Take Your Garden Off Drugs

Why Organic?

When we talk about 'Organic' we are talking about a method of working with nature and natural products to improve the soil and the environment. As you know, the environment is in danger and we have need to adapt our way of gardening to compensate for global warming. Artificially produced fertilizers and pesticides have been cited as the two major soil pollutants in many countries.

How do we stop our dependency on these synthetic substances? We need to build soil health so that plants will become stronger and resistant to pests and diseases.

Soil that is balanced is said to have 25 % air, 25% water,45% minerals and 5% humus and living organisms. The other component of soil is made up of small rock particles that give it it's structure.

When I walk in my garden, my goal is to turn unhealthy soil that usually has a poor organic component, lacks air, and is chemically unbalanced, and turn it into the kind of soil that will support my plants and help them to grow, this means that I must provide the basic nutrients and then let nature take it's course.

I never used to think that I had to bother with soil tests, seemed like a waste of time to me , but I have now got a lot smarter and know how important it is to know what my soil is made up of. This allows me to know what plants to buy, saves wasting money on plants that will not survive, and also allows me to amend the soil to provide a good solid base for growing plants. A soil test will tell you how much organic matter, minerals, and elements are in your soil. It will also test the PH and other chemical levels. It is recommended that you have your soil tested each year, and to take the sample from the same area.

Soil sampling has become much more common, and you will be able to find in your local phone books, companies that offer this service. Soil also needs air, compacted soil has little room to allow air to penetrate. Turn the soil over with a fork or tiller to loosen it up. When you have the results of your soil test, it's time to get the mineral content of the soil back in balance. This means finding the right kind of fertilizer, try rock phosphate to achieve the correct balance.

Now you must also consider feeding the organisms living in your soil (did you know they lived there?). The best way to do this is with compost, this organic matter stimulates the earthworms (yes they live there too!) to produce more humus and nutrients for the soil. When they die, they in turn become food for the decaying process and other organisms. The upshot of all of this attention is that your soil becomes rich with nutrients, available to plants.

You need to apply at least one inch of finished compost to good soil or three inches of partially composted material for very poor soil, and mix into the top six inches or so.

Mother nature supplies leaf litter and plant debris, this debris becomes food for the earthworms and other organisms. It also holds moisture in the soil, prevents erosion, and shelters the soil from the drying effects of sun and wind. Place three to four inches of mulch on beds and around plants to protect the soil.

To prevent rotting, be sure to keep the mulch about three to four inches away from the trunks of trees or plants.

Please do not use insecticides or pesticides, these toxins only help to kill the good organisms that you are trying to encourage. In a later newsletter I will give you some easy' make at home' recipes for basic plant care, which will allow you to take care of many plant problems, without chemicals.

As each piece of land starts to grow healthy plants, it attracts wildlife looking for a place to live, eat, and reproduce. By gardening organically, we help keep the cycle of life going for the benefit of generations to come.

Ena Clewes is an author and an avid Organic Gardener. She frequently contributes to Go Organic Gardening.com, a website on organic gardening methods. Ena has just published an ebook " How to Master Organic Gardening," available here.