Plant Gardens 101

Composting can be as simple or as complex as you want to make it. The best part about creating compost is that it can consist of any organic material and we all have access to plenty of that every single day because it is produced by the lawn, garden, and kitchen. Compost is what happens when leaves, grass clippings, vegetable and fruit scraps, woodchips, straw, and small twigs are combined, then allowed to break down into a soil-like texture. Compost introduces and feeds diverse life in the soil, including bacteria, insects, worms, and more which support vigorous plant growth.

Compost is multi-faceted but not intended as a fertilizer. It offers only a relatively low proportion of nutrients, yet what it does is close to magical. In its finished form as mulch, it reduces evaporation, reduces or prevents weed growth, and insulates the soil from extreme temperature changes. Mulch also keeps the upper inches of the soil cooler in daytime, warmer at night. (more…)

Saving money by growing your own vegetables, being able to eat healthier and feel better and preserving our environment from the harmful and toxic chemicals that seep no only into our vegetables but our soil, lakes and waterways not only harming our environment but wildlife as well.

Beginning and maintaining an Organic Vegetable Garden is simple and easy with a little know how.
I have to say it feels great to walk past the produce section in the store. I do stop and look at the prices, just out of curiosity. I cannot even believe the cost of vegetable these days. Maybe I’m just getting old and remembering the good ole days. OK so I’m not that old. $6.00 for a watermelon, $3.00 on sale! $2.00 for a pepper, $1.00 on sale! Tomatoes through the roof. (more…)

Many gardeners wonder what exactly organic gardening means. The simple answer is that organic gardeners don’t use synthetic fertilizers or pesticides on their plants. But gardening organically is much more than what you don’t do.

When you garden organically, you think of your plants as part of a whole system within nature that starts in the soil and includes the water supply, people, wildlife and even insects. An organic gardener strives to work in harmony with natural systems and to minimize and continually replenish any resources the garden consumes.

Organic gardening operates on the concept of recycling. You use animal waste, kitchen scraps, and vegetable waste to mulch and compost. You will use common household items like vinegar and soap to prevent pests and weeds.

Organic growers rely on developing a healthy, fertile soil and growing a mixture of crops. Genetically modified (GM) crops and ingredients are not allowed under organic standards. (more…)

As recent as 25 years ago, the idea of organic gardening was considered quite a radical concept. How in the world were gardeners expected to control the weeds, the bugs, and the animals that could threaten a thriving garden without the use of man-made chemicals?

When you think about it, organic gardening is a really simply theory. For years, people have been growing things without the use of chemicals. The early settlers of our country didn’t have Miracle-Gro or Sevin Dust and they made out just fine. It only makes sense that we should be able to apply the same techniques and get the same results as they did today. We should grow food using Mother Nature’s ingredients rather than concoctions born in a chemist’s laboratory for the good of all of us. But the interest in organic gardening goes beyond just the benefits for us and our families. There has been a rise in the interest of ecology and concern about the environment that has given new life to the renewed interest in this form of gardening. By using natural minerals and materials, by taking advantage of natural predators, and by recycling garden waste, the home gardener can maintain an organic garden quite successfully. (more…)

There are many reasons to learn beginner organic gardening. Creating an organic garden is simple and easy and does not require as much work as you would think. A little know-how goes a long way.

As an Organic Gardener myself, I hope these tips will help you create your own organic garden. The first thing is to choose a location for your vegetable garden. Choose a location that receives the most sun through out the day. Plants love the sun. Determine where the sun rises and sets so you can choose where to plant accordingly to size so that no plant shades another. (more…)

We have chemicals in our everyday lives everywhere. Shampoo, toothpaste, many foods, even our clothing all contain or are manufactured with the use of chemicals. Besides polluting the environment, the use of chemicals can be much more threatening. But we’re concentrating on gardening and the use of these chemicals on our food. One of the prominent ways chemicals are used in food production is through chemical fertilizers.

The soil must be regarded as a living organism. An acid fertilizer, because of its acids, dissolves the cementing material, made up of the dead bodies of soil organisms, which holds the rock particles together in the form of soil crumbs. This compact surface layer of rock particles encourages rain water to run off rather than enter the soil.

