A Guide to Organic Gardening.

Organic gardening is fast becoming a way of life for many people. Newspaper and magazine articles keep reporting that many people are now choosing to grow their own vegetables by organic methods.

The over use of pesticides and spraying of chemicals in intensive farming techniques has made some people look for alternative methods of producing fruit and vegetables. Many farmers due to public demand now grow organic produce and have seen the seen the concern among the general public have turned to organic farming methods to meet the growing demand.

Small groups of people across the Western World have already turned part of their yard or garden into an organic oasis of plants, home grown vegetables and fruit for their families. The giant supermarkets who instigated and pursued the cheap food campaign which led farmers to use pesticides for greater yields have even had the audacity to start selling organically grown fruit and vegetables at a premium price. The economic recession around the western world has made a lot of people look at where they can save money, particularly on their domestic food bills, and this has led them to try growing their own fruit and vegetables by organic methods.

Turning part of your garden into a organic fruit and vegetable area is not that difficult, but you do need to follow a few rules so that your vegetables are wholesome, tasty and not half eaten by the time they are ready to be picked. Gardening means making some decisions and by making the right decisions at the right time you can give your family a head start with healthier and fresher food.

The Organic Gardening Basics

The single most important item in your garden if you are starting out growing your own vegetables is the compost area. If you do not have one then this should be your first priority. Getting the soil balance right is over 75% towards creating a organic garden. A healthy well sustainable compost will save you a lot of money in buying gardening fertilisers, soil improver's and garden mulches.

The first requirement is where your new vegetable plot is going to be. A full sun position is best but if your yard has half sun this should still be ok. Avoid over shadowed areas and anywhere where the ground is water-logged. Clear the ground completely of all flowers, plants, vines or shrubs. Dig the soil over ideally at the end of the year around mid/late October. Then dig over the plot again around early/mid March the following season. Rake the ground so that any lumps of soil are broken up, remove any stones. Keep doing this until you have a finely tilled plot of soil and then add as much compost material and organic gardening fertilisers, like fish or bone meal to enrich the soil.

If you are going to start growing your vegetables from seed make sure you have read the label, I always have to read mine twice as they show you when you can plant the seed indoors and when you can sow the seed directly into the soil. Get accustomed to looking at the seed packs to find what your looking for. The information on the seed pack will also tell you if any special stakes and the watering methods that is needed as your plants grow.

The seed packs also tell you how you should sow your seeds. If you plant them too deep or not deep enough your crop will suffer. There is a lot of information contained on the back of your seed pack so read it. Even different varieties of the same vegetable can have slightly different growing instructions.

Whether you choose to start by adding a garden plot or by growing your vegetables in a raised garden or even containers you will need a good basis to start with. Well rotted manure from your compost or bought from your supplier will add much enrichment to the soil. Your second priority is to get to know your organic garden supplier. From time to time their advice to over-come any persistant problems will be invaluable.

Organic Garden Suppliers

You will invariably have to buy some things for your garden, so finding a good supplier who can provide essential items, like seeds and small plug plants from good provenance will be very helpful.

Getting first hand knowledge of your chosen products and how best to grow them is second nature to someone who deals with plants every day. Any advice and tips for growing your plants from your supplier are well worth listening to. Your supplier may be able to offer you some kind of reward scheme for shopping with him which is very useful to obtain.

There are many pest control methods available, if you are having a specific problem seek advice from your supplier who will know which products to advice you on. Organic gardening is about living in harmony with your garden. Let nature help you rid your garden of some pests by encouraging others to thrive. A ladybird in your garden is a excellent sign, so by getting more of them will help you get rid of your green and white fly. Your supplier will be able to tell you which herbs or plants will encourage bees and ladybirds back into your garden and a lot of other useful advice.

Containers or a Raised bed Vegetable Garden.

A raised bed vegetable garden is a good choice of organic gardeners as this keeps your organic vegetable plot separate from the remainder of your garden. The advantage of this system is it easy to move your container around your garden, you can grow different types of fruit and vegetables in a self contained area.

Garden pests are more manageable and you can crop rotate from one bed to the other, this is especially beneficial if you try and grow something in full sun and it doesn't work out as you can try again next year in partial sun where more success may be obtained.

You can have your raised bed as high as you want, again this is useful for people with a bad back or if you get sore knees which can hinder you if you are leaning over your plot. The care and maintenance of a raised bed also seems more manageable in a small raised bed as opposed to a large area which can seem daunting if your a new gardener.

Garden containers are extremely useful for growing vegetables. Over recent years there have been a distinct move away from the old type plant pot as more people want to showcase a particular plant or bush in a entrance doorway or a patio or decking. This has led manufactures to make containers out of steel, zinc, copper or coloured/ textured pots that look great and enhance any setting.

Either start seeds off in trays as per the pack labelling or buy small ready to plant 'plug plants'. These have been grown in nurseries or garden centres for a few weeks. They are normally sold hardy which means they have been subjected to various weather conditions to harden them off ready for planting.

