ORGANIC CHILLIES.

Organic farming chillies.

GROWING ORGANIC CHILLIES.

This season my brother has rotated his nitrogen fixing mangetout (a legume) with organic chillies that are benefiting from the nitrogen left in the soil by the legume last season.

Once again, he is using organic bat guano fertilizer that has natural pest control properties derived from parasitic nematodes, good bacteria and living organisms in the guano, that feed on crop pests.

Overtime, as the soil accumulates more soil life: good parasitic nematodes, good bacteria, humus, insects and earthworms. In turn, the living organisms eat organic matter, pests and bad bacteria, digesting them and slowly releasing beneficial NKP macro nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium for the plants.

More critically they also produce micro nutrients such as calcium, copper, zinc, magnesium and manganese which help plants with the absorption and processing of the micro nutrients to give plants stronger roots, higher immunity and resistance to disease.

Additionally, the soil structure improves, becoming more cohesive to hold more water and carbon while reducing acidification and leaching of nutrients.

This is how you build your organic living soils overtime to get organic certification for higher export prices. Let’s talk bat guano.

By Rutendo Bereza Matinyarare Marketing Strategist for Frontline Strat and Chairperson for ZASM and ZUAUS anti sanctions organizations.