Fine Gardening

Archive for the ‘Organic Gardening’ Category

More and more devoted gardeners are now veering away from conventional fine gardening techniques and switching to organic gardening to care for their gardens. The reason is simple: organic gardening works in a wonderful manner as the gardeners eschew the synthetic chemicals and their yards free from potential hazards. This form of fine gardening aims at the core of the very word – soil. As we know that soil is the most essential component to give life to a garden; if enriched with organic matter, it becomes fertile, airy and produces healthy crop.

Despite the popularity and the growing trend in the shift towards organic gardening over the past few years, this is actually not something new. Organic gardening and organic farming has long been the method used by farmers and gardeners throughout the centuries to keep their crops and gardens healthy and beautiful which acts like a sanctuary for them to collect their thoughts and hold parties in. Organic gardening helps the plants to absorb the different nutrients found in the soil and in the air through different techniques such the regular loosening up of the soil to allow the roots to absorb air and the incorporation of compost made from organic products such as manure and dried leaves into the soil to further increase the amount of nutrients that the plants absorb to help them bloom and bear crops.

With the onset of the Industrial Revolution, societies have a penchant for fast and instant results. Not only did this apply to the production of crops, but also in the tending of their gardens in order for them to have more time to do many more things. The introduction of chemical pesticides and fertilizers caused organic gardening and farming to temporarily take a back seat. The chemicals utilized in these fertilizers and pesticides have been found not only to keep the plants more healthy but allow them to produce higher quantities of crops as compared to organic gardening and farming.

There are a number of reasons why organic gardening has now gotten back into the limelight. First is the quality of the produce. Although conventional gardening does yield more crops for gardeners to sell and make some extra profit out of it, the quality of the products is far inferior. Many of those that have sampled the produce resulting from organic gardening and farming find the crops have more flavor, further heightening the quality of the dishes that are made using the produce coming from organic gardening and farming.

Another reason involves the health of the gardener and their families. While chemical pesticides and fertilizers do enhance the health and growth on the plants, the reverse is actually seen in the health of people. Many of these chemical pesticides and fertilizers have been recently linked to a variety of different cancers and other ailments. Although this is absorbed by the body in extremely small quantities, over time inhaling these chemicals and ingesting them through food can affect one’s health in the long run.

Organic gardening involves growing food without the use of any chemicals or petroleum-based fertilizers. The resulting produce is chemical-free and therefore considered to be healthier. How can you manage to grow a backyard garden without the use of fertilizer? The key to a thriving organic garden is compost.

Compost is a mixture of decayed plant and animal matter. The best compost for organic gardening should have a high nitrogen and carbon content. These two nutrients are key for nurturing healthy soil. There is a theory in the world of organic gardening that says you should feed the soil and not the plants. If the soil is healthy the plants will take care of themselves. Proper composting creates the healthiest possible soil for your organic garden.

The ingredients that go into making nutrient-rich organic gardening compost should all meet the following criteria:

• It should be biodegradable.
• It should be chemical-free.
• It should be full of nutrients.
• It should be disease and toxin-free.

As long as your ingredients meet these criteria they should be alright to provide organic gardening compost for your organic garden.

Composting material is divided into two categories, green matter and brown matter. Green matter is nitrogen-rich and moist. Brown matter is carbon rich and much drier. In healthy organic gardening one needs to put a balanced mix of nitrogen and carbon to flourish. Some examples of green matter are:

• Grass clippings and other green garden waste
• Kitchen vegetable scraps (eggshells too)
• Aquarium plants and water
• Chicken manure

Some examples of brown matter are:

• Leaves
• Straw
• Shredded newspaper (black ink only)
• Dried garden waste

Once you know you have the ingredients on hand, you need to find a suitable container to hold your organic gardening compost. There are two basic styles/sizes of compost containers. Look at the size of your organic garden to determine your compost needs. A large garden may want a timber bin. These bins are essentially open topped wooden boxes. If you chose a timber bin, know that you need at least 25 cubic feet of ingredients to reach the proper composting temperature. Only a large organic garden can provide that much material.

There is nothing more satisfying to a gardener than opting for organic gardening at home. Growing the vegetables without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides is definitely a tasty treat. Here are top 10 organic gardening tips to help you grow an organic garden:

Tip # 1

Aphids are one of the nasty harbingers of vegetable gardens. They are extremely selective about the plants they flourish and breed on. They easily destroy the vegetables. You can use some homemade sprays comprising of garlic, onion, dish soap and water to control them. Blend these ingredients into a food processor and strain out the liquid. Use this liquid to spray on infected plants.

Tip # 2

Mulching properly is the key to organic gardening. There are various types of garden mulch – ranging from wooden chips to gravel. They help in controlling weeds, making a great landscape and protecting the organic mulch. Autumn is the best time for mulching.

Tip # 3

In organic gardening compost is used liberally. By using compost you prevent usage of commercial fertilizers. The chemical fertilizers actually create more damage to your soil than the organic ones. This is because they kill the natural organisms in the soil, which help in breaking down and making available nutrients to the plants. Also, compost aids these organisms by creating an ambient environment for them.

Tip # 4

Organic gardening is not complete without organic compost tea. You can prepare this by adding some compost to water and leave it to rot for 5 to 6 days. Once done, add this concoction to the plants and they will appear happy!

Tip # 5

How about installing rain barrels to improve your organic gardening? These are used to harvest rain water and thereby develop a sustainable source of water. It saves your electricity and water bill too.

Tip # 6

In organic gardening, organic fertilizers like dried manure, fish meals, bone meal, wood ashes, rock potash and seaweed meal should be used. They are rich source of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and certain trace elements. The organic fertilizers feed your plants in a natural and safe manner.

Tip # 7

How about using Neem Oil in organic gardening? It is one of the best ways to kill pests, especially spider-mites. However it has to be sprayed over a course of few weeks for satisfying results.

Tip # 8

Herbicides are a common problem to organic gardening. They pollute the ground water and even cause cancer. You can use vinegar to spray on them or remove weeds.

Tip # 9

Crop rotation is yet another way to prevent the nutrient depletion in soil. This also helps in soil being replenished with essential nutrients for the following seasons.

Tip # 10

You can save seeds that were produced in your organic gardening cycle. This will save you some bucks and you will get the same great variety of tomatoes next season!