gail Andrews
South Africa, Rand Water, Horticulturist

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Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2003
From: "Raymond R. Weil"
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu
Subject: Re: Home gardening- most pertinent points of no- tillage and the
use of legumes.

Gail,

You might find the following on line magazine article to be of interest.
--Ray

Michalak, P. 2003. Are you killing your soil? An interview with soil scientist, ray weil. [Online]. Available by Rodale Institute (verified January 22). http://www.newfarm.org/columns/ray_weil/0103.shtml

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From: "Peter Hobbs"
To: <MULCH-L@cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: Home gardening- most pertinent points of no- tillage and the use of legumes.
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003

Gail: Just off the top of my head, I think going to a no-till system after forming beds and keeping a residue mulch on the surface of compost, leaf litter, grass cuttings etc. would be a good suggestion. The beds can be any size for a home garden since you will not rely just on rainfall. I am less sure about legumes. They can be part of the mixtures grown and rotations on the permanent beds and I suppose they could be grown as a cover crop and then used as the residue mulch on the surface. I believe the key is to stop tillage and keep a residue cover. It will take a few years to develop a healthy soil and there may be some transitional problems like weeds and maybe some diseases that will need attention. I have used roundup (heresy maybe to some organic farmers, but logical to others) to get the first flushes of weeds under control and then used hand weeding after that. Diseases are best controlled by rotation or use of resistant varieties and I believe with time diseases will be less of a problem. To get the land ready for permanent beds, I would deep till, use lots of compost (possibly mixed with P,K and micronutrients and some urea) before making the beds. I like 75 cm beds (30 inches) furrow to furrow for ease of weeding and tending plants, but 1.5 meter is also good. Hope this helps.

Peter Hobbs
Cornell University

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From: Peter Hobbs
To: <MULCH-L@cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: Home gardening- most pertinent points of No- tillage and the use of legumes.
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003

I agree entirely with this paper (sent by Ray Weil). I added beds since I feel that would improve the system more, especially to restrict compaction to the furrows. In order to make the beds, you have to start with tillage, but then don't till again. Thanks for this good article. Peter

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Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003
From: Winfried Scheewe
Subject: Re: Home gardening- most pertinent points of No- tillage and the use of legumes.
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu

Dear Gail,

I just would like to share the 1st part of a chapter of my book titled "Nurturing the soil - feeding the people: An introduction to sustainable agriculture" published in the Philippines (Quezon City), 2000. In the preparation for a new edition, some sections have been updated and are not final yet (not edtied yet).

Hope you can draw some ideas from this manuscript.

Good luck!

Best regards,

Winfried Scheewe
(Quintos II, Mabua, RP-8300 Tandag, Surigao del Sur, Philippines)

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From: Minifarms
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2003
Subject: SA gardening article
To: MULCH-L@cornell.edu

Tilling the first time is not necessary. Neither is the use of chemicals. I been there and done it as well as many, many others.

Ken Hargesheimer

GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK
USA: TX, MS; FL, CA; Mexico, Republica Dominicana,
Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi,
Mozambique, El Salvador, England, Nicaragua, India
minifarms@aol.com
Workshops in organic, no-till mini-agriculture [urban & rural]: gardening, mini-farming, mini-ranching worldwide in English & Spanish

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From: Sandra & Michael McGuire
To: <MULCH-L@cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: SA gardening article
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2003

Tillage and herbicides are indisputably unnecessary in transition to no-till; just as indisputedly, there are unassailable economic motives for including them at the outset in non-organic systems. They make the transition cheaper, shorter, and less risky.

Michael McGuire
UVI

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From: Gail Andrews
To: 'MULCH-L@cornell.edu'
Subject: RE: Home gardening- most pertinent points of no- tillage and the
use of legumes.

Thank you all for the thoughts and information on the above topic.

Gail Andrews
South Africa, Rand Water, Horticulturist