How To Start An Organic Garden

From Associated Content, by Ilene Springer:

If grown properly, your organic garden will produce higher quality, healthier foods '" and will be good for the environment and wildlife.

Many people have high hopes for starting their own organic garden and reaping a small harvest from it. The problem is that many don't really know what an organic garden is. Organic gardening is more than popping some seeds in the ground and letting them grow "naturally." If grown properly, your organic garden will produce higher quality, healthier foods—and will be good for the environment and wildlife. But it will take planning and work. Here's what you need to know to get a green organic thumb.

Know the facts. The definition of organic gardening varies among gardeners, but most agree that it means growing fruits, vegetables and flowers without using any chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, and using practices that are ecologically harmonious, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. You'll still have to get rid of weeds, fertilize your plants and stop bugs from eating them. You will still have to go out and supervise it every day, and dig just like you would with any garden.

Start with a small plot. Begin your garden in a window box or in a few containers until you're more confident. If you want a larger site, a 4-by-4-foot garden is enough room. Don't plant too much. Plan your yield in terms of meals per person instead of some vague amount of produce.

Seek advice from other organic gardeners. Not sure what to plant? Ask your neighbors what they're growing, or research what plants thrive in your region of the country. Try to grow what other organic gardeners are growing locally; that's what you'll have the best luck with. When you decide what you want to grow, find out if your potential site meets the needs of your plants in terms of light and temperature. The best is a site that gets at least half a day of sunshine and has easy access to water. Also consider a place that gets good drainage.

Make a compost pile. Compost is a "mixture" of mulch (any material placed over the soil to retain moisture, keep out weeds and prevent erosion) and fertilizer. Composting—the breaking down of organic material—adds nutrients to the soil and helps with either retaining water (for sandy soil) or with drainage (clay soil). Compost is like a big multivitamin and mineral supplement for your soil. It also helps the environment by recycling yard and kitchen waste into a great soil enhancer. Use the following for your compost pile: fallen leaves, weeds and grass clippings (except those that have been treated with herbicides and pesticides). Avoid any meat, fat or bones, or feces from animals that eat red meat—these can spread disease and attract predators. And don't ever use bark mulch because it rots, robs the soil of nitrogen and attracts termites.

Get the best soil you can find. Go to a gardening center or to a friend or neighbor who farms to get your soil. This soil, in combination with your compost, is crucial to the success of your organic garden. The more compost you add to the topsoil, the better it is for your plants' absorption of nutrients, root system, and distribution of air and water.

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Prepare to control weeds manually. What exactly are weeds? Weeds are any plants you don't want growing in your garden. Because you're not using chemicals to destroy weeds, you'll have to do it by hand. Use a hoe regularly to kill off the green parts of the weeds; this deprives them of the nourishment they need to grow. To make sure you don't destroy the plants you want, dig up the roots of the weeds by hand. Use a lot of mulch around your established plants; this helps to control weeds.

Remove insects by hand. This means inspecting your garden every day and wiping off bugs. You can remove some bugs—like fast-multiplying aphids—by using a stream of water.

Get some help from the birds and bees. There are a number of "good" insects and birds that will actually help your garden. Find out the conditions they like and invite them into your organic garden.

Sources:

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/org_gar.htm
http://www.garden.org/home
http://www.ecomii.com/ecopedia/compost
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/sustainable/handbooks/easycompost/3.html
http://www.gardenersnet.com/atoz/insect.htm

Comments

[Whatevah]

For any of you on the fence, DO IT!

Gardening is rewarding in ways that are hard to describe. The process is fun to master. The food tastes better than anything you can buy. Your knowledge grows along with your plants.

Just say yes.

[willowsbasket]

Starting small is a good idea, so it is manageable, and you can care for it well. Organic is the only way to go.

[cabinetmaniac]

Square foot gardening is a good method to get a large harvest from a small space.

The pic that comes with the article is basically a square foot garden.

Make the bed no wider than about four feet and as long as you like. Plant the seeds or seedlings at the recommended plant spacing but ignore the row spacing. There are no rows. Rows aren't necessary in a small garden. Plant taller plants in the back or south side of the garden. You can plant a salsa garden or salad garden or herb garden in about a 4 x 4 foot space.

I constantly improve my soil.

I hand pick insects and put them in a cup of soapy water or alcohol.

Saving rainwater in barrels is a good idea.

:-]

[hulagirrrl]

What about slugs. We have MILLIONS of slugs, and I just hate them, and could not ever pick them up.

[Caliwoman]

Raised beds with a copper rape around them. Slugs and snails will not cross the copper. Also some beagles eat snails and slugs.

[Caliwoman]

copper tape

[cabinetmaniac]

Raised beds are easier to maintain and control pests.

The copper idea works well.

Diatomaceous earth works well also. It dries up the slugs and kills them. It's organic too. Don't use the pool stuff though it is too fine.

:-]

[KIVPossum]

This is the only way to go.
To your excellent post I might add - prepare the soil well. Dig down a foot in the entire garden area, then set aside the dirt from the areas that will be garden plots and dig that area down another foot. Put it all back into the garden plots, including the dirt from what will be walkways, blending in plenty of aged manure, quality compost, and leaf mold. Now you have a workable bed you which will need very little work season to season except always improving your soil.

The fact you plant with spacing without rows will greatly decrease your weed problem, help retain moisture, and get maximum utility from any watering you must do.

Working with compatible planting is a good idea to reduce plant problems and increase production.

[mzrecycle]

Here are a few additions:
Most states offer free soil testing. When gardening organically, it's important. There are some great organic fertilizers available also.

BUGS: It's possible to find online lists of things that can be planted near each other to discourage bugs.
Neem oil is very good at discouraging bugs, as well as fungus. Spray on once a week and after rain. Neem can kill bees, so don't spray on flowers. I've covered squash flowers with sandwich bags while spraying. For fungus, start spraying before you even notice it and keep it up all season.

For weed control, I prefer to cover the soil. I start with layers of newpaper, then use wheat straw or leaves that have been half-composted. Both can be tilled into the soil later. I save all the dog fur from grooming my very furry dog. Use around lettuce, etc. that rabbits like. Human hair can be used as well. My hair dresser saves and gives to customers who want it. But I don't like to use it in my veggie garden, as many women use all sorts of chemicals on their hair. My dog doesn't.

Covering the soil also conserves water. That saves time as well as water. During a severe drought last season, I had covered my garden and had no trouble keeping my garden going all summer with minimal watering. Many gardeners I know cut back on watering as was suggested, but lost nearly all their crops.

[hulagirrrl]

Thanks for the tip with the newspaper, I will use that one. Do you collect rainwater for watering the garden?

[mzrecycle]

Yes, I have 5 rain barrels. This summer was so wet I barely used them . . .

[mzrecycle]

P. S. on the rain barrels: I don't use the water from the roof (asphalt shingles), as some of the chemicals go down into the gutters along with the great rain water. I use that water on my grass (not on the slope above my veggie garden), and ornamentals.

[gulfofmexico1]

1.. dig a hole
2. crap in it
3. plant your tomatos
4. sell them for double the price

[sabelmouse]

what a clever comment!

[cabinetmaniac]

He's a comic genius!
:-]