For example, a highly soluble fertilizer, such as 5-10-5, goes into solution in the soil water rapidly so that much of it may be leached away into our ground water without benefiting the plants at all. This chemical causes the soil to assume a cement-like hardness. When present in large concentrations, they seep into the subsoil where they interact with the clay to form impervious layers of precipitates called hardpan. (more…)

As more and more people worry about just how healthy the food they buy in grocery store is they are turning to organic gardening to replace many foods that are subject to synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides. The whole idea behind a natural garden is to use only natural methods to grow fruits and vegetables. There is nothing magical about organic gardening; in fact it uses methods that have been in place for thousands of years.

Here are six reasons why many people are turning to organic gardening to supplement their family food needs.

1. You can use your own waste from the garden and kitchen to make compost. While it may be easier to use chemical fertilizers compost restores the soil and its ability to grow fruits and vegetables naturally. The addition of chemical fertilizers eventually depletes the soil to the point that it is sterile and the food that you do grow has little nutritional value. Composting also cuts down on the amount of waste that is put into landfills.

2. Chemicals of any kind are not used in organic farming. Even though the chemical companies tell us that the chemicals in their products are safe when used according to the directions research has shown that many of these chemicals, which in effect are poisons, can be absorbed through the skin and cause adverse affects. It is important to remember that herbicides and pesticides are produced to kill other living things. (more…)

Proper soil preparation is the key to successful organic gardening. The goal is to feed the soil, which in turn will feed your plants. Begin by testing your soil to find out precisely what you’ve got to work with. Contact your local Cooperative Extension Service. Most counties and some universities have one; look in the phone book under “Cooperative,” “Extension” or your county name to find out what is required for a soil test. Home test kits are available at garden-supply stores, but their results are not as accurate or complete. A soil test will measure pH, the soil’s acidity or alkalinity. The recommended pH for a vegetable garden is 6.8. The test results should include guidelines for adjusting the pH, for example, how much lime to add to acid soils or how much sulfur to add to alkaline soils. Both are available at gardening centers. The test also should analyze the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and other elements in the soil that are critical for healthy plants. The testing agency may suggest nutriments to balance these elements; when you mail off your sample, be sure to enclose a note stating that you intend to garden organically so the tester does not suggest chemicals.

Some of the nitrogen sources the tester may suggest can be problematic, especially for vegetarians: Bone meal is a slaughterhouse byproduct, fish emulsion is a fish-processing byproduct, cottonseed meal is subject to heavy pesticide use and urea, or crystallized animal urine, is so processed it can no longer be considered even remotely natural. If nitrogen is a problem for your soil, and you are opposed to using animal byproducts, your best bet may be to plant a nitrogen-fixing cover crop this first year and start your vegetables the next. When gardeners speak of a soil, they are referring to earth that looks, feels and smells pleasant. That means fertile soil, with good structure depending on the extent to which the inorganic soil particles; sand, silt, clay, and humus are bound together. No matter what kind of miserable soil you begin with, it can be transformed into the stuff great gardens are made of. (more…)

More and more individuals are making the wise decision of joining the Organic Gardening “circle”. Why wise? You might ask. There are so many benefits of organic gardening. Yes, these benefits ain’t only for you, but for YOU and YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS.

This article will emphasize why you should garden organically. At the end of this, chances are high that you’ll have a different perception towards organic gardening.

Benefit #1: Improves Health And Prevents Danger

Yes, because organic crops totally doesn’t rely on chemicals for its growth, it is proven that it’s must healthier than vegetables found in supermarket, arguably.

The thing is, you can’t be certain that the vegetables you purchase at the supermarket is organic. Chances are not because organic vegetables takes a little more time to grow compared to a mass production of vegetables.

Everyone knows the more you have, the more you’ll earn and that’s basically what most supermarket does. Most of them would prefer quantity over quality. (more…)

Did you know that interest in gardening is increasing at a rapid rate? The increase is due to the under 35 set who is said to have a greater interest in the environment and going green. The primary field of gardening interest of Generation Y is organic gardening.

There has been a lot written about organic gardening in the mainstream media and it has become a very popular topic with many people around the world, not just youth. With so many more health and environmentally conscious people around today, organic gardening has become quite popular. With its explosive growth in the past decade, organic gardening has gained acceptance in mainstream society. No longer the realm of hippies and health fanatics, organic produce is now consumed by the general public and readily available in large chain grocery stores.

