By RUSSEL T. NAGATA
By RUSSEL T. NAGATA
University of Hawaii at Mano
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources
Komohana Research and Extension Center
Today is Earth Day, and in many locations around Hawaii, the nation and the world, people will be doing acts of “green.”
Earth Day was conceived 42 years ago as a way to raise the collective environmental awareness, leading to protection and conservation of the environment in which we live.
As a result, thousands of miles of waterways have been improved, millions of trees have been planted and thousands of tons of garbage have been collected from every location we inhabit.
Through this grassroots environmental awareness movement, many of us have come to view the planet not as one of infinite resources, but one that is finite in its limits to provide. While typical Earth Day volunteerism consists of green-minded opportunities ranging from beach cleanups to native plant restoration efforts, you don’t have to engage in an organized event to be a part of Earth Day.
You can choose to participate by making your garden environment better for all of us. And it’s like participating in Earth Day every day of year.
Going “green” at home isn’t only about organic and natural methods of farming. After all, slash-and-burn agriculture mimics natural cycles. The garden is a great place to start moving toward greener and sustainable methods of gardening and landscaping, and the best part about it, it’s simple and can save you money.
It’s all based on Good Agricultural Practices, or GAP. GAPs are simple procedures that help to protect the environment through easy-to-follow steps.
Here are a few of the steps you can adopt. When fertilizing, conduct a soil analysis to determine the level of soil fertility. You can then apply the proper amount of fertilizer that is required by your crop.
In this way you are not under- or over-fertilizing your plants. Over-fertilizing results in dollars going to waste and can contribute to excessive plant growth that makes the plant more attractive to pest and diseases.
Over-fertilizing can also lead to nutrients entering the environment and ending up in places where they can cause harm. Fertilizer application can be split into several doses, instead of applying all of it at the beginning of the planting.
The use of slow-release fertilizer can also be used to control the amount of available nutrients in the soil at any one time, thereby reducing the chance of leaching due to excessive rain or irrigation.
The practice of banding fertilizer within the planting row within the root zone will also reduce the amount of fertilizer you need to apply for proper plant growth. There is no need to apply fertilizer in areas where there will be no roots to take up the nutrients.
When using a pesticide, whether it’s organic, natural or synthetic, always read the label and follow directions on its use. It is an offense to use a pesticide of any kind in a manner that is inconsistent with the label directions.
One of the most common offenses is eyeballing the amount you are using and applying to crops not listed on the label. Many people pour pesticides directly into the sprayer and add water and apply it to all of their crops.
Also, when controlling insect pest and plant diseases, it is best to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies for their control. Simplified rules state to apply pesticides only when the pest or disease is present, and/or only when pest and disease levels reach a threshold point to cause economic losses, and where pesticide application will be beneficial.
Excessive and careless application of pesticides can harm non-targeted organisms. Be aware of rain and runoff when applying pesticides.
You can reduce the amount of pesticides you apply by taking advantage of biological control agents that automatically control certain pest problems.
These can be predators which feed directly on the pest — such as lady bird beetles on aphids, or parasites such as the wasp that uses aphids as a nursery to feed its larva in order to complete its life cycle. Insects can also be used to control plants by directly feeding on the host plant, thereby reducing its vigor to compete.
In support for more-sustainable agriculture and food production, the University of Hawaii at Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources Komohana Research and Extension Center will be offering a free workshop on non-recirculation hydroponics on Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Komohana Center. Free starter kits will be available for participants. For more information, call 981-5199.
For more information on this and other gardening topics, please visit the CTAHR electronic publication website at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/Site/Info.aspx, or visit any of the local Cooperative Extension Service offices around the Big Island. I can be reached at russelln@hawaii.edu.
Tropical Gardening is prepared by staff of the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources.