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.
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.
Iowa State University Extension Fundamentals of Organic Agriculture
Detailed information on organic agriculture including history, legalities and logistics, labeling, marketing, and pest and weed management. Includes two field examples on organic soybean and apple production.
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
Nutrient Management in Organic Small Grains
This publication provides information on sources of fertility for organic small grains that are acceptable according to the USDA National Organic Program standards.
Potting Mixes for Certified Organic Production
This publication covers considerations for an organic grower selecting a potting mix to use for transplant or containerized plant production or for someone wishing to blend organic media. This publication discusses individual components of potting media in addition to organic and biological amendments to improve plant performance. Several organic potting mix recipes are included in… Continue reading Potting Mixes for Certified Organic Production
Manure and Compost Application Timing
Fact sheet on using manure and compost in organic production
Nutrient Management Plan for Organic Systems: Western State Implementation Guide
This document is an instruction guide for creating and implementing a nutrient management plan (NMP) on certified or transitioning organic lands. An NMP for organically managed lands describes the amount, source, placement, form, and timing of the application of nutrients and soil amendments, generally by field, to meet crop nutrient needs while protecting water quality,… Continue reading Nutrient Management Plan for Organic Systems: Western State Implementation Guide
Manures for Organic Crop Production
Livestock manures are an important resource in sustainable and organic crop production. This publication addresses the problems and challenges of using both raw and composted manures and discusses some of the solutions
Tipsheet: Assessing the Soil Resource for Beginning Organic Farmers
It is important for farmers, especially organic farmers, to understand how to assess their soils in order to better manage them. Assessing your soils through both field and lab observations can identify limitations in your soil and help guide soil-management decisions. Organic production practices depend heavily on good soil management to support plant health, as… Continue reading Tipsheet: Assessing the Soil Resource for Beginning Organic Farmers