Creating
an Organic Garden
by
Lucie Bourdon
An
organic garden can be easy and enjoyable. The basic component
to make a garden organic is the use of 100% organic goods
which are chemical free. It's using natural ingredients
to feed the soil rather than the plant.
It is very important that you have the basic knowledge of gardening before
you jump start on it. Moreover with an organic garden you should have more
knowledge of organic fertilizers and nutrients required for these types of
gardens and organic pest control systems. It takes an average of two years
before any dramatic changes occur after abandoning chemicals. And during those
two years, plant growth will seem much slower. But eventually, your organic
garden will surpass the production of those traditional gardens down the street,
hands down.
There are different reasons for creating a garden especially an organic one.
The reasons can be different according to the gardener’s viewpoint. Examples:
1) Clean soil, which is required when growing organic foods, is likely to produce
better results, which should mean better tasting food
2) It has also been said that organic foods can help to lower the risk of cancer
3) Harnessing the power of nature to cultivate healthy plants and vegetable
also helps sustain the ecological balance
4) You can either want to supplement family members with food that you grow
since the organic products can be more expensive
5) You would want to grow products because you are far from the local store
6) Or for sheer enjoyment.
Learn
how to become an eco-friendly green thumb with these
organic and pesticide-free gardening tips:
1-
If this is the year you decide to convert, then start
with improving the soil. Begin by adding organic matter
like compost, shredded leaves and cow manure--the more
the merrier to keep your soils from becoming tired.
Making
a Compost
To
make good compost you will need Green (nitrogen)
and Brown (carbon) at a ratio of one part nitrogen
to three parts carbon.
Choose
a shady location for your bin
Add your ingredients in these proportions:
- 6 inch layer of "Brown"
- 2 to 3 inch layer of "Green"
Finish with a layer of brown
Repeat these layers, watering each one as you go
Allow to sit at least two days before mixing thoroughly
Cover with a tarp to keep rain away and to preserve moisture.
(Tip:
Set up a reserve site to store raw materials.
During the year, you use the material from the
reserve site to cover the green layer)
|
Green
(high in nitrogen):
Algae
Bone meal
Coffee grounds Eggshells
Feathers
Flowers
Fruit and fruit peels
Grass clippings (fresh)
Hair
Manure
Seaweed
Tea Leaves
Vegetables and peelings
Weeds
|
Brown
(high in carbon):
Buckwheat hulls
Coffee filters
Corn cobs
Cotton/wool/silk scraps
Grass clippings (dried)
Hay
Leaves (dead)
Paper
Peat moss
Pine needles
Sawdust
Straw
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wood ash
|
Materials
to avoid:
Pet wastes
Meat, fish, fats and dairy products
Diseased or insect-infested vegetables, flowers or plants
Herbicide-treated grass clippings or weeds
Weeds that have gone to seed or that spread by their roots, such as crabgrass,
quackgrass, ground ivy, or daylilies
Leaves of rhubarb, acacia, California bay, camphor, cypress, eucalyptus,
madrone, oak, pittosporum, red cedar or walnut.
|
2-
Coffee grounds are a natural way to provide soil with
nitrogen, which it needs to fertilize vegetables, flowers
and grass. Save your coffee grounds and mix them with
compost or garden soil. You can also ask your local coffee
shop for spent coffee grounds.
3-
The best time to apply compost to your garden soil is
two to four weeks before you plant. This gives the compost
time to get integrated and stabalized within the soil.
4-
Mulching involves placing a layer of material around
the base of plants to stabilize soil temperature, conserve
soil moisture, and control weeds.
5-
To protect your plants from animals that like eating
your plants such as gophers, rabbits, squirrels, etc,
use safe herbal pest repellants like garlic and hot-pepper
sprays. Experiment with hot pepper and water in your
blender.
6-
To make every drop count, don't water in the middle of
the day. Instead water in the early morning or wait until
dusk, when the temperature and rate of evaporation are
reduced. Soaker hoses deliver water directly to the base
of the plant, reducing moisture loss through evaporation.
7-
Use plants in your landscape that are native to your
area, or imported from areas with similar climate and
soil. They require less water and care and won't die
off in the winter. Most native trees rarely need pruning
and feeding, and they fight off insects and diseases
with natural defenses developed by Mother Nature.
8-
Weeds can be controlled with a common full-strength household
vinegar. It's an organic weed killer that's safe for
you and the environment.
9-
Sometimes all it takes to get rid of weeds is a little
common sense! Instead of using harsh chemicals, try sprinkling
stubborn weeds that spring up on pavement and brick surfaces
with salt. This method won’t work with hardy dandelions
unless you pull off the head, sprinkle salt on the exposed
root and then pour on a cup of boiling water.
10-
For Aphids problems, spray infested stems, leaves, and
buds with a very dilute soapy water, then clear water.
It works even on the heaviest infestation.
11-
Growing grass under big trees can be difficult, the trees
not only soak up all the sunlight, they also suck moisture
and nutrients from the soil. Grow hardy ground covers
instead, such as English ivy, liriope, or Asian jasmine.
12-
For an easy victory, Geraniums are your garden's best
friend. They are fairly drought tolerant, don't need
fertilizer, and have no pest problems or diseases.
13-
Just remember that even on the hottest, driest days,
potted plants and hanging baskets are the only plants
that need watering every day.
14-
Bugs can be friend. Some bugs, like ladybugs, feed on
pests like leaf worms, mites, aphids and mealy bugs.
See your garden center for possible friendly bugs. Organically
minded businesses provide both supplies and advice.
15-
Think "biodiversity". Using many different
kinds of plants encourages many different kinds of beneficial
insects to take up residence in your yard.
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Spring
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taking his place.