Greetings Concerned "Cotton" People,
There is a simple answer to eliminating pests of all kinds from cotton and
any other plant. It is called Vermiculture.
Nope: Vermiculture is the production of worms. Vermicomposting is the
production of castings, to which you refer. Not just being picky,
they're different - yes, vermiculture does produce castings too, but
they're essentially a by-product, and yes, vermicomposting does also
produce excess worms, but again they're a by-product. To achieve what
you're claiming it has to be vermicomposting.
It's no news, by the way, nor that organic methods are highly
productive and need no pesticides, it's quite well-covered in the
archives, and very well-covered at Journey to Forever - we've been
doing this for 25 years:
http://journeytoforever.org/compost_worm.html
Vermicomposting
http://journeytoforever.org/compost_wormlink.html
Vermicomposting resources
See also:
City farms
Organic gardening
Building a square foot garden
Plant spacing guides
No ground? Use containers
When to sow what
Seeds
Garden pond
Gardening resources
Composting
Making compost
Composting resources
Composting indoors
Vermicomposting
Humanure
Composting for small farms
Small farms
Small farm resources
Community-supported farms
Farming with trees
Farming with animals
Pasture
Pigs for small farms
Poultry for small farms
Aquaculture for small farms
Composting for small farms
Controlling weeds and pests
Small farms library
Granted it is more trouble than
just spraying on a chemical
Not in the long-run.
but it doesn't hurt any living thing and it
helps the heck out of plants - they grow up to twice their normal rate and
size.
Um... well., maybe. Have a look at the photograph of Chinese spinach
seedlings on the vermicomposting page:
http://journeytoforever.org/compost_worm.html
Vermicomposting
As to pests, they don't like the chemistry of the castings and
therefore they stay away. None are actually killed but that is not the goal
- as long as the pests leave your crops alone you are just fine.
I realize many will sniff in a critical manner, but no one yet has designed
a better system than this one which nature devised millions of years ago.
George Sheffield Oliver helped. See:
Friend Earthworm: Practical Application of a Lifetime Study of Habits
of the Most Important Animal in the World by George Sheffield Oliver,
1941. Dr Oliver was one of the first to harness the earthworm to the
needs of the farmer and gardener -- to make highly fertile topsoil
for optimum crop growth, and to produce a constant supply of cheap,
high-grade, live protein to feed poultry. He devised simple yet
elegant and effective systems to bring costs and labour down and
productivity up to help struggling farmers to make ends meet. Oliver
had an observant and critical eye and understood Nature's round. His
ideas on the nature of modern food and health (or the lack of it) are
only now being confirmed, half a century later. A delightful book.
Full text online.
http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library.html#oliver
By
the way, in the end it is overall a cheaper than pesticide system because of
yield increases, no environmental impact therefore no safeguards necessary,
no soil erosion, and many more benefits. For the desperate and the believers
among you, see the 2 attachments.
Sorry, Ed, no attachments:
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This article about a US worm-farmer is worth a read:
http://www.newfarm.org/features/0903/worms/index.shtml
Ups and downs of worm growing keep Georgia farmer on his toes
Worm farming can be lucrative, says Jack Brantley of Bear Creek Worm
Farm É but it's like any other live-animal feeding operation. It
takes experience, skill and patience. He recommends starting small.
Best wishes
Keith
Good luck,
Ed Starr
(for Mondays & Thursdays-Main Ofc.) | Ed Starr | Star Marketing |
949-496-0050 | FAX 949-388-7828 | [EMAIL PROTECTED]| Dana
Point, CA, USA
(for Tue., Wed. & Fri-Home Ofc.) | Ed Starr | Star Marketing |
619-749-9647 | FAX 619-749-9648 | [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
Of Keith Addison
Sent: Friday, January 28, 2005 9:01 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Biofuel] GM Cotton Fiascos Around the World
The Institute of Science in Society
Science Society Sustainability
http://www.i-sis.org.uk
ISIS Press Release 26/01/05
GM Cotton Fiascos Around the World
<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>Rhea Gala
A <http://www.i-sis.org.uk/full/GMCFATWFull.php>fully referenced
version of this article is posted on ISIS membersâ website.
<http://www.i-sis.org.uk/membership.php>Details here
GM cotton not environmentally friendly or safe
<snip>
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