To Grow Organically or not?

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Stevorino

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I just read the Organic article in BYO and listened to the organic article on the Brewing Network and am now considering brewing organically...but I guess I'm having a hard time understanding the true pros of doing so.

Anyone have any personal experience with trying to grow organically at home?
 
To me, GO means less of a range of resources to maintain the yard.

I am approx. 75% organic in my hop yard. The only in-organic methods I employ are, the use of muni-water, and (when needed) the use of chemicals for pest control (nicotine or soap).

Outside of those, I use compost and wood ash for nutrients.
 
To me, GO means less of a range of resources to maintain the yard.

I am approx. 75% organic in my hop yard. The only in-organic methods I employ are, the use of muni-water, and (when needed) the use of chemicals for pest control (nicotine or soap).

Outside of those, I use compost and wood ash for nutrients.

And how do they manage with just those nutrient sources and not something like miracle gro?
 
No problems, yet.

The compost is home derived from yard clippings, paper shreddings, vegetal waste, and seasonal leaves. It's allowed to compost all summer and winter.

I turn the mounds weekly and water during the summer and allow the mounds to rest over winter.

This year I also plan to sow some clover as a ground cover and nitorgen generator.
 
I used compost that I made myself and this stuff when my bines were getting attacked by beetles. Last year was just my first year but some of my bines grew to over 12 ft and I had some flowers so I think I did alright.
 
I grow organic, and never have had a problem. Hops have been grow commercially for about 500 years, 425 of which were basically organic. If you have a bug problem there are plenty of organic pesticide soap products avalable and dont forget about the ladybugs and praying mantises. Save all of your food scaps and yard clippings, less in the landfill and no need to amend your soild with strange chemicals.
 
+1 for the Organic hops, actually every thing we grow is organic, In our particular neighborhood non organic pesticides and fertilizers are against the rules. Horse, sheep Alpaca,Cow & Chicken poo , wood ashes from the wood stove, compost, grass clippings and deep mulching keep my hops quite healthy and all are produced on my land or my neighbors land.

Jens
 
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