Beginners Guide To Organic GardeningA Beginners Guide to Organic GardeningTypically, beginners to organic gardening are excited by the whole concept of “organic,” but don’t know where to start. I remember when I first contracted "organic fever”; I was so excited that I was reading everything I could find on the subject. Some articles were very entertaining but gave little practical information. Other articles seemed to focus on a particular product as being the miraculous answer to all gardening problems. Early on in my learning curve, I was reading an extremely interesting article about liquid organic fertilizer. It made a lot of sense and I was sold on the product, ready to run out and buy it. Problem was, I hadn’t even planted anything yet! What I needed was a beginners guide to organic gardening. Since I never found one I decided to write one myself in hopes that it helps you avoid some of the pitfalls I've experienced. I put on the brakes and backed up a bit, but still eagerly absorbed all I could find. That is why I always recommend to anyone who is just discovering organic gardening to start on a small scale. Container gardening, for example, is a perfect place to start. You can move your container easily to protect it from the elements, even indoors. The 3 R’s: Research, Read, RepeatDifferent types of plants have different growing requirements, so it is imperative to know in advance of planting, what conditions are required by your plants to thrive. This is the most basic principle but often the most overlooked. You cannot rely on store personnel to know even the most basic facts about the plants their store carries – they’re cashiers, not horticulturalists. By following the 3 R’s you will avoid a lot of potential plant problems, plus, you’ll save yourself time, money, and aggravation. It’s much easier to learn about how to grow fat nutritious organic tomatoes after you have learned what soil requirements tomatoes need, than to repurchase and replant seedlings because you skipped this important step.Follow The RulesYou can’t be successful if you cheat or take shortcuts. You might be tempted to think you can add a chemical to make your plants grow faster or taller. Read that sentence again. Do you see that word “chemical”? The use of chemicals is the opposite of organic. I want to assist you in growing gorgeous plants and healthful veggies. I do not promote or support the use of synthetic chemicals. When chemicals are added to the soil to induce artificial growth or color, they destroy the very micro-organisms needed to grow! The very essence of Organics is: No Chemicals. Ever. (Besides, if you think you can ingest chemicals without any adverse effects, you’ve been woefully misled!)You Can’t Create LifeWhen you get right to the heart of the matter, you can’t create a tomato. All you can do is plant a little tiny seed and give it what it needs to grow. In my ignorance I used to repeat that tired old cliché, “Life begins in the soil.” Well, that’s only half true. While the seed contains the energy to germinate after planting, it’s the life in the soil that enables it to flourish. Micro-organisms such as fungi, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes convert organic fertilizer into energy for your plants to grow.Are you ready to pursue organic gardening? Then you need to start by doing some housecleaning. Yes, I said housecleaning. If you are ready and willing to commit to growing healthy and nutritious food, then you need to get rid of all the poisons out of you home and garden. Okay, so you have a bag of toxic substances in hand, and you’re walking out to your garbage can… Suddenly you realize that there might possibly be a safety issue concerning the disposal of this stuff. The light bulb goes on. If you have to consider how to safely dispose of a product, why would you want it in your home? Lawn and garden chemicals are some of the most toxic substances on the market. There is so much compelling research and evidence of potential health risks that some states have outlawed the use of chemicals on school property. At a time when so many of our communities’ budgets are in the red, why not start saving money by eliminating the expense of chemicals that only serve to pollute our water, endanger our children and pets, and destroy our environment? People claim to be going “green,” but they’re still buying millions of tons of lawn chemicals every year. Go figure. You've made your decision and cleaned out all the toxic chemicals. Ask my wife and she will tell you that I would sooner be tortured than have to endure the weekly trip to the grocery store with our four year old and six year old girls. However, I need little persuasion to go shopping for a new plant or a clever container. I love everything about being outdoors and gardening. Once you’ve reviewed what plants you want and what size pots you need, go check out your local garden center or nursery. Inquire about soil amendments. Explain that you are growing organically in containers and you don’t want anything that has been irradiated. Tell them you want to buy a composted plant (such as cotton burr) or animal (cow, chicken or horse manure) material. The keyword is composted. Good compost is rich and dark, and smells earthy. If you pick up a bag of compost and it stinks (and I realize that’s a personal opinion) then you don’t want it. Compost should never smell foul or rancid. If it reeks, leave it there. You can also leave the potting soil there too. There is no life in potting soil; it’s totally dead. If you look closely at the ingredients of a typical bag you will see that a majority of the product is made of ground up tree bark, and contains large chips of wood. The second most common ingredient is sphagnum peat moss which is more effective at adding bulk to the bag than contributing anything beneficial to your plant’s nutrition. All these ingredients are then sterilized by radiation to kill off all the nasty bugs, larva, bad bacteria, and a variety of seeds. This also kills off beneficial micro-organisms that your plant needs to convert organic fertilizer into energy for growth. (That’s why they have to juice it up with synthetic chemicals to produce growth.) You’ve made it home and now you are ready to do the actual transplanting. A good rule of thumb is "don’t buy any plant unless you are committed to planting it within six hours of buying it". It’s best to plan so you can come home and do it right away. Your new plant has gone through a lot of stress and needs to get settled in as soon as possible. Alright, you’ve got your plant(s), your new container, your composted soil mixture, some organic fertilizer, some water, Now, you are ready to plant! Years ago when I first started, I used to make the mistake of placing my plants too low in the new container. Don’t make this mistake or you might kill your plants; a good rule of thumb is to place enough soil in the bottom of your new container so that when you set in the plant the top of it doesn’t extend above the ridge of the container. When it is set in properly, add some dry fertilizer around the roots. (I use cottonseed meal) Back fill the container being careful to stop about an inch below the top of the transplant. This is how important it is not to cover over the top of you plant. It may look strange, but let it settle for a couple of days after being watered then back fill a little more if needed. Well done! You are well on your way. Continue to enjoy reading about your favorite container plants. You may find it advantageous to start a gardening journal. There’s nothing quite as aggravating as trying to remember what you used last time. You can enjoy your plant’s blooms or fruit more than once by supplementing your journals with digital photos. After achieving success with containers you can expand your horizons and explore growing in raised beds. The sky is the limit.
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