Articles on Holistic Orcharding

Holistic Orchard Management

in a Nutshell

by Michael Phillips

Apple scab lesions do not gain
the upperhand when robust
plant metabolism is engaged.
(photo: Alan Biggs)

Fascinating biological connections make for a healthy orchard ecosystem. All insect pests and fruit tree disease — whether fungal or bacterial — have launching points and particular timing. Healthy trees address these challenges first and foremost from within. Growers utilizing an ongoing investment in the fungal duff and biodiversity set the stage for nutritional and biological sprays to grow a successful fruit crop. The challenges you face at your locale will become far more manageable as you build a holistic system that keeps trees and berry plantings healthy from the get-go.

The five tenets of holistic growing are as follows:

Fungal Stewardship — mycorrhizal symbiosis is the foundation

Mineralization — fertility ratios and enzyme cofactors

Tree Immune Function — boosting phytochemical resistance

Competitive Colonization — reinforcing arboreal biology

Outrageous Diversity — plant community resilience and beneficial allies

The frontline defense for
cedar apple rust on both leaf and
fruit is compettive colonization.
(photo: The Walden Effect)

Equally telling is the nutrient density—and flavor!—of the apples we then harvest for fresh eating and cider. Engaging environmental reality ups fruit brix yet again and keeps us all healthy. Utilizing pure neem oil, liquid fish, seaweed, effective microbes, and fermented plant extracts allows us to leave behind the mineral fungicides of "Old School Organics" for the most part. These are exciting times to be growing healthy fruit!

Healthy plant metabolism begins with a molecule of water, a breath of carbon, and light energy from our nearest star. The tangible science behind all this unlocks the righteous way to farm and garden, give honor to trees, and plain do right by this earth. Nothing has ever excited me more.

Shifting the paradigm allows us to engage plant metabolism pathways fully:

· Photosynthesis efficiency

· Nitrogen utilization and complete proteins

· Fatty acid assets

· Resistance metabolites

Every grower strives to make intelligent choices within the framework of his or her individual belief system. We can only learn from each other if we respect each other. Holistic orcharding is all about finding healthier answers that honor all species.

Organic Orcharding Articles

• An Intelligent Paradigm
• My Apple Orchard by Laura Ingalls Wilder
• Holistic Core Values
• The Fungal Curve
• Priming the Pump
• Holistic Orchard Management  
• Holistic Spray Ingredients
• Pure Neem Oil
• The Kaolin Clay Strategy
• The Lepidoptera Complex
• Borer Insights
• Curculio Riffs
• Ramial Wood Chip Primer
• Pruning Precepts
• Seasonal Checklist for the Holistic Orchard
• Apple Grower Network Research Pages