Friday, March 28, 2014

Organic Farming and the Significance of Foliar Feeding

Pesticides and insecticides like Chlordane, Diazanon and Sevin may seem to work well on plants but in reality are extremely harmful. One of the ideal alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides is organic farming. For the most part, it is the art and science of gardening keeping in mind the health of the soil, its structure and texture.  The main objective of organic gardening is to grow plants without the use of chemicals and synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides.

Types of Organic Farming

Organic farming is easy to manage and isn’t expensive as well. Many of the raw materials like plant waste, foliage, vegetable waste and compost heaps are easily accessible. There are several types of organic farming. Pure organic farming includes the use of organic manures and bio-pesticides while integrated farming involves integrated nutrient management and pest management. The natural farming method is based on building soil with regular surface applications of organic matter that is allowed to slowly decompose on the surface.

Foliar Feeding for Healthy Plant Growth

Foliar feeding is one of the popular methods of feeding pants and is widely used technique in organic farming to supply plants with their nutritional needs. It involves spraying nutrients directly on the leaves to correct any deficiencies in the soil. In foliar nutrition, effective concentrations of the deficient nutrients are sprayed, which are absorbed directly by the plant tissue. It helps overcome soil fertilization limitations like leaching, antagonism between certain nutrients and absorption reactions. The technique has proved to be the fastest way of curing nutrient deficiencies and boosting plant performance.

The Importance of Soil Analysis and Testing

Prior to using any technique such as foliar feeding it is essential to conduct a soil analysis. This is especially true in the case of glasshouse management where rapid changes occur in the amount of salt and nutrients. The soil must have a proper pH value and contain the right composition of mineral nutrients, which includes macronutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, and micronutrients such as iron, chloride and zinc.

Restore Nature’s Balance with Products from Agrilibrium

Farmers and gardeners have a choice of options when it comes to plant nutrition. This includes organic fertilizers, foliar applied mineral nutrients and amino acid chelate products that contain fluvic acid extracts.  When it comes to organic farming South Africa, Agrilibrium is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high quality organic products that include soil ameliorants, biological soil micro-organisms and foliar plant nutrients for the local and export market.