How to Have an Organic Garden
February 17, 2010 by admin
Filed under Gardening Tips, Organic
Gardening sites are filled with articles about organic gardens. At the grocery store we see foods advertised as being grown organically. Just what does the term “organic” mean in this context? Very simply and succinctly, organic gardening is that which is done without the use of synthetic fertilizer. Organic gardening was the only way to garden and farm for thousands of years, before the advent of the modern chemical era. The practice was never lost entirely, of course, and has made a wonderful comeback in the last few years as gardeners are concerned about the affects of synthetic fertilizers on ground water, animals that might roam the garden, and the quality of the food produced. Organic gardening extends beyond fertilizer use, and encompasses all the processes necessary to grow healthy vegetables, flowers, and other garden plants without the use of artificial agents.
Chief among these processes is the practice of adding compost to the soil. This process contributes vital nutrients, helps to hold moisture, and creates a healthy pH balance in the garden. Compost is produced from decaying leaves, plant waste such as grass clippings or pruned stems and branches, and even fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen. A compost pile or compost bin is easy to start, and will be the source of rich, organic fertilizer for your flowers and vegetables. The best compost starts with a combination of brown materials. like dead leaves, and green materials like grass clippings, in a ratio in which browns outnumber greens 10 or 20 to 1. The browns add essential carbon to the mixture, and the greens are the source for needed nitrogen. When they are combined in a bin or pile they begin to break down into compost, a soil-like material that packs a nutritious boost for plants. For the best compost, add enough water to make it moist without being soggy. In addition, turn it every 2-4 weeks in order to allow needed oxygen to permeate the mixture and expedite the contents being transformed into compost.
When the original components have lost their individual identity, the compost is ready. It should smell earthy, like a forest floor – where, by the way, natural composting is happening continuously. If it has a rotten smell, it should be turned again and left for another week before being rechecked. Using composting material before it is ready will not hurt your garden plants, but it also will not have the full range or levels of nutrients that completely composted matter will. Patiently waiting for the compost to be dully ready will produce more beautiful flowers, healthier shrubs and trees, and more robust vegetables!
Organic gardens also employ limited amounts of farm manure, which can either be added to the compost mixture, or spread straight onto the garden in the fall, before covering it for the year, or first thing in the spring. Horse, cow, rabbit, and chicken manure work best.
Organic gardening offers the reward of naturally healthy plants. It is also fulfilling for many gardeners to know that their efforts are adding to the fitness of the environment, rather than threatening its wellbeing. Each flower can then be enjoyed more fully, each vegetable eaten with greater confidence and pleasure.
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