Starting vegetables off in pots, either grown from seed indoors in a greenhouse or by placing plug plants around a pot is a great idea. You can tranplant the container to anywhere in the garden. Place herbs which are very useful as a defence to many aphids and garden bugs in among your raised beds or in the middle of your container. You get a lovely smelling herb that you can use for culinary use and your vegetables in one pot.

Organic Gardening Tips

You will not want all your vegetables ready at the same time, when planting in your plot place one or two rows of seeds and save the rest. After 2 weeks place some more elsewhere, then keep adding another two rows, this will give you sustainable vegetables for 2-4 months. Place against each row a label so you can see what you have planted.

As you remove any vegetables that are ready to eat, place any excess root or inedible greenery straight onto your compost. One of the great things about vegetable gardening is getting your children involved. They love to stroll around the garden pointing out caterpillars or wanting to pick a radish to eat there and then or by just helping you collect the vegetables for tonight's meal.

Removing dead or unhealthy looking plants as soon as possible is something you need to constantly look out for. Slugs are a problem if it becomes very wet, but these are easy to deal with without resulting to chemicals or pellets. Beer or vinegar placed in a buried cup will attract them, or try using sharp grit around your tender plants as they will not cross that. For more serious diseases or problems relating to your vegetables seek help from your supplier.

Mulching is the adding of degradable materials to the service of your container or growing bed. There are three main reasons for mulching, one is to stop the container or bed drying out to quickly if it is particularly hot or dry. The second reason is to add nourishment to the soil during the growing season. And the third reason is too suppress weeds that may be starting to grow.

Keeping your Plants Watered

Your plants from a very young age to full growth will require almost daily watering, sometimes twice a day if hot dry weather continues where you live. A water butt is something you should invest in and these can easily be attached to your guttering from your house, greenhouse or garden shed so keep them full of rain water.

Some people who are not around a lot or have a allotment attach a water irrigation system to the plants to keep them moist. These usually work on a timer and water your bed for a given length of time. These are very useful if you travel away from home quite regularly. Most people manage by asking a neighbour to keep an eye on their vegetables if they're away. If rain is forecast you will not need to water, but just check the soil to see if it's damp. Look out for any signs that the plants are drooping or wilting as this is a sure sign that the plant hasn't had sufficient water.

I like to use a watering can with a fine sprayer for my containers and baskets and a hose pipe for some of the larger sections. You will make your own choices depending how far from the house your vegetable garden is, or where the nearest outside tap connection point is.

Ideally you do not want to be carrying water for very far, as it is heavy, so use a hose pipe where you can and then use it to fill up your watering can. The best time to water is early in the morning or late evening as this gives the plants the best chance of having a drink before the evaporation process starts. Avoid at all costs watering during the hottest time of the day.

Get your garden set up with a long hose so you can water all the furthest places away, This will save you time carrying water cans and makes the job more pleasurable.

If a prolonged period of hot weather is forecast try and move your tubs and containers to somewhere more sheltered.

Finely add some growmore or liquid feed twice a week when watering as this will give you better crops and healthier plants. Remember healthier plants can fight off disease more easily.

Feeding your Vegetable Crops

Your plants will have enough feed from the soil for about 4-6 weeks after this time additional nutrients will need to be applied either to the soil or to the plant. Liquid feeds are very good and are quickly absorbed into the plant through the leaves or roots. This method of feeding will need to be reapplied every week through the growing season. With organic growing methods it is best to work by constantly trying to improve the soil.

Over a period of one to two years your soil will be a rich haven, full of nutrients that will then last throughout the summer. By adding mulch to the surface of your plant you will be retaining any moisture already there and increasing the soil quality. The mulch will be taken down into the soil by worms and add strength to the roots of your plant. A strong root system means hardy plants can fend off disease and give healthy nutrious food that tastes as good as it looks.

Periodically your garden bed will welcome some additional organic fertiliser that you should obtain from your supplier. Not all your plants needs can come from your manure patch, mostly it can but an additional fertiliser or bone meal, blood meal, pelleted chicken manure or granite meal will help your plants grow. Nitrogen in pellet form can be added to the soil which is slow releasing and a excellent food source.

Gardening Tools and Equipment

There are no special tools required for changing to an organic garden but it is worth mentioning that keeping your gardening tools clean is more important than ever to stop the spread of disease. So if you start on a new plot and have been digging it over or clearing rubbish from another part of your garden, then it is worth wiping your tools down before reusing them again on your organic plot.

A complete set of tools incorporating, a small hand set of tools like the one in the photo are great for moving small plants and for your use with your containers and baskets. A garden rake is the tool you will use a lot of when clearing the ground and levelling it off. A garden hoe or tiller is useful to keep the ground free from weeds and for keeping paths and walkways clear.

When your digging or doing heavy work in the garden it is advisable to wear protective gloves. During such times when you have to handle fertilisers take any precautions very seriously. Wash your hands and all equipment that comes into contact with it thoroughly. Keep your garden shed locked and do not let children play or touch any chemicals or fertilisers you keep.