Orchard Supplies

We use this in our orchard for all trees (both in our experimental orchard and nursery stock) as part of out holistic spray system. You can download the holistic spray recipe here.

Full of trace minerals, this liquid seaweed comes from the Ascophyllum nodosum plant in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Kelp is one of the first tools you should reach for in the toolbox of plant care. There is hardly a comparable option that has the range of benefits that kelp can provide. Kelp improves seed germination, enhances crop defense mechanisms and growth, promotes stronger roots, resists drought and other environmental stresses- all the while boosting yields and improving soil health. How can a plant not like this stuff?

Because of its immersion in sea water, kelp is widely known for its content of beneficial trace elements such as copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium, sulphur and more. Often people solely focus on the NPK ratios when it comes to their plants, thinking that this is all the plant needs. But the micro minerals are equally important, as very minute amounts of these can be critical to impacting optimum plant health and growth.

However the area where liquid kelp really excels can be found in the added benefit of its containing a range of plant hormones such as cytokinins, gibberellins and auxins as well as phytosanitary agents. It is these hormones that regulate, trigger and direct plant growth, both in the root zone, as well as in the leaflets and growth tips. As plant growth moves through root expansion, to building frame, it then changes over to its reproductive phase, where it begins to flower and set fruit. The plants requirements for the various hormones that trigger and impact these stages varies throughout these cycles.

Auxins are quite important early on in plant growth, as it regulates the expansion of the roots, along with the building of the structure and frame of the plant. Cytokinins are particularly crucial for much of the plant vegetation growth phase, as they initiate rapid cell division and new cell wall production.

Although cytokinins are important throughout all plant growth phases, as it comes into the important flowering stage, the hormone balance shifts more dominantly towards cytokinins. These promote cytokinesis, the process of stimulating cell division. They help improve leaf growth, but more importantly during the transition to reproductive growth, or flowering, they can shorten node length and directly assist in the production of more lateral bud development. This has been shown to increase flower yield and quality levels considerably.

Liquid kelp is also very effective in helping the plant resist plant stress, due to excessive heat conditions and drought.

Liquid quid kelp is best applied directly as a drench to the soil in the early stages of plant growth, so that it can help with root development. But when the plant is transitioning to the flower stage, it is preferable to use as a foliar.

When applying as a foliar, it is always best to spray your plants before 7:00 in the morning- or earlier, as it is in the coolness of the morning before the heat of the sun closes the stomata on the underside of the leaves when the plant is most able to absorb the valuable nutrients that liquid kelp provides. Adding a small amount of liquid yucca as a surfactant helps greatly in the plant absorption process, as this keeps the liquid from 'balling up' and forming droplets on the leaf surface. Instead, the surfactant breaks this water tension down and establishes a much greater liquid coverage of the leaf surface, making the whole process much more efficient.

Application rates are 5-10 ml per litre of water minimum, repeated every 7-30 days. This product is approved for organic use.

945mL bottle is enough for 200L of spray mix, or 4x 50L mixes.

Terra Biosa is a dynamic, microbial soil inoculant. It is categorized as a Biological Compost Aid for the cultivation and stimulation of soil productivity and plant health. This all-natural and organic product is useful in orchards, vineyards, gardens, and compost by providing the following benefits:

• Stimulates plants metabolism
• Enhances yield as well as quality of fruit and produce
• Improves resistance to fungal infestations
• Improves soil quality by restoring micro-organisms in the soil

We use this in our orchard for all trees (both in our experimental orchard and nursery stock) as the effective microbe component of our holistic spray system. You can download the holistic spray recipe here.

Recommended Application Rates:

Soil: Mix 1 tsp of Terra Biosa per 40 sq. ft. (4 m2) in your water and apply while irrigating. Apply every two weeks for best result.

Foliar care and feeding: Mix 1 tsp. of Terra Biosa per 1L of fresh (preferably structured) water and apply using a spray bottle. Remember to mist leaves on both sides.

