Few pursuits are as rewarding as growing your own organic garden. Not only do you get to enjoy the fruits of your own labor, but you have the satisfaction of knowing that the produce you are eating was grown without chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides. Supporters of organic gardening stress that it produces healthy, more diverse ecosystems, which are better able to resist significant pest damage through their own natural way and that every single individual should consider shifting to organic gardening. The reason they provide is simple; we need to take this big step so as to stop poisoning the food we eat and the earth we stand on.

Organic gardening is a form of gardening that uses substantial diversity in pest control so as to reduce the use of pesticides and to provide as much fertility as possible, based on local nutrients rather than purchased fertilizers.

A professional gardener for over 25-years once told me that he had spent a fortune to purchase chemical substances that large companies produce since this road was the easiest at the time to protect plants. After probably spraying 10,000 gallons of pesticide in his career, he chose not to continue doing it any more. He urged me to consider not only my body’s health but that of my future children, and grand children, and to give up just one of my garden chemicals, for good. Whether it would be a fungicide, a herbicide or a fertilizer, I was advised to choose at least one and take it to the local toxic collection day hosted at my city. I was convinced and so I did.

Thus, my advice to you is that if you decide to do only one thing this season for your garden, consider making it friendlier by switching to alternative methods of pest control. It’s time for all of us gardeners to examine and begin to make a few changes in the way we do things in our gardens. We have got to think about putting an end to the old ways of gardening – and by that I mean our chemical arsenal of pesticides and fertilizers. Even if you are afraid of doing it all at once-old habits are hard to break-consider changing your usual methods month over month one step at a time. Next time you are out taking care of your garden, do just one thing to make it more earth and human friendly.

Finally, avoid some common mistakes beginning organic gardeners make. Do not water plants too much, as over watering prevents the plants from creating deep root systems. Over watering as well as under watering are both bad for the plants. Thus, maintain a stable watering schedule and water your plants deeply once a week. Do not use inorganic fertilizers. Although you might think this is harmless, these heavy on salts crystals do not feed the soil and are a magnet for bugs. You are much better off with natural slow release organic amendments and compost. Not only they provide major nutrients, but let your plants use them over an extended time period. You should be using a balanced approach and feeding the soil and not your plants; they know how much to feed themselves. Finally, do not use too many fertilizers. Even organic ones are advised only when used in the appropriate quantity.

Organic Gardening refers to the system in which plants are grown in an organic environment. According to the USDA regulations, those who are involved in the process of organic gardening are prohibited from using irradiation, sewage sludge or genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in organic production. This type of food production would be certified as organic farming or gardening.

Accordingly, the important aspects of organic gardening will include the following:

• Those who engage in organic gardening or farming can’t use synthetic or chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• There should be a systematic approach in organic gardening. This means that a system needs to be implemented. This system will describe the methodologies about sowing, production and reaping of plants.
• Records must be also kept which will keep a track of the products till they are sold.
• Buffer zones should be maintained so that there are no inadvertent contaminations from the gardens and the farms, which use the conventional method of farming or gardening.

Those involved in organic gardening understand the importance of crops, the soil, the pests and the insects as well as the interdependency of all these factors. Organic gardening helps to care and the nurture the very soil of the crops. Thus the benefits that we get are naturally grown flowers, trees and plants.

Organic gardening can also be certified by state organizations and private organizations, which have been accredited by the USDA. The farms and gardens, which are looking to certify themselves, have to submit their organic systems on an annual basis.

Based upon these systems inspectors will come and inspect their establishments and verify with the systems that they have submitted. All facilities are included in the inspection and this includes pest control method, livestock, feedstock for livestock, soil management programs etc.

The organically grown products are minimally processed to retain their natural freshness and nutritious value. However irradiation, synthetic and genetically engineered foods and products can’t be used in organic farming or gardening.

The biggest advantage is that there are no chemicals and pesticides used. Hence there are no residues when we eat the fruits. There is nothing to wash off or fear like normal produce.

This means that we live a healthy life and we beget a healthy life for our children and the generations to come. As humans we want to lead a healthy life and this gives us a right to choose what foods we eat as well as how we get the foods.

“Organic gardening is not just the avoidance of chemicals, in the larger view, it is organic living using nature’s laws.” I read this quote by an unknown person sometime ago and realized that my parents and others like them were organic gardeners long before the current resurrection of these principles. They didn’t use chemicals on the food they would feed to their children and gardening was a part of daily living to ensure there was sufficient food to preserve for the long winters. Everything was re-cycled and kitchen scraps were routinely thrown onto the garden to replenish the earth. Organic fertilizers such as manure were used and the only fertilizer on the roses was bone meal. My mother and father produced the best tasting vegetables and lots of them – enough to feed a family of seven throughout the winter. Birds, worms, and other signs of a living earth were welcomed into the garden.

In recent times synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides have become the practice most common among commercial agricultural practices. These practices have had some undesirable results such as the loss or depletion of topsoil, land becomes less fertile, and the excessive use of pesticides has resulted in pests resistant to the current chemicals resulting in the development of even stronger chemicals. Our environment is being damaged by toxic chemical spills, chemicals leaching into rivers and water supplies are contaminating our drinking water, and the effect of global warming is becoming a major part of the political agenda.

Our personal diet and health is a major topic of importance as more attention is being paid to the relationship between food and health. Research has demonstrated that organically grown vegetables are higher in vitamins and minerals than those grown with inorganic fertilizers. Gardening organically and growing as much of our own food as possible is one of the steps we can take to start healing the earth on which we live and in the process healing ourselves. Several key components are fundamental to the practice of organic gardening.

Practical Steps to Organic Gardening

1. Soil. The soil is kept healthy by working with Nature rather than against it. Practices include using organic fertilizers such as manure to replenish the earth and all refuse produced by the garden should be recycled back into the garden. Organic gardening uses all of the waste produced in the garden such as grass clippings, leaves, and leftovers from the kitchen to make compost that feeds the soil and keeps it full of the nutrients necessary to grow crops.

2. Avoid the use of all synthetic chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Eliminating the use of chemicals in the garden allows gardeners to not worry about children, pets, and wildlife coming in contact with synthetic weed killers and fertilizers on the lawn and shrubs. The food grown is pesticide-free, additive-free, and nutritious food for the table.

3. Sustainability. In his book, Gardening Organically, John Fedor defines sustainability as “the ability of a society or an ecosystem to function indefinitely without squandering the resources on which it relies.” Organic gardening does this by ensuring there is no loss of nutrients or topsoil in the garden.

4. Environmental Stewardship. Gardening organically means that the environment benefits from the reduction in contamination of the water supply and air pollution. It means that we provide a habitat for wildlife including beneficial insects and animals.

5. Wildlife-friendly Habitats. Informal areas can be created to assist wildlife in their search for habitat where they can survive the destruction of many areas; destructions that have now endangered many species.

6. Intensive planting. Plants are spaced closely together to conserve water and shield the soil from sunlight thus helping to prevent weed seeds from germinating and growing.

7. Biodiversity. Biodiversity ensures that when a change in growing conditions occurs, a single crop from a monoculture does not lead to a crop failure. The food supply does not become jeopardized when a diversity of species are planted.

Posted in organic gardening | No Comments »