Organic Gardening Information At Your Fingertips
Organic gardening information is not so hard to come by since it has become trendy. Garden centers offer organic compost, soils and seeds on a regular basis, and most will be happy to offer you advice as well.
Any garden can be grown organically, whether you are growing fruit, vegetables or ornamentals.
The basics of organic gardening are using natural substances to feed the plants rather than commercial fertilizers made from chemicals. Compost is the cornerstone of organic gardening, and the more you can learn about compost, the better. Most organic gardening information you come across will discuss compost in some form. Compost is made from rotted leaves, vegetables, weeds, egg shells, coffee grounds, newspapers… just about anything that does not contain meat or bones. Manures make good additives as well, especially if your chickens, rabbits, horses, or cows are not eating any medicated feeds. Some manures need to age more than others, and this should be taken into consideration when making your own compost. You’ll want to contain the pile in some manner. You can find commercial compost bins made of plastic, or you can contain it inside wooden pallets. Or, you can just make a pile.
Once you’ve decided how to house your compost for your organic garden, it is time to start filling it up. All the above goodies can be added… garden trimmings, leftover veggies and grains, sawdust from changing the guinea pig… all of that can be added. In fact, to make your compost work faster and more efficiently, you should be layering organic waste (veggie scraps and plant matter) with a substance like torn newspaper, leaves or fine sawdust. You can let it work on its own, turning it occasionally with a shovel, or you can buy microbes that will kick start the process at your local garden center. The ultimate goal is to produce a dark, rich organic soil that will amend your garden soil, feeding your plants with nutrients and beneficial microbes.
Once your compost is ready to add to your garden, mix it in lightly with a shovel. If you just can’t wait (compost can take a year or more to become that lovely rich stuff our gardens crave), you can purchase ready made compost. Be sure to check if it is organic. It should be clearly labeled as such, since organic materials are so popular.
Now that you’ve prepared the garden bed, choose your plants carefully. Any good organic gardening information should tell you that the plants that will do best in your organic garden are either plants native to your area, or plants that grow in similar conditions. Utilizing such plants will make your gardening much easier.
Once you have your plants bedded in your organic garden, it should just be a matter of watering and weeding. Pests can be taken care of by beneficial insects, as you can find out in most organic gardening information. Most garden centers sell various species, or you can find them online. Between growing healthy plants and having beneficial insects around to protect them, your organic garden should do very well.