For decades fruit growers have sprayed their trees with toxic chemicals in an attempt to control a range of insect and fungal pests. Yet it is possible to grow apples responsibly, by applying the intuitive knowledge of our great-grandparents with the fruits of modern scientific research and innovation.

Since The Apple Grower first appeared in 1998, orchardist Michael Phillips has continued his research with apples, which have been called "organic's final frontier." In this new edition of his widely acclaimed work, Phillips delves even deeper into the mysteries of growing good fruit with minimal inputs.

Authors:  Leslie Bennett, Stefani Bittner

The Ecological Farm offers a unique focus on reduced tillage, minimizing farm and garden inputs, and pest control.

Reflecting the wisdom that farmer, consultant, and educator Helen Atthowe and her late husband, Carl Rosato, gained during decades of farming experience, this book guides readers on how to reduce or eliminate the use of outside inputs of fertilizer or pesticides—even those that are commonly used on certified organic orchards and market gardens. In clear language and with color photographs, charts, and graphs throughout, the book emphasizes the importance of managing the details of an entire growing system over the full life of the enterprise.

Based on advances in scientific research in ecological food production, farmers, homesteaders, permaculturists, and gardeners alike will learn methods to:

• design a farm system that maintains a growing root in the soil year-round to feed the microbial community instead of just crops.
• strengthen the “immune system” of a farm or garden
• supply crop needs using only on-farm inputs such as cover crops and living mulch
• maximize the presence of beneficial insects and microbes that support healthy crop development
• minimize ecological impact in dealing with insect pest and disease problems

Forage, Cultivate, Prepare, Preserve

Once a staple in homes across the world, and found along every highland, highway, and hedgerow, the forgotten elderberry is making a comeback. Its popularity as medicine is surging, its choice as an edible landscaping plant is growing, and its use for wine-making and crafts is being rediscovered.

Spanning history and geography, The Elderberry Book takes you on an adventure, deepening your appreciation of a plant that has played a crucial role across the world for thousands of years. Through this fun, inspirational, and educational resource, discover:

• Elderberry's amazing history
• Cultivating and foraging, from the balcony to the backyard
• Various traditional food and medicine preparations
• Simple wine-making techniques
• Traditional crafts and tools.

This is the definitive guide to the many uses of elderberry; no matter where you are, humankind's oldest plant friend can provide you with anything from syrup to wine to dyes, and more.

Paperback – 128 pages
7.5 Inches × 9 Inches (w × h)

Weight: 353.81 Grams
BISAC: HEALTH & FITNESS / Diet & Nutrition / General
Publisher: New Society Publishers
ISBN: 9780865719194
Pub. Date: 2019-09-24

The Holistic Orchard: Tree Fruits and Berries the Biological Way demystifies the basic skills everybody should know about the inner-workings of the orchard ecosystem, as well as orchard design, soil biology, and organic health management. Detailed insights on grafting, planting, pruning, and choosing the right varieties for your climate are also included, along with a step-by-step instructional calendar to guide growers through the entire orchard year. The extensive profiles of pome fruits (apples, pears, Asian pears, quinces), stone fruits (cherries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums), and berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, gooseberries, currants, and elderberries) will quickly have you savoring the prospects.

Michael Phillips has been a huge inspiration for how we run things here at Silver Creek Nursery. From considering the principles of orchard ecosystems to the holistic spray recipe we have listed on our website, his knowledge and insight has been an irreplaceable resource for us.

In The Home-Scale Forest Garden, Baker shares what she learned as she became a forest gardener, providing a practical, in-depth guide to creating a beautiful, bountiful edible landscape at any scale—from a few dozen square feet to an acre or more.

