Five Reasons for Organic Gardening

By Darren L Blades 

 

Organic gardening is the way of growing fruit and vegetables using only things found in nature.

Why would one want to indulge in organic gardening or farming?

1. Organic gardening does not use chemicals to promote the growth of fruit and vegetables that may have a harmful effect on your health or the environment.
Chemical companies tell us the chemicals we use are safe if used according to direction, but research shows that even small amounts of poisons absorbed through the skin can cause cancer, especially in children. On average, a child ingests four to five times more cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult. This can lead to various diseases later on in the child's life. With organic gardening these incidents are somewhat reduced.
Remember, pesticides are made up of toxins that have only one purpose - to kill living things. Poisons are often washed into our rivers and streams, causing death to the native fish and polluting their habitat.

2. Organic gardening and farming practices help to keep the environment safe for future generations. Less harm is done to the environment by using natural fertilisers and composts which break down naturally in the soil over time rather than accumulating chemical residues.

3. Loss of valuable topsoil through erosion is minimised with organic farming techniques. The Soil Conservation Service estimates that 30 - 32 billion tons of soil is eroded from United States farmlands every year through old unsustainable farming practices.

4. Cost savings. One does not need to purchase costly chemical pesticides and fertilizers with organic gardening. A lot of organic techniques for the control of pests and diseases come straight from the kitchen cupboard. Mixing 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid and 1 cup of cooking oil can make an inexpensive garden pest spray. Put 3 tablespoons of this mixture in 1 quart of water and spray on plants. Sometimes other plants can be grown as companions to the main crop. A good example of this is the marigold, which helps repel aphids from vegetables.

5. Reduce landfill by recycling food scraps and garden cuttings. One can easily make compost using garden and kitchen waste. Though this is a bit more time-consuming than purchasing prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it certainly helps to recycle garbage and so helps save the environment. Also a simple mulch of pine needles will help to keep the growth of weeds down as well as keeping the moisture in.

If you are interested in learning more about Organic Gardening please visit http://www.garden-organically.com

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Organic Gardening 101 - Getting Started

 By Stephen Wisley

Have you been thinking about starting a garden to grow your own food? In this article on organic gardening 101 I want to help you get off the couch and get your hands dirty. As you are thinking about getting started let me suggest that you get started right a go organic from the beginning.

There are many reasons to grow your food organically. The biggest reason is the health of your family. That alone should be reason enough. Would you pour chemicals on your cereal in the morning? Of course not! Then why would you want to put chemicals in the form of fertilizer, insecticides and herbicides on your green beans?
So, the question is how do you get started with organic gardening? There are a lot of things to consider. First, and maybe the most important, is the size of garden space you have to work with. Then, consider the location and how you are going to build your soil fertility.

What size is your garden?
It really does not matter how much area you have. I have known of people who garden in an apartment window. So, you have not excuse, just pick your area and let's get going.
For our purpose here we will say you have some space in your yard that you can put a small garden. I recommend you start out small and grow as your garden does. Gardening is a learning process just like anything else.

Where will you locate your garden?
A garden has to have sun. The amount of sun that reaches your plot throughout the will determine how well your garden grows. You can grow vegetables in varying amounts of light, but results will vary too. So, try to pick an area that has full sun for best results.
It is best to stay out of low areas where water will collect. If plants constantly have their feet wet they do not do well. We can work with a location like this, but it is a little more difficult, and not near as much fun.

Building soil fertility
Since we are not using a bag of chemical fertilizer we need to find an alternative. If your goal is the same as mine, to raise the best tasting, most healthy food, then I suggest you go totally with compost as your veggie food.

Using compost means you must maintain a compost pile. That is really not as difficult as it may sound. In fact, building a compost pile can be a project of its own.

You make compost out of stuff you normally want to get rid of, so making compost can actually save you money. A compost pile should be made from a combination of green stuff and dry stuff.

The green stuff can be grass clippings, weeds from the garden, house hold scraps, etc. The dry stuff can be leaves from your, or the neighbors, trees, a bale of straw, etc. Compost is everywhere. Once you get started you will be amazed at what you can compost, newspaper, cardboard, and even tree limbs will compost over time.

If you follow the advice in organic gardening 101 you will soon be dining on your own very tasty, and more importantly, healthy vegetables that you grew with your own hands. So, get out there, pick your spot, lay out your very own garden area and build that compost pile.

To help you easily raise your own organic vegetables for your table you can get free gardening tips by clicking here. For more information check out http://solutionsfororganicgardening.com.

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Spring Gardening Tips For Eager Gardeners

 By Lee Dobbins

I don't know about you, but when the weather starts to get warmer I want to get right out in the garden and start working. Of course, it's usually way too early in the season when I get that urge and the ground is too cold still to do any type of planting. That being said, there are a few spring gardening tips for eager gardeners that can help to satisfy your gardening inclinations.

Take Stock
The first thing you want to do is take stock of your garden as well as your garden set up. In the garden, you can take this time to remove leaves, branches and other things that have accumulated and rake up some of the soil so that your garden is ready for spring planting.