Organic produce has become a featured item at many large-chain grocery stores so it is no wonder people want to know more about organic gardening. Some would even grow their own organic produce if they only knew how or had the time or had the space for it.

But do we really know what organic gardening is.

My definition might differ from yours, but to me, organic gardening means raising vegetables, flowers and plants without harmful artificial chemical herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. I don’t think it is possible to be one hundred percent organic and I certainly don’t think the average hobby gardener should worry about meeting whatever the commercial gardening standards are in their particular area. But I do truly believe that people can enjoy a healthier life by including more organic gardening in their lives and more organic produce on their tables.

So how do we go about creating an organic gardening project that will actually result in healthy harvests of pure healthy foods? How do we nurture a sick planet back to health and assure a brighter future for ourselves and for future generations to come? Well, one way is to stop using so many chemical poisons in general and in our food in particular. It has been said that our food can contain up to 450 different added unnecessary and even dangerous chemicals.

By simply removing artificial chemicals from the gardening equation, we can improve our health. We can be successful at organic gardening without the use of chemicals through building the soil and mimicking nature’s ways to do the rest. This doesn’t mean that we don’t adapt them, but in general, if we follow nature’s lead and use the wisdom that the environment has accumulated over the course of Earth’s history, we can be very successful in our organic gardening efforts.

Nature is diverse and resilient. It will always fight back to reclaim its rightful place in our ecosystem. Our agriculture will be so much more robust with organic gardening. Poly-culture and lack of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers make organic gardening the only sane choice for our own health and the health of the planet. Try organic gardening today.

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About Deborah Carraro
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Once you have gotten everything together that you will need to create and maintain your organic vegetable garden you need something to plant in it. For many choosing what vegetables to grow is the fun part of organic vegetable gardening since you get to imagine what sort of vegetables you will see shooting up from your new garden. There are many organic vegetable seeds available for sale from retailers both online and offline. In fact, there are so many seeds to choose from that some people find themselves completely overwhelmed by their options.

If you are someone that has never grown vegetables before then it is important that you stick to vegetables that are easy to grow. Even though they might be vegetables that you have not usually eaten before or never thought about growing you might be surprised by the results. A good organic gardening book is helpful. Many organic gardeners have found that vegetables they usually hated when purchased canned or frozen, taste delicious when harvested from their own backyard. The following are a few vegetables that are easy to go organically and often a delicious treat. (more…)

Organic Gardening is to plant and grow your crops without the use of synthetic fertilizers, chemical pesticides and any other chemical synthetic products, ensuring it is 100 percent natural. Having said that, many people are still doing it wrongly.

This article will focus on the 5 Common reasons why you must go organic. In other words, start an organic garden.

Common Reason #1: Reduce Risk of Health Problems

Since organic gardening would not be using chemicals, it will definitely reduce risk of health problems.

Many argued that chemical companies says that the chemicals they use are safe, but research shows that even a tiny amount of poison absorbed through the skin might cause deadly health problems, like cancer. This happens, sadly mostly among children. (more…)

Compost is a great tool for any gardener. It helps your garden hold just the right amount of water, makes it the right texture for optimal plant growth, and provides it with beneficial natural organisms. While you can buy several different types of compost products at a retail store or gardening center, it’s much cheaper to make your own compost. Not only will you save money, you also get the added benefit of knowing that you’re not just throwing your yard waste away; it’s actually doing something beneficial for your garden and for your health.

Before getting started on building your compost pile, you should know what to put in it. To get good compost you need four elements: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and water. Grass clippings from your yard provide the carbon. Nitrogen comes from leaves in the fall. To make sure your pile gets water, build it somewhere where it will be rained on; just be sure it’s not completely soaked with water. Lastly, you can add oxygen simply by mixing the pile regularly. Just turn the soil over once a month with a rake or garden shovel. Don’t worry if you can’t provide enough nitrogen or carbon to your compost pile through your yard waste, you can always add a little fertilizer. The type of fertilizer you select will depend on what nutrient you’re lacking. (more…)

Organic gardening can be described as gardening without the use of man-made chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Some say it provides the gardener a harmony with nature. It is not a new concept, but has become an increasingly popular type of gardening in recent years given the fact that everyone is going “green”. Organic can mean different things to different people. Organic gardening is a little more than just not using chemicals or non organic fertilizers on your garden. An organic gardener should consider his/her garden as part of the bigger picture in nature and life itself.