Baker provides information on planning, planting, and maintaining a resilient forest garden ecosystem, including:

•   Using permaculture principles
•   Observing and mapping your space
•   Building planting beds, including hügelkultur mounds
•   Coping with saturated soil
•   Matching perennial edible plants to the right growing conditions
•   Grouping plants in diverse layers that attract and shelter beneficial insects and birds
•   Creating microclimates to increase the range of plants you can grow
•   Pruning, propagating, managing pests, and more
•   Expending less energy for greater reward

The Home-Scale Forest Garden is complete with descriptions of over 100 food-bearing and multifunctional plants for every layer of a forest garden: overstory and understory trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, groundcovers, vines, and mushrooms, too.

A Successful Grower's Handbook for Small-Scale Organic Farming

Les Jardins de la Grelinette is a micro-farm located in Eastern Quebec, just north of the American border. Growing on just 1.5 acres, owners Jean-Martin and Maude-Helene feed more than 200 families through their thriving CSA and seasonal market stands and supply their signature mesclun salad mix to dozens of local establishments. The secret of their success is the low-tech, high-yield production methods they've developed by focusing on growing better rather than growing bigger, making their operation more lucrative and viable in the process.

The Market Gardener is a compendium of La Grelinette's proven horticultural techniques and innovative growing methods. This complete guide is packed with practical information on:

• Setting-up a micro-farm by designing biologically intensive cropping systems, all with negligible capital outlay;
• Farming without a tractor and minimizing fossil fuel inputs through the use of the best hand tools, appropriate machinery and minimum tillage practices;
• Growing mixed vegetables systematically with attention to weed and pest management, crop yields, harvest periods and pricing approaches.

Inspired by the French intensive tradition of maraichage and by iconic American vegetable grower Eliot Coleman, author and farmer Jean-Martin shows by example how to start a market garden and make it both very productive and profitable. Making a living wage farming without big capital outlay or acreages may be closer than you think.

Paperback – 224 pages
8.5 Inches × 8.5 Inches (w × h)

Weight: 499 Grams
BISAC: TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / Agriculture / Organic
Publisher: New Society Publishers
ISBN: 9780865717657
Pub. Date: 2014-03-01

All around the world, the public’s taste for fermented cider has been growing more rapidly than at any time in the past 150 years. And with the growing interest in locally grown and artisanal foods, many new cideries are springing up all over North America, often started up by passionate amateurs who want to take their cider to the next level as small-scale craft producers.

To make the very best cider—whether for yourself, your family, and friends or for market—you first need a deep understanding of the processes involved, and the art and science behind them. Fortunately, The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is here to help. Author Claude Jolicoeur is an internationally known, award-winning cider maker with an inquiring, scientific mind. His book combines the best of traditional knowledge and techniques with up-to-date, scientifically based practices to provide today’s cider makers with all the tools they need to produce high-quality ciders.

The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is divided into five parts containing:

• An accessible overview of the cider making process for beginners;
• Recommendations for selecting and growing cider-appropriate apples;
• Information on juice-extraction equipment and directions on how to build your own grater mill and cider press;
• A discussion of the most important components of apple juice and how these may influence the quality of the cider;
• An examination of the fermentation process and a description of methods used to produce either dry or naturally sweet cider, still or sparkling cider, and even ice cider.

This book will appeal to both serious amateurs and professional cider makers who want to increase their knowledge, as well as to orchardists who want to grow cider apples for local or regional producers. Novices will appreciate the overview of the cider-making process, and, as they develop skills and confidence, the more in-depth technical information will serve as an invaluable reference that will be consulted again and again. This book is sure to become the definitive modern work on cider making.

A mechanical engineer by profession, Claude Jolicoeur first developed his passion for apples and cider after acquiring a piece of land on which there were four rows of old abandoned apple trees. He started making cider in 1988 using a “no-compromise” approach, stubbornly searching for the highest possible quality. Since then, his ciders have earned many awards and medals at competitions, including a Best of Show at the prestigious Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition (GLINTCAP).

Claude actively participates in discussions on forums like the Cider Digest, and is regularly invited as a guest speaker to events such as the annual Cider Days festival in western Massachusetts. He lives in Quebec City.