Growing media for organic transplant production vary a lot in their chemical composition: pH, electrical conductivity, nutrient levels, and C:N ratio. This of course influences how seedlings grow. Knowing the characteristics of growing media can help growers decide whether adding nutrients or materials to adjust pH are likely to improve seedling growth. As part of our research into media for organic transplant production we would like to test growing media used by Indiana growers using organic practices. The media could be a commercially available product, or a product made on the farm. If you would like your media to be tested, please fill out the form at https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eezVW7ubRhgh3Ip . Wait for notice that your submission will be accepted and then send 4 pints of media to Liz Maynard, Purdue University, 1101 Glendale Blvd, Suite 101-A, Valparaiso, IN 46383. To request a hard copy of the form, contact Liz Maynard, emaynard@purdue.edu, [Read More…]
10 articles tagged "Organic Production".
Getting seedlings off to a good start begins with a good growing medium for transplants. Growing media for organic production must meet the guidelines set out by the National Organic Standards Board, including not containing any synthetic substances (unless they have been approved for that use) or any prohibited materials. A number of products meet those criteria, and many of them are listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) to document that they meet the criteria. Last year, with funding from a USDA Specialty Crops Block Grant through the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, a group at Purdue began evaluating commercially-available, OMRI-listed growing media for vegetable transplant production (Table 1). Table 1. Growing media used in transplant production trials, 2018. Product Abbreviation Source Johnny’s 512 J512 Johnny’s Selected Seeds Morgan Composting 201 M201 Morgan Composting Penn Valley Potting Soil PENN Penn Valley Farms PromixMP Organik PMPO BFG Supply Seed[Read More…]
Pinney Purdue Vegetable Field Day and Sweet Corn Sampler. Thursday, August 13, 2015. 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. CDT. Pinney Purdue Ag Center, 11402 S. County Line Rd., Wanatah, IN. Plot tours include soil health management and disease suppressive soils, tomatoes and peppers in high tunnels, and sweet corn varieties. Private Applicator Recertification (PARP) Credit available. To register, visit http://tinyurl.com/no6tosr or contact Lori Jolly-Brown, ljollybr@purdue.edu, or 765-494-1296. Beginning Farmer Tours. Free farm tours and networking events sponsored by Purdue Extension and Local Growers Guild. For more information and to register contact the Purdue Extension Education Store at www.edustore.purdue.edu or 888-EXT-INFO. August 18: Redbud Farm, home of Caprini Creamery, Spiceland, IN. Breakfast, networking, lunch and tour. September 8: Growing Places Indy, Indianapolis, IN. Lunch, networking session, tour. Urban produce farm with raised beds, u-pick, and greenhouses. September 14: Morning Harvest, Palmyra and Hardinsburg, IN. Breakfast, networking session, lunch and tour. Developing[Read More…]
For most insect pests, we have some viable options to manage them organically. For years we have been looking for an organic solution for striped cucumber beetle and bacterial wilt on melons and cucumbers. It appears that we now have a viable option. There is a relatively new product, Cidetrak D, manufactured by Trece, which is sold as a gustatory stimulant. The active ingredient is buffalo gourd root powder, which contains a high percentage of cucurbitacin, which causes cucumber beetle to compulsively feed once they have tasted it. Years ago, there was a product available called SLAM, which contained buffalo root gourd and carbaryl, which we tested extensively and found to be quite effective. There were difficulties in applications, so the product never really took off with growers. More recently, my colleague in Kentucky, Dr. Ric Bessin, has tested Cidetrak D in conjunction with Entrust, which contains the active ingredient[Read More…]