In the tool shed, make sure that you have all the tools that you need and the tools are in good repair. This might be a good time to make a list of new tools that you need to buy and even take a trip to the home gardening center.

Make Plans
Early spring is the time to plan out this year's garden and there is nothing more fun than going to the home gardening store and seeing what goodies are available to help you in your gardening efforts this year. You can check out all the new tools as well as the new plants and fertilizers that can help you in the garden. Take your time and make notes of the interesting things you see and you will be able to plan out both a budget and a gardening plan that makes sense for you this year.
You can also take this time to actually draw out the plantings that you want in your garden. This might include removing plants and planting new ones and it's good to have this drawn out on the map so you can get an idea of how many plants you're going to need to make your dream garden come true.

Start Seeds
If you are really in the mood for some early spring gardening, then you'll definitely want to start sprouting some of your seeds. You want to do these indoors if the weather is very harsh. Growing from seed is very rewarding and you want to make sure you start them early enough so that they will be well-established by the time it's ready for them to go out into the garden.

Check Your Soil
Now is the time to get a soil sample and you can use your own soil tester to find out if your soil is lacking any nutrients. Some local gardening centers will test the soil for you if you just bring down a small sample. This way you can find out what types of nutrients you are lacking and buy the appropriate fertilizers and amendments to bring your soil up to the perfect quality so that you can grow lush vibrant plants this growing season.

Next, get more early spring gardening tips and find out how to grow gorgeous flowers and plants.

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Winter Gardening Tips For Better Success In Spring

 By Paul Guzman

I work at a retail gardening store and I literally get hundreds of customers asking gardening questions. The questions are as varied as the folks asking them. They range from "How do I kill a tree - to why are my leaves turning red on my red oak tree?" Most of the answers are stored inside my brain but, I do on occasion have to take out reference books to look up the answer.

Right now the winter gardening questions are coming in quicker than leaves falling on the ground. Here are some of the most common questions:

What do I do with my Lantana and Red Bird of Paradise (outdoor) plants now that we are getting freezing temperatures? Answer: Cut them down to the ground...both of them and cover them up with mulch to protect the root system. Water occasionally during the winter months. Do not get the "Red Bird of Paradise" confused with the "Indoor Bird of Paradise". Your spouse may get pretty upset if you cut down the "Bird of Paradise" to the ground. If you do not have freezing temperatures I'd still cut them down. They will bloom like crazy when the hot weather returns.

When should I winterize my lawn? Answer: Right now during the month of November or early December. Remember, Winterizer is a root vitamin not a fertilizer and should be used on cool seasonal type grasses. Use on all types of Fescue and Kentucky Blue Grasses. Not sure what type you have? If your grass is green during the month of January you have a cool season grass. Water cool season grasses about twice per month. Bermuda hybrid grasses go dormant during winter, water only occasionally and do not fertilize them.
Do I continue watering my trees and shrubs during winter? Answer: Well, yes and no. Water new plants and trees about twice per month during the cold season. Do not forget to turn up your watering system to about 2-3 times per week once spring arrives. Cut down or stop watering drought tolerant plants and trees if they have been in the ground over 5 years. Succulents need water about 2 times per months...tops. Do not water Cactus type plants unless you have them indoors.

Do I prune my roses/plants now? Answer: You can prune them anytime during the year but, only prune roses or plants if there is a need to. Many folks are convinced they have to prune roses during this time of year. Roses that look healthy and formed correctly need no pruning. Brown or dying branches should be trimmed off as low as possible. Foliage or limbs that are touching plants need to be trimmed. Remember to prune right above the leaves for a better looking plant.

I have grubs in my lawn should I apply a grub control now? Answer: Grubs come from the larvae of the Japanese Beetle. The best time to apply grub control is in late summer or early fall. For heavy infestation of grubs apply it during early spring and again in early fall. Grubs will also feed on shrub and tree roots. Most grub control products are labeled for lawns and plants but, not all products will say this. Read the label - if it contains: Imidacloprid your in business.

There you have it some good winter gardening tips. BTW....Here is the answer to the first two questions?

How to kill a tree? Answer: Remove the bark completely around the tree about 6" wide. The deeper the better. This will prevent it from taking most nutrients into the tree. Just like people without nutrients you/it will die.

Why are the leaves on my Red Oak Tree turning red? Without getting too technical I'll try to answer: Chlorophyll... the green pigment in leaves is Chlorophyll this is why they stay green in summer. The production of chlorophyll in trees requires sunlight and warm temperatures. Once fall time temps come around the colder or freezing temps destroy Chlorophyll thus preventing the leaves from staying green. Cool weather along with bright sunshine helps in the formation of anthocyanins. This is the substance that makes red oaks turn red along with other colorful fall season trees.

There you have winter gardening tips for those looking for better success in spring.

Paul Guzman is the Author of this article. His website has tons of free gardening information...Check it out today at: Guzman's Greenhouse Website
Join his gardening newsletter free at Guzman's Newsletter

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