proven garden practices

**M*@aol.com**

GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK 
USA: TX, MS, FL, CA, NM;  Mexico, Rep. Dominicana, CC4tC)  dbIvoire, Nigeria, 
Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Haiti, England, India, Uzbekistan 
_Minifarms@aol.com_ (M*@aol.com)   

Workshops in organic, no-till,  permanent bed gardening, mini-farming, 
mini-ranching worldwide in English  & Spanish

Proven Practices for  Gardening 
These are  based on worldwide research, the internet, international and 
national gardening  magazines, experiences teaching gardening in the USA and other  
countries, gardeners experiences in those countries and in a denomination  
garden.  They are ecologically  sustainable, environmentally responsible, 
socially just and economically  viable.  There is unlimited,  documented proof.  
Compared to  traditional methods, these reduce labor by half and increases 
yields. 

    1.  Open  Mind 
    2.  Willing  to make changes in the garden 
    3.  Restore  the soil to its natural health [Contaminated with  lead, 
inorganic chemicals & fertilizers, etc.  Certain plants decontaminate  soil] 
    4.  Maintain  healthy soil [produces healthy crops which have  few or no 
diseases or pests] 
    5.  Increase  the organic matter annually 
    6.  Maintain  plant diversity [with crops and green  manure/cover crops] 
    7.  NO-TILL-no digging, no tilling, no  cultivating; plant and  harvest 
only.  [200,000,000 farm acres in North  & South America and Africa in 2004.  
Asia:  100,000 acres in 2002; 300,000 in 2003] 
    8.  Permanent  beds [crops] 
    9.  Permanent  paths [walking] 
    10. Hand  tools and power hand tools 
    11. 12-month  production [economical in most  climates] 
    12. Organic  fertilizers 
    13. Organic  disease control 
    14. Organic  herbicides 
    15. Organic  pesticides 
    16. Organic  fungicides 
    17. Biological  pest control 
    18. Protect  beneficials [bats, birds, insects, toads,  spiders, lizards, 
snakes] 
    19. Protect  pollinators [honey bees, native bees, wasps,  yellow 
jackets, butterflies] 
    20. Protect  worms and soil micro-organisms 
    21. Soil  always covered 
    22. Use  mulch/green manure/cover crops 
    23. Feed  plants through the mulch 
    24. Organic  matter [free. When feasible, take it to the  garden.  Use as 
mulch or compost  surplus] 
    25. Compost  [Make only for special uses.  Buy in bulk] 
    26. Drip  irrigation 
    27. Seed  [open-pollinated;  no GMs] 
    28. Crop  rotation 
    29. Inter-cropping 
    30. Protect  Nature [wildlife, native plants, streams &  riparians, 
ponds, wetlands, etc.] 
    31. Imitate  Nature.  Most gardeners fight  Nature.  B!Nature always wins!
Ken  Hargesheimer 
Free Ag CD.  Email your postal address.

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