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An Introduction to Organic Gardening
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May 19, 2006 - 11:55:00 AM

AN INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIC GARDENING

Regrettably, the average homeowner has become accustomed to using dozens of potentially harmful chemicals to treat plant pests and diseases in the yard and garden. Many gardeners also rely on chemical fertilizers to grow their grass, flowers, fruits, and vegetables. However, there is an increasing awareness that many of the chemicals we use in our yards can over the long run negatively affect the environment and the health of our loved ones, neighbors, and pets.

Additionally, many of the chemicals we use in the yard can over time degrade the health of our soil, garden plants, lawns, and trees, making the use of strong chemicals even more necessary to keep our plants alive.

This article is intended as an introduction to organic gardening techniques and products for the average homeowner. Organic gardening can serve as a healthy alternative to the use of chemicals in the yard and garden. While we don’t feel that it’s entirely necessary or practical for you to stop using all chemical pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides in your yard, we think that using a few environmentally friendly techniques and products in your daily gardening routine is an important way to protect the environment and the health of your family.

Even if you adopt just a few of these garden practices, you can have big impacts on the environment and the health of your family and neighbors. Additionally, by using these organic gardening techniques, you will over time create a stronger healthier garden that will require less maintenance. We also hope that after a few gardening seasons, you may find that organic gardening techniques are easier and more effective than you ever imagined.

What’s Wrong with Chemical Gardening Products?

While most chemical gardening products pose limited risk if used correctly, many of these products actually kill helpful insects and soil organisms and can damage a plant’s natural ability to fend off pests and diseases. Chemical fertilizers can also build up in the soil and eventually reduce productivity. As the soil quality gradually declines, more fertilizer is necessary to replace vital nutrients that should be naturally present in your garden soil.

Additionally, chemicals used in the lawn and garden have been scrutinized by a variety of academic and scientific studies. The results don’t exactly inspire confidence in the pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers many of us routinely use in our yards. These products have been linked to birth defects, cancer, and environmental degradation. Check out this website from Environment and Human Health for some interesting facts about the environmental and health effects of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers.

Organic Gardening as an Alternative to Chemicals

Organic gardening is a method of gardening that has existed for centuries. It wasn’t until the advent of chemical gardening products that organic gardening began to be pushed aside as an “alternative” or “luxury” form of gardening. As this happened, practitioners of organic gardening had to redefine themselves. Some of the pioneers of modern organic gardening include J.I. Rodale and Sir Albert Howard. You can read a sample of Sir Albert Howard’s work at the Journey to Forever website.

Gardeners generally define as organic gardening as working to create a natural balance of healthy soil and healthy plants in the garden. We can look to nature for ideas on how to grow healthy plants and how to utilize more natural processes instead of chemicals to keep our gardens healthy.

Organic gardening focuses on building up the soil, using native plants and plants appropriate for your garden, and looking for a natural balance in your garden. We must recognize that pathogens generally attack weak plants that are not properly adapted to their environment and that live in poor soil. Therefore, if we work our soil and encourage the presence of beneficial soil organisms, our plants will generally be stronger and more resistant to pests and diseases. When we integrate organic techniques into our gardening, we’ll help to ensure cleaner neighborhoods, cleaner water, and healthier families.

Recommended Gardening Products and Techniques

Organic gardening methods are constantly evolving. New technologies and new techniques are coming out every day. We’ve selected some of the most basic and effective organic gardening techniques in this article. Remember that one of the great things about organic gardening techniques is that they are applicable to any kind of garden you grow, from flower gardens, to herb gardens, to your vegetable garden.

For more organic gardening tips, please check out the following sites:

Organic Gardening Tips from Chispas Farms.

Organic Gardening Tips Web Site.

Organic Gardening Concepts and Techniques

• Composting:
Composting is one of the best ways to build up the soil, attract beneficial soil organisms, improve soil drainage, and provide your plants the nutrients that they need to thrive. Please check out the Compost Guide and the Compost Guide Store for information and composting products.

• Mulching:
Mulch reduces evaporation rates, adds nutrients to the soil, keeps weeds at bay, and protects your soil from erosion. A 3-4 inch layer of mulch is ideal for your garden beds. Replace the mulch as needed.

• Grass-cycling:
Leaving grass clippings on your lawn will actually improve the health of your turfgrass. Read all about grass-cycling at this government website.

• Native Plants:
Native plants are naturally adapted to your area and therefore need less water and less maintenance. They are also more resistant to pests. Try and use at least a few native plants in your garden. Learn more about native plants here.

• Biodiversity:
A diverse garden is a happy garden. Using a wide variety of plants in your garden means a higher number of beneficial insects and soil organisms. Biodiversity also means that pests are less likely to eat up all your plants! Read more about biodiversity here.

• Companion Planting:
Companion planting is the concept of using certain plants in combinations to keep pests away or otherwise strengthen plants. This website from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service has more details on companion planting.

Recommended Organic Gardening Products

Mycor Root Builders:
This product stimulates the growth of beneficial Mycorrhizal fungi in the soil. It works with vegetables, ornamentals, grass, etc.

Natural Insecticides:
Natural citrus-based insecticides are popular with many gardeners and are effective at killing off most of the pests you’re likely to see in your garden. It’s safe enough to use indoors. Beer is also a natural way to kill off slugs and snails, which are attracted to the scent and then drown in a glass or specially designed slug and snail trap.

Hot Pepper Wax Natural Bug and Critter Spray:
Hot Pepper Wax sprays help to keep animals and insects away from edible crops. A food grade wax helps the oils stay on your plants, without leaving a spicy residue.

Bat Guano:
Bat guano has a high humus content and works great as a soil builder and fertilizer. It’s also 100% natural. Look for bat guano that meets the standards of Bat Conservation International.

Organic Natural Fire Ant Killer:
Red imported fire ants can be a serious problem in the yard and garden. Try out a natural fire ant killer to put an end to these pesky critters. You can use a fire ant killer as step one of the Texas A&M developed Texas Two Step fire ant control method

Citrus and Vinegar-Based Natural Organic Weed Killers:
Natural citrus and vinegar-based liquids are very effective weed killers and cause the weeds to wilt and die within minutes. You may need a couple treatments for tough perennial weeds.

Organic Liquid Lawn Fertilizer:
For a nice, lush yard without chemicals, try out an organic liquid lawn fertilizer. Look for products that are a combination of lawn food supplements, natural soil activators, and Humate Liquid Humus.

Horticultural Corn Meal
Horticultural cornmeal is an organic way of controlling harmful soil fungi and problems with plant roots. This is especially important for vegetable crops.

Corn Gluten Meal
Corn gluten meal is a natural herbicide that also fertilizes the soil. Please visit Dr. Nick Christians' University of Iowa Corn Gluten research page (link to: http://www.gluten.iastate.edu/) for more information on the benefits of corn gluten meal.




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