Organic Gardening Tips

In these increasingly health conscious times, it is little wonder that more and more people are discovering the benefits of organic foods. This said, organic food from the supermarket can still be quite costly and the range is often limited so why not turn your garden into an organic garden where you can grow your own flowers, fruit and vegetables for very little money and unadulterated by chemicals.

Simply put, an organic garden only uses materials that are gleaned from living things which means no artificial fertilisers or composts and no chemical pest controls. Turning your garden into an organic garden is very simple and although it can take a while to get things up and running, the benefits are plain to see very soon after. The organic gardening tips below will help you to get an idea as to the process and may even spur you into stating your own conversion.

Making your own organic compost One of the best things you can do in your quest for an organic garden is to start making your own compost as this will replenish the nutrients used by growing plants, without adding potentially harmful chemicals to the soil. It can take up to ten weeks for your first batch of compost to be ready for use however so you may want to buy a bag or two of organic compost to use in the meantime.

Organic compost can be made from virtually any garden and household waste that will rot however it is important to have a balance of fast rotting material and slow rotting material. Fast rotting material includes things such as lawn clippings and young weeds and these act as activators for the rotting process. You will also need to add older plant material and other ingredients to keep the process going, however. These can include cardboard egg boxes, fruit and vegetable scraps, used kitchen towel and tea bags, dead flowers and anything that will degrade over time. Put all the ingredients in a compost bin with plenty of water and wait for the inevitable to happen. Plants and crops that are lavished with organic compost thrive as they grow and it is often easy to see the difference, both in appearance and in taste, when compared to non-organic alternatives.

Choosing organic seeds and plants Because you aren't going to be using fertilisers or any kind of chemical pest control, you will want to choose your plants or seeds carefully. There are numerous disease resistant varieties available today. However this doesn't make them resistant to the harmful pests that naturally populate most gardens. Some plants are well known for attracting beneficial insects which naturally eat pests such as slugs and greenfly and by including these plants in your garden you will be able to control many of the pests.

You can also plant companion crops to deter other potential pests which means, for example, you can site strong smelling flowers or herbs next to your best crops and vegetables. As an organic gardener you will have to learn to live with the fact that some of your produce will die from pest invasion each year however with a bit of planning and research you can eliminate most of the potential damage in a natural way.

Conclusion Flowers and other garden plants inevitably thrive when they are grown in an organic garden because the nutrients they require from the soil are constantly being replaced using the natural method of adding organic compost and fertiliser. Similarly, organic vegetables look and taste better than non-organic alternatives and they are obviously better for you in terms of health as well. By using organic methods in your home and garden you are effectively feeding the soil everything it needs to feed your chosen plants and with a bit of careful plant selection most potential pests will be a thing of the past.