The average person doesn’t think about the health of their soil in the same way that they consider their own health.
If you’re like me, you probably know that your body needs nutrients from food to stay healthy but don’t know how these nutrients are absorbed or what happens when they leave your body.
The same goes for soil: if it’s not healthy, then your plants won’t be either! In this article we’ll explore all aspects of organic gardening and show you how simple it can be to keep your garden soil happy and healthy.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Organic gardening offers many benefits, both for the environment and your health. |
| Building a successful organic garden requires avoiding common mistakes that can harm your plants. |
| There are many tips and tricks for taking your organic gardening to the next level. |
| For beginners, it’s important to learn the basics of organic gardening, including soil health and plant selection. |
| Creating a healthy ecosystem in your garden is key to success. |
What Is Organic Gardening?
The first thing to know about organic gardening is that it doesn’t mean anything. #organicgardening
There are no definitions of what constitutes an “organic” product, and you can’t get a certification to use the term. Anyone can put “organic” on their label, whether they’re selling you a soda or a pesticide spray.
So why do people care? They care because they want to know if their food was grown using safe practices and substances, not just because it’s low-cost or available at the local grocery store (although those factors often play into it).
There are certain things that make up a truly “natural” way of growing plants—like composting instead of using chemicals for fertilizer and avoiding genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Building a successful organic garden requires avoiding common mistakes that can harm your plants. Check out our article on 15 Organic Gardening Mistakes to Avoid to ensure that your garden thrives and produces healthy, delicious crops.
Keep Your Garden Soil Healthy And Happy
Your garden soil is the foundation of your garden, so it’s important to keep your soil happy. That means making sure it has air, water and organic matter without these things, you’re setting yourself up for nutrient deficiencies in your plants.
If you want to grow healthy plants without having to spend a lot on fertilizers or other additives, then it’s important that you pay attention to the pH of your soil.
Soil pH measures how acidic or alkaline the ground is—and if it’s too far out of balance (too high or low), it can cause nutrient deficiencies in crops as well as make them more susceptible to disease and pests.
Soil pH is also an issue when growing vegetables like carrots because they prefer slightly acidic soils; most plants are happiest at around 6-7 on the scale.
But if you live somewhere where there’s naturally alkaline ground (like limestone), then this could make growing carrots difficult unless there are ways for introducing some acidity into the mix (such as chalky lime).
| Tip | Description |
|---|---|
| Test your soil | Determine your soil’s pH level and nutrient content to ensure that it is suitable for growing healthy plants. |
| Add organic matter | Incorporate compost, leaf mold, or other organic matter into your soil to improve its structure and fertility. |
| Mulch your garden beds | Use mulch to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and add nutrients to your soil as it breaks down. |
| Rotate your crops | Rotate your crops each year to prevent nutrient depletion and reduce the risk of soil-borne diseases. |
| Practice companion planting | Pair compatible plants together to improve soil health, deter pests, and promote healthy growth. |
Add Compost To Your Garden Soil
Compost is an excellent soil amendment. Compost is made from organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings, coffee grounds and other kitchen scraps.
Adding compost to your garden soil helps it retain water and nutrients better than unfertilized soil would, which means that you will have a healthier garden full of plants that are less likely to suffer from disease and insect damage.
If you are short on time or cannot make compost yourself (it takes at least three months), there are many commercially available products available in stores that can be used instead.
Organic gardening offers many benefits, both for the environment and your health. Learn more about why you should start your own organic garden with our article on The Benefits of Organic Gardening and Why You Should Start Now and discover the joys of growing your own food.
Plant Early Crops In Cold Frames
In cold climates, spring crops don’t always start growing until April or May. To get a jump on the growing season, you can use a cold frame to grow crops in February and March.
Cold frames are simple wood boxes with glass or plastic tops that protect plants from overnight freezing temperatures (and also provide protection from birds).
They can be built from recycled materials such as old windows and scrap lumber, so if you have access to some decent lumber at home already, this is a cheap way to build one!
