Organic Gardening

Organic gardening requires no use of any pesticides or non-organic fertilizers of any kind. Organic gardening is a necessity for growing an herb or vegetable garden. In organic gardening insects and weeds are harder to keep under control. Disease is also more easily spread throughout the garden. Soil and plant tasks are more difficult than in the average synthetic garden but can produce rewarding, useful, edible crops.

The idea behind organic gardening is more than just the non-use of certain ingredients such as pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, but also to be one with nature. This includes the ingredients, water, soil, fertilizer etc. To garden organically is to garden in line with nature replenishing the resources of the garden as often as possible.

Organic gardening begins with the preparation of the soil. Organic material such as a mulch or compost is the most vital ingredient in your soil. By far the best fertilizer is homemade compost using food and yard waste. You can decompose your lawn from your lawn mower or the leaves from trimming your hedges, or the banana peels from you kitchen. All is well in a compost container. Compost by itself can make your garden flourish on it's own.

Weeds can be a problem, but there are preventative measures you can take to help keep them out of your garden. Using the correct mulch can prevent weeds from popping up. You can also use a net or mesh layer underneath your mulch, which can give additional protection. If this does not work you can always bend down and pull them out yourself. Tools such as a garden hoe and garden rake can help with this method.

A few more tips for your organic garden include insect control and disease resistance. To start off, it is always a good idea to choose plants that grow well in your climate. Insects are the hardest problem to keep out of your garden and there are several measures that can be taken to prevent this. The first is to make sure all dead leaves are removed from your garden area before planting your organic garden. It is also a good idea to use a garden tiller in the area after you clear it to make sure the dead plant leaves and rubbish are all cleared out. It is vital to keep the plants healthy with proper soil and the proper amount of watering. A garden hose can be used but sparingly. An unhealthy or damp growing area can be a magnet for unwanted pests. Another measure you can take is to keep fresh water in or around your garden. This can invite birds, which can help by eating bugs from your organic garden. Insects such as ladybugs can also help. There are also store bought organic preventative measures such as organic soap. It has also been said that garlic and hot pepper spread throughout the garden can help.

Organic gardening is an art in itself. Trying to come up with various recipes for pest control and still abide by the organic outlines. Acquiring a green thumb in organic gardening is much harder to acquire than a normal everyday garden. Using nature as a guideline the idea is to try and mimic nutrients in nature as much as possible and focus on the soil more than the plant itself. With proper soil tilling, and proper soil ingredients such as compost, a lush organic garden is easily possible. I wish you good luck and happy composting.