Resources Category: Soil and Nutrient Management

Improve soil health with organic soil and nutrient management practices. Access resources on composting, cover cropping, and soil fertility to enhance your farm’s productivity.

Weed Management for Organic Farmers

Organic farmers use a wide variety of tools and strategies to control weeds without synthetic chemicals. Those tools and strategies and their effects on soil quality are discussed.

Organic No-Till Production

Reduced tillage or no-till can provide multiple environmental benefits, particularly in the area of soil health, as well as reducing machinery, labor and fuel costs. With organic no-till, herbicides cannot be used to terminate cover crops, as is practiced in conventional no-till. Iowa State University has worked with the Rodale Institute (RI) in conducting research… Continue reading Organic No-Till Production

Soil Quality in Organic Agriculture Systems

Building and maintaining soil quality is the basis for successful organic farming. Topics of crop rotations, soil amendments, soil health, carbon sequestration, organic agriculture philosophies, and relevant related field research are included.

Crop Rotations, Composting and Cover Crops for Organic Vegetable Production

Organic production and consumption has increased to a $39.5 billion industry in the United States with over 22,000 organic farmers. Over 5.4 million acres are in organic production in the U.S., including 164,403 acres of organic vegetables, valued at $1.3 billion. The majority of organic vegetable growers incorporate crop rotations, composting, and cover crops in… Continue reading Crop Rotations, Composting and Cover Crops for Organic Vegetable Production

Growing Organic Vegetables in Iowa

Organic production and consumption has increased over the past 20 years. Learn how to raise organic vegetables – including strategies for composting, pest management, and disease management.

Farming With Soil Life: A Handbook for Supporting Soil Invertebrates and Soil Health on Farms

This handbook, created by The Xerces Society, dives into soil biology. It provides a connection between healthy soils and healthy invertebrates found in temperate agricultural soils. Farming with Soil Life starts with a review of soil basics, including the functions, classifications and properties (physical, biological and chemical) of soil. It provides detailed methods on how… Continue reading Farming With Soil Life: A Handbook for Supporting Soil Invertebrates and Soil Health on Farms

Soil Fertility in Organic Systems: A Guide for Gardeners and Small Acreage Farmers

Managing soil fertility is challenging because it requires considerable focus — you must consistently pay attention to the source, timing, rate and placement of nutrient applications. This publication discusses the many types of fertilizers and soil amendments (material or techniques that improves a soil’s physical properties) available for organic plant production. From soil fundamentals (pH,… Continue reading Soil Fertility in Organic Systems: A Guide for Gardeners and Small Acreage Farmers