To assemble your own cold frame:
Build a wooden box out of 2″ x 4″ lumber that’s about 2 ft tall by 3 ft wide by whatever length works for where you want it placed (the size above will fit into most backyards).
When choosing materials, keep two things in mind: how much ventilation will be needed? And how much light should go through? If it’s going against an exterior wall (which happens often), then more ventilation will probably be necessary; if it’s going near large windows where sunlight shines through easily (such as during wintertime), then less ventilation should suffice.
The top of my frame uses glass panels held together by aluminum flashing–this allows for plenty of light but still blocks wind. You could also just add some fabric over your existing window panes! Whatever works best for your situation.”
Looking for ways to take your organic gardening to the next level? Check out our article on 10 Amazing Organic Gardening Hacks You Won’t Believe for tips and tricks that will help you save time, reduce waste, and maximize your garden’s yield.
Sow Seeds Directly Into The Ground
Sowing seeds directly into the soil is a great way to save money. By cutting out the middleman, you can reduce costs and get your plants growing sooner.
You can sow seeds directly into the ground in the fall or spring, depending on where you live and what type of plant you’re growing.
The soil will be warmer in the spring, making it easier for tiny root hairs to reach through small cracks in the surface and absorb nutrients from underneath before they set roots but this will also encourage weeds to grow faster than your vegetables!
On the other hand, if you sow seeds during fall planting sessions (like this one), they’ll have more time to soak up water before cold weather sets in–and their hardy nature will help them survive better with less sunlight coming through their leaves during winter months
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Better root development | Sowing seeds directly into the ground promotes better root development, which leads to stronger, healthier plants. |
| Lower risk of transplant shock | Transplanting seedlings can cause stress and shock to the plants, which can stunt growth and reduce yields. Sowing seeds directly into the ground eliminates this risk. |
| Cost-effective | Sowing seeds directly into the ground is more cost-effective than purchasing seedlings, making it a great option for gardeners on a budget. |
| More control over spacing | Sowing seeds directly into the ground allows you to control the spacing between plants, ensuring that they have enough room to grow and thrive. |
| Better adaptation to local conditions | Seeds sown directly into the ground are more likely to adapt to the local soil and climate conditions, leading to stronger, healthier plants. |
Use Organic Fertilizers, Such As Aquarium Water And Banana Peels.
Aquarium water is a great organic fertilizer for your garden. It contains dissolved minerals that plants need to grow, including nitrogen and phosphorous. Banana peels are also good for fertilizing your garden because they contain potassium, which can help with disease resistance in plants.
To use aquarium water or banana peels as an organic fertilizer, just bury them in the soil around your plants at least one inch deep after you dig them up from their pots and discard any roots that are too long or tangled (you don’t want those). You can apply this method every few months to keep your plant’s soil healthy!
If you’re new to organic gardening, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Our article on 17 Organic Gardening Tips for Beginners provides a comprehensive guide to get you started, from choosing the right soil to selecting the best plants for your climate.
Collect Rainwater To Irrigate Your Garden Soil
Collect rainwater to irrigate your garden soil.
Rainwater is good for the soil, it does not have chlorine or fluoride like tap water. Rainwater can be used to water your plants in a large container
- Collect the rainwater using a barrel or tank, this helps you save money on water bills while reducing pollution from plastic bottles
- Use a rain barrel to irrigate your garden soil
Plant Several Crops Of A Single Vegetable Throughout The Season
Plant several crops of a single vegetable throughout the season. For example, if you are trying to grow tomatoes, plant a variety that only needs to be harvested once and another variety that will produce a second harvest later in the season.
This way, if one crop fails because of weather or pests (or anything else), you have something else ready to harvest instead. It also gives you more time for enjoying your fresh produce!
Plant Companion Plants With Your Vegetables
Companion planting is a technique used by gardeners to grow beneficial relationships between plants. It’s been used for centuries and has been proven to work!
Most companion planting is done with flowers, herbs and vegetables but other types of companion planting can be done as well (i.e., fruit trees).
There are many benefits from using companion gardening techniques:
- They can help deter pests from attacking your vegetables.
