Organic gardening is an
increasingly popular pastime, as well as a viable way for many people
to produce their own healthful, fresh food.
Small-scale organic
gardening is a relatively straightforward activity, yet it can require
a change in mindset for many gardeners--a change toward traditional
gardening practices without chemicals, insecticides, herbicides, or
synthetic fertilizers.
The potential green business
opportunities:
- Small-scale
organic farming
- Organic
or natural lawn care
- Natural
pest control
- Natural
gardening consultant
- Organic
agriculture consulting
- Natural
garden supplies
___________________________
Organic
Gardening - The Basics
Most of us recognize the value of choosing organic foods whenever
possible. Both in terms of promoting health and balance in the
environment, organics are the healthy option. Unfortunately, quality
organic vegetables are not always available, or they may be too
expensive.
Wouldn't it be great to have fresh, flavorful vegetables available for
minimal expense? Do you want to be confident that your
vegetables are safe for your family to eat?
Growing your own organic vegetable garden not only assures fresh, safe,
great tasting vegetables all season long, it also provides you with
exercise, stress relief, and the knowledge that your hard work is
accomplishing great things for you and your family. If organic
gardening sounds like something you'd like to try, here are a few tips
to get you started.
First, it is important to void commercial soil preparations and
fertilizers, as these often contain blood meals and bone meals, which
can pose a risk of the human equivalent of Mad-Cow Disease
(Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease). Commercial fertilizers also may contain
petrochemical derived compounds and contaminants which have
not been fully tested for safety in human consumption.
Preparing your soil and planting area may be the most important part of
your gardening endeavors. Start by adding straw to your soil to both
promote composting and increase drainage.
Ideally, you should start composting well ahead of time so you can
simply recycle your yard waste and not have to buy any store
fertilizers. Even though you can purchase organic
fertilizers, making your own is better.
To make a compost pile, throw straw, your fallen leaves,
grass clippings, and other plant matter into a bin or pile and stir
periodically. Vegetable waste, egg shells, coffee grounds, fruit peels,
and fruit cores are also good compost material. Of course, organic
ingredients will keep your compost as free as possible of chemical
contamination.
Your compost ingredients will eventually decompose into quality humus
to fertilize your soil. Organic compost starter can offer a shortcut to
getting the bacteria and microbes essential to creating good compost a
head start. Keep your compost damp, but not soaking wet.
If your compost is particularly odiferous, stir it more often to allow
additional oxygen into the mix. If you notice an odor similar to cat
urine emanating from your compost, decrease the amount of grass
clippings you are adding to the mix.
Manure is a great natural fertilizer, but it may pose a danger of E.
coli contamination unless the manure is well aged and composted. Also,
if you are going to add grass clippings to your compost, be certain
that no commercial fertilizers or weed killers have been used on the
lawn.
You may also have to add natural ingredients to the soil if the pH
balance is off as measured with simple pH testing kits available at
your gardening center. If the pH of your soil is below 6, add
crushed egg, clam, or oyster shells. If your pH is above 7.5,
lower it by mulching with wood chips or sawdust. These
treatments, along with other organic additives, can take a while to
work. You want to prepare the soil as early as possible in
the season before planting to make sure you will have the opportunity
to get your soil conditions optimal.
In most areas, you will want nearly full sun for your garden plot. A
south facing area is usually best, avoiding trees that will shade your
plants and potentially rob your garden of both nutrients and moisture.
Raised beds can be a good choice in northern areas where ground
temperatures take longer to reach optimal growing parameters. When
constructing raised beds, consider stone or concrete, which hold heat
well and are unlikely to leach harmful chemicals into the plants you
and your family plan to eat. Avoid treated wood designed for ground
contact, as the chemicals used are harmful. Also avoid railroad ties,
as this wood is treated with creosote and a whole host of potentially
harmful substances.
Before you can plant you need to pick the right vegetables. You should
buy organically grown seedlings. If you can't find any, just
sprout your own seeds. This way you can be sure there are no chemicals
going into your vegetables at any stage of growth. You will also want
to be sure that the variety of plants you buy haven't been genetically
altered in any way. While these plants might grow better looking fruits
and vegetables, they produce less flavorful and possibly less healthy
food.
|
|
Once your garden is planted, you can naturally repel pests and
fertilize the soil by companion planting. This means you
plant more than one crop in the same area. If you have an insect problem, you can find plants to repel specific pests or friendly
insects that can be added to your garden. These friendly insects, such
as the common ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) which can consume a
truly remarkable quantity of aphids or scale insects. Adding beneficial
nematodes to your soil can also protect your plants from a long list of
pests. These tiny non-segmented worms are completely harmless, but they
can do wonders for your garden. For a full selection of beneficial
insects, nematodes, and other organic gardening supplies, look
to
Arbico Organics
If you have larger animals eating your plants, you can choose vine
vegetables that furry visitors prefer not to cross over. If
you choose complementary plants, this can also be used to restore
nutrients to the soil. You want to be sure to rotate out
different vegetables every year to further build soils.
Your local cooperative extension service will be a great resource for
naturally dealing with the pests and challenges associated with
gardening in your area and climate.
Creating your own organic vegetable garden can require a lot of work
and research, but once you bite into your first perfectly clean and
safe vegetable, you'll realize that it was well worth the effort.