Organic gardening is a simple way to ensure that you are growing the highest-quality produce in a sustainable way that is healthy for the plants and the planet. It is one of the oldest methods of cultivation, and the food it will produce is not only healthier for you it’s less expensive to. You may find that it might become the most rewarding hobby, or lifestyle, you have ever undertaken. Organic gardening is a simple healthful way to convert living organisms into carbon compounds in a way that considers the whole of nature and its integral place in that scheme. (more…)

There are many types of organic gardening, from organic vegetable gardening to organic flower gardening. Many people have no idea what organic gardening really is. Organic Gardening refers to growing plants, vegetables, etc. without using pesticides or other harmful chemicals.

Many people believe that organic gardening offers many health benefits and that organically grown food is much better for the human body than food grown with pesticides and chemicals. With such health concerns in place, it only makes sense to grow your fruits and vegetables organically in your very own organic home garden.

If you would like to learn how to have your own organic garden but are unsure of where to start, you are in luck. I have compiled a few easy organic gardening tips for you to follow to get you started off on the right foot. (more…)

The term organic gardening means gardening without using any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Apart from that, everything else is the same. Not using synthetic materials does make controlling pests, insects, weeds and even some diseases different from the usual methods. Also, special care needs to be taken to keep the soil healthy and meet nutritional requirements.

The first aspect of organic gardening is the soil. Organic matter is added frequently to the soil to maintain its nutritional quality. Compost is largely used, because it keeps the plants quite healthy. Compost is prepared from organic remnants such as dead leaves and flowers, peels of the fruits, shorn grasses, etc. Soil that is healthy will have a deep color and a sweet odor. It will also be teeming with earthworms. Some other organically permitted additives for soil are greensand, rock phosphates and bone meal. These can be added after checking the pH of the soil. (more…)

In organic gardening the use of compost and other natural soil enhancers is a critical part of success. The old saying is: “Good soil, good products.”

When we talk of fertilization for your effective organic gardening, it is almost similarly attributed to mulching. But there are also other aspects such as the introduction of fertilizers that can be available naturally or commercially. Simply defined, it involves placing matter, whether organic or inorganic, around your plants.

Aside from providing fertilization, it also protects your soil. Whether your garden is subjected to heavy rains or at the risk of weed infestation, the mulches provide ample protection and strengthening needed to supplement the natural growth processes of your organic garden vegetables. Aside from this, it also regulates the temperature of the soil; it can also render aesthetic appeal to the garden because it will help improve the ground texture and overall appearance. (more…)

You’ve probably noticed that organic foods are becoming very popular. This is because many individuals are learning the benefits of organic foods. At first, it seemed as if ‘organic’ was a word used to describe an exotic type of food, but it is anything but. Some individuals would even steer clear of the organic foods section in their local supermarket because of the fact that these foods were different. But now, organic food is something that is found all over the supermarket. There is a section in produce designated for organic, but you will find these foods scattered all throughout the supermarket.

But what is meant by ‘organic’?

Well, it all starts with the gardening. Organic gardening is different than most methods that are currently used. In other words, the methods are different than the methods that are used to grow the rest of the fruits and vegetables in the produce section. (more…)

Karen Cruser moved to Swannanoa, North Carolina from California in 1972 with her husband and their then two year old daughter. They built their house by themselves using recycled wood and windows, some wood from local sawmills and wood from their property. Swannanoa is in the Blue Ridge Mountains between Asheville and Black Mountain, NC.

The house is located on 12 acres of woods and fields along the Swannanoa River.

When asked what she likes about Swannanoa, Karen gave heart-felt answers, the first of which is the Swannanoa River. She states that this a most beautiful part of the world and it is important to keep it this way. (more…)

Imagine providing your family with food that you know is healthy, because you grew it yourself without the help of chemicals. With organic gardening this is possible. Organic gardening involves using natural pest control and fertilizers to grow flowers, vegetables, and fruits, rather than commercially produced and environmentally hazardous pesticides and fertilizers. If you are interested in organic gardening, consider these ten tips.

Tip 1 – Use Natural Pest Control

Your garden is going to have pests. Once you have identified them, research natural controllers you could add to the garden. These natural controllers could be other insects, such as ladybugs to control an aphid population, or plants, such as garlic to prevent armyworms or apple maggots. (more…)