- They attract beneficial insects that eat pests or pollinate plants by putting out attractive scents for them to come over and visit you garden which will help you grow bigger and more abundant vegetable crops than if left alone without any companions at all!
A successful organic garden requires more than just good soil and the right plants. Check out our article on The Secret to a Successful Organic Garden Revealed to learn the importance of creating a healthy ecosystem in your garden, including the role of beneficial insects and companion planting.
Grow Vines On Trellises Or Fences For Vertical Growing
Vines are a quick and easy way to grow plants vertically.
They’re so easy to grow that you don’t even need to plant them; just give berries or fruit trees lots of sunshine and water, and they’ll grow on their own! If the vine is left alone, it will wrap itself around fences, trellises, or anything else sturdy enough for its weight that it can reach. You can also train them into any shape you want—even circles!
Repel Pest Insects Naturally
Use herbs and spices to repel pests naturally. Garlic and onions are particularly effective at deterring insects, as well as chives, mint, rosemary and thyme.
Garlic sprays have long been used as a natural way to repel both mosquitoes and ticks from your garden. To make your own spray use 1 cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with 3 crushed garlic cloves (that’s about 6 cloves).
Add it to a spray bottle filled with water, shake well then spray on affected plants once every few days until you see results. If you grow vegetables indoors like me then this is an especially good option as I know how frustrating it can be when your vegies get eaten!
Another useful tip is using lemon or orange peels around the base of plants which will help keep away ants while also adding nutrients back into the soil they’re living in – win/win!
Attract Useful Insects To Pollinate Your Plants And Eat Pests
If you’re looking to attract insects, you need to have flowers. In addition to attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies, flowers will also draw in other beneficial insects that can help keep pests at bay.
You might also want to consider creating some sort of food source for the beneficial bugs as well. A simple solution is planting herbs that are attractive to these creatures (like dill) or leaving out a few dead bugs around the yard (many beneficial predators prey on pest insects).
You could also create an organic fertilizer by mixing up equal amounts of molasses and water, then letting it sit until it forms a thick paste before spreading it on your plants’ roots—this will act as both a fertilizer and an attractant for helpful insects!
Conclusion
This should be the last thing you read on organic gardening. We hope we’ve given you a strong sense of who we are and what we do.
If this sounds like something that would be fun for you too, then we’re glad to have met! Let us know how it goes – we’d love to hear from you!
Further Reading
If you’re interested in learning more about organic gardening, check out these helpful resources:
Ultimate Organic Gardening for Beginners: A comprehensive guide that covers everything from soil preparation to pest control, with helpful tips for beginners.
Organic Gardening Tips: A collection of useful tips and advice for organic gardeners, including information on composting, crop rotation, and companion planting.
Complete Guide to Organic Gardening in 2020: A detailed guide that covers all aspects of organic gardening, including soil health, pest control, and plant nutrition.
FAQs
What is organic gardening?
Organic gardening is a method of growing plants without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Instead, organic gardeners rely on natural methods to maintain soil health and control pests.
Why is organic gardening important?
Organic gardening is important because it promotes healthy soil, biodiversity, and a sustainable ecosystem. It also helps to reduce the use of synthetic chemicals, which can be harmful to both the environment and human health.
How do I start an organic garden?
To start an organic garden, begin by selecting a suitable location with good soil and access to sunlight. Choose plants that are well-suited to your climate and soil conditions, and focus on building healthy soil with compost and organic amendments.
What are some common challenges in organic gardening?
Common challenges in organic gardening include controlling pests and diseases, maintaining soil health, and managing weeds. However, with the right techniques and tools, these challenges can be overcome.
Can I grow organic vegetables in containers?
Yes, you can grow organic vegetables in containers. In fact, container gardening can be a great way to grow organic produce in small spaces or on balconies and patios. Just be sure to choose the right containers and soil, and provide adequate sunlight and water.
I am Hellen, I’ve been passionate about sustainability for as long as I can remember. It’s something that my mom taught me from a young age, and it’s something that has shaped my life in so many ways.