Organic Gardening versus Regular Gardening

It is simple really. The only difference between