Planting tomatos in the same placefor 19 years! /Beneficial

[Guest guest]

> >Second, what about plants that shouldn't be planted in the same place two

> >years in a row, such as solanacea like tomatoes and peppers? Collect the

> >seeds so they can be planted in another place next year.

>

> >Comments?

 

In my research on sustainable organic pest control I came across an article

by J.Patrick Madden, president of the 'World Sustainable Agriculture

Association'.

 

He reports that a Japanese Tomato grower using natural farming, as taught by

philosopher Mokichi Okada ( I never heard of him and thought he might have

mixed him up with Fukuoka, but I might be wrong seeing as this guy appears

to be an expert) was planting Tomatos for 19 consecutive crops in the same

soil.

 

His trick was: After each crop is finished he removes and composts the

tomato vines, applies last years compost to the soil and plants a cover crop

of sesbania. When the cover is 5 to 6 feet tall he flail chops it and turns

it under the surface. Next when he plants the new tomato crop, he also

plants an onion, leek , or garlic plant next to each tomato. Apparently the

roots of these Allium-genus plants growing amongst the tomato roots support

a beneficial bacterium (pseudomonas cepacia) which repels and inhibits root

pathogens - such as fusarium- therby protecting the tomato plant and

ensuring a healthy crop.

 

Interesting huh? I am dying to try it out.

 

But sorry its a bit off of the subject of seeds