The Kona County Farm Bureau is offering a two-session seminar on the basics of Korean Natural Farming.
At 9 a.m. Nov. 17 and 24, certified instructor Gary Kastle will present what he learned from Master Cho Han Kyu about Korean Natural Farming. The seminar will be held at the University of Hawaii Extension Service office in Kainaliu. Sessions will break for lunch and run until 3 p.m.
Kastle received his certification several years ago and has been using the techniques on his Ocean View farm. He’ll describe his process and his successes during the seminar.
In the first class, Kastle will review the history and basic techniques of Korean Natural Farming. The second session will include more hands-on participation. Registrants will be required to take both classes.
Korean Natural Farming consists of sustainable practices using many on-farm resources to amend your soil and help you grow healthy and productive plants. A University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources publication, “Use of Korean Natural Farming for Vegetable Production in Hawaii” can be found at ctahr.hawaii.edu/sustainag/news/articles/V14-Wang-KNF.pdf.
A video clip on preparing and applying indigenous microorganisms, is available for viewing at ctahr.hawaii.edu/WangKH/KNF-V2.html. This presentation by Koon–Hui Wang from UH-CTAHR reviews the basic steps in cultivating and preparing the five IMOs used in Korean Natural Farming.
You start by collecting soil microorganisms from undisturbed areas on or near your farm, looking for white mycelium that usually grows in leaf piles or mulch particularly in damp, shady locations. These microorganisms are the “starter” for IMO1.
A wooden or lauhala box is ideal for culturing IMO1. Fill the container about two-thirds full with steamed white rice. Scatter the moldy leaf litter over the rice, cover the rice with a paper towel or lauhala mat and cover the entire container with a metal screen or other protective covering to keep rodents out of the mix.
Harvest when you see white mold growing on the surface of the rice. Then mix your IMO1 with equal parts of brown sugar to make IMO2. Allow this mix to ferment for about a week. To make IMO3, take two ounces of IMO2 and mix it with 60 pounds of mill run and five gallons of water with seed treatment solution added. This solution consists of fermented plant juice, brown rice vinegar, Oriental herb nutrient and Mineral A. Ingredients and instructions for making these are covered in the second video on the site. Cover this mixture, but turn it frequently to speed the process. After about a week it should be composted.
Mix IMO3 with an equal part of soil from your field and five gallons of water containing the seed treatment solution. Compost this for a week and you have IMO4 which can be applied with soil treatment solution and added to your growing area. It should be covered with mulch for 7 days before planting.
IMO5 can add to the nutritional punch if you like. It is made by mixing IM04 with chicken manure or other organic waste. After composting this mix for about 2 weeks, it can be used directly on the soil or used to make compost tea.
Though this system sounds complicated, Kastle’s seminars are designed to simplify and explain ways to use ingredients from your own farm to produce these highly nutritious products. The cost for the double seminar is $50 to members of KCFB and $100 to nonmembers. Participants should bring their own lunch and gloves. Call KCFB at 324-6011 for more information or to register.
Tropical
gardening helpline
Kate asks: I am considering growing dragon fruit on my farm but my research has turned up a nasty pest that could make growing dragon fruit difficult. What do you know about the moth that was brought here to curtail the invasive cactus?
Answer: The cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, was introduced in Hawaii to control the proliferation of cactus plants in dry areas around Waimea and other parts of the island.
It is a gray and brown moth that looks similar to many others. Positive identification requires a microscopic examination of dissected male genitalia. That might be a difficult process, so you’ll only be able to be sure of its presence when you see the larvae or the damage. If you see stems that look rotted, the damage may be caused by the larvae of the moth or by excessive moisture or by sunburn. Look for the actual culprit, a caterpillar, to positively indicate the moth’s presence.
The larvae of C. cactorum are a pink-cream color when young and gradually become orange, with distinctive black spots or bands. These critters eat the tissue inside the cactus stem and eventually hollow it out.
The female moths deposit “egg sticks” that contain 30 to 50 eggs on the tip of the cactus spine, stem or fruit. The egg sticks are hard to spot as they look like a cactus spine.
Egg sticks develop and hatch in 25 to 30 days. The larvae then bore into the cactus by chewing a hole into the tough outer skin of the plant. The external evidence of their presence is yellowed plant parts sometimes accompanied by fluid oozing from the damaged area and occasionally you’ll see tiny black specs which are insect frass, or poop.
The cactus moth has many natural predators, but few are present here. Most cactus species excrete an extra-floral nectar that attracts ants. The ants that feed on this nectar will attack anything that disturbs the cactus, including the cactus moth larvae. Researchers are working on a beneficial relationship between the ants and cactus and have found that Cactoblastis populations are often reduced where ants are present.
A dragon fruit farmer in Ocean View has used weekly sprays of neem to discourage or kill the moth to some success. Another suggestion would be to apply Bt, Bacillus thuringensis, in hopes that the larvae would eat it on their way into the plant and die. Many dragon fruit farmers have yet to experience damage from this pest. Hopefully its progress onto dragon fruit farms can be controlled or stopped. A predatory wasp is being researched but it has the potential to become a pest, itself so it is unlikely it will be introduced in Hawaii.
Email plant questions to konamg@ctahr.hawaii.edu for answers by Certified Master Gardeners. Some questions will be chosen for inclusion in this column.
Diana Duff is an organic farmer, plant adviser and consultant.
