NUTRITIVE CYCLE

THE NUTRITIVE CYCLE

NUTRITIVE CYCLE IN KNF

Korean Natural Farming (KNF) grows crops in ways that mimic how plants behave in Nature. Using this approach minimizes problems and enhances health, quality, and yields. In order to enhance our results, we follow the natural cycle of plant life, which Master Cho refers to as the Nutritive Cycle, summarized below.

                              The Nutritive Cycle

SEEDLING

VEGETATIVE PLANT

CROSS-OVER

               Liminal (Pre-Pubescent)

               Flower Bud Formation

               Flower Development

               Fully Mature Flower

FRUIT SET

GREEN FRUIT

FRUIT RIPENING

DORMANCY OR DEATH

SEEDLINGS OR SPRING GROWTH

In order to apply Biochemical Signaling Technology (BST) properly, we first need to understand the Nutritive Cycle, the lifecycle of plants.

UNDERSTANDING THE NUTRITIVE CYCLE PHASES

SEEDLING

Once a seed sprouts, it is called a seedling. The seed leaves at this stage serve the function analogous to the placenta in mammals and the egg yolks of birds. They provide the nutrition the seedling needs to establish roots and grow true leaves that will enable the young plant to start photosynthesis and obtain its own energy.

For this reason, it is not necessary to offer nutrition to seedlings. Let them grow naturally until they lose their seed leaves (cotyledons). Allowing plants to utilize their embryonic leaf nutrition helps to trigger genetics that will grow a strong, resilient plant.

VEGETATIVE PLANT

Like young children, young plants tend to “grow like weeds.” This stage is characterized by the rapid growth of stems and leaves, but before flowers have appeared. Whenever you want leafy vegetative growth, you will use a formula made with plant material from the fast-growing leafy tips of a vegetative plant.

There are two key points to know about this stage.

1. Use only tender, fast-growing plant tips. This is the location of the meristem, the structure where the biochemistry responsible for growth is found.

2.  Plant material must be collected at dawn, before the leaves are hit by sunlight. Once sunlight hits the leaves, the plant switches to photosynthesis, the process of turning sunlight into chemical energy.

We don’t want the biochemistry of photosynthesis. We want to capture the biochemistry of growth, which starts when the sun begins to set and peaks just before morning sunlight hits the leaves.

CROSS-OVER

This is the most complicated stage of growth, and arguably the most important, depending on the type of crop. If you are growing leaf crops, such as lettuce, you will skip this phase altogether (unless you are letting some go to seed for seed storage). You will use this phase if you are growing flowers or any kind of fruit, nut, or seed.

There are four stages in Cross-Over. This takes plants from the early, mostly imperceptible internal changes, to the fully mature flower stage, ready for pollination.

               STAGES OF CROSS-OVER

               Liminal (Pre-Pubescent)

               Flower Bud Formation

               Flower Development

               Fully Mature Flower

Liminal

During the liminal stage, the plant is preparing to grow reproductive structures. This is not overtly visible externally, but you can learn to see when this stage begins.

You can count the number of leaves on tomato plants, for example. Many plants will show swelling in their stems when this stage begins. The signs of this stage vary by plant but can be recognized once you learn the pattern.

Flower Bud Formation

The external process of reproduction is obvious once flower buds start to appear. However, you would start using a Cross-Over formula before this stage, during the liminal stage.

Flower Development

After flower buds appear, they mature before opening. Besides growing the structure of the flower bud, many biochemical changes are happening within the plant.

This is analogous to the moody pre-teen, who acts like an adult one moment and a child the next. All stages of the Cross-Over phase are highly hormonal and temperamental.

Fully Mature Flower

Once flowers are fully mature, they are ready for reproduction. And just like teenagers, we want the plant to be fully mature before it gets pregnant. Once the flower opens, it signals the desire to reproduce.

It may have colors and scents that attract pollinators. It may have structures that are wind-pollinated, but the focus at this stage is to attract pollen and initiate reproduction.

FRUIT SET

After a flower has been pollinated, the pollen has entered the ovary, and the seed embryo begins to grow. The type of structure that grows depends on the type of plant. Regardless, this stage is referred to as “setting fruit,” or “fruit set.”

If the fruit (or seed, or nut) is not properly formed, it will abort and fall off. Inadequate nutrition can also cause fruit to fall off prematurely. This is why we need a well-developed Soil Foundation, so plants can pull in whatever they need from the soil during this complex process.

We will continue to support this stage of growth until the fruit is fully formed and begins to ripen.

GREEN FRUIT

While the fruit is forming, until it starts to ripen, it is considered to be a “green fruit.”

FRUIT RIPENING

In order to entice animals to take and spread the fruit, which contains the seeds of the next generation, it will become colorful, fragrant, and flavorful, much like a mature flower entices pollinators.

The plants are trying to ensure that the next generation can be born. This is the goal of every living creature. Fruit is an elegant way to get there. With Biochemical Signaling Technology, BST, we can enhance this process to develop high-quality, sweet fruit.

DORMANCY OR DEATH

Once a plant has successfully produced the next generation, by definition, it has reproduced, it will either die, as is the case with annuals, or go into some sort of dormancy. Trees are an example of a long-lived plant that can live for many years.

Not all trees are deciduous and drop all their leaves. Even if they don’t drop all their leaves, they will enter a period of rest, the stage of an elderly plant. They need a period of rest and recovery before the process can begin again.

SEEDLINGS OR SPRING GROWTH

Once a perennial plant has recovered and is ready to begin the cycle again, it will flush with fresh spring growth. If the plant is a seed, this process begins with germination into a seedling.

And thus, the cycle of life continues.

WHAT ABOUT ROOTS?

Root crops can be treated, in general, as if they are underground fruit structures. Their maturation is often correlated with their flowers above ground.

RECOGNIZING THE PHASES

SEEDLING

A seedling is a germinated seed until it has lost its seed leaves (cotyledons).

VEGETATIVE PLANT

Any plant with leaf growth in the absence of flowers.

CROSS-OVER

Liminal (Pre-Pubescent)

This is the hardest stage to recognize. You may have to count the number of leaves or look for other outward signs, such as the thickening of stems. If you start to see flowering structures appear, it has passed this stage.

Flower Bud Formation

The plant has entered this stage once the first signs of flowering structures appear.

Flower Development

Once flowering structures have appeared, they will start to swell into flower buds. This stage continues until they fully form flower buds.

Fully Mature Flower

Once they are fully mature, flower buds open as flowers. They may only open for a few hours or less, or they may last for many days. Some will open and close with daylight.

FRUIT SET

Once a flower has been pollinated, it will begin to form a fruit. This can often be seen as a swelling at the base of the flower. Eventually, the petals will fall off, and the fruit will continue to form until it reaches its full size.

GREEN FRUIT

Once the ovary of a flower has swelled into a fruit structure, it is considered a green fruit until the fruit is full size and fully formed.

FRUIT RIPENING

Once the fruit has reached its full size, it will begin to develop color, fragrance, and sweetness (of varying degrees).

DORMANCY OR DEATH

After producing the next generation, as a fruit, seed, or nut, the plant will shut down growth. In the case of annuals, the plant will die.

Longer living plants will either lose all their leaves and go completely dormant, or enter an elderly state that can be seen as hard, thin branches and thick, slow-growing leaves. Any growth will not be plump and juicy; it will be hard and dry.

SEEDLINGS OR SPRING GROWTH

This is the phase for rebirth. Long-lived plants will start to grow lush, juicy leaves, often brighter in color. This is referred to as “spring growth.” Seeds, of course, will germinate and become a seedling.

Thus, the cycle of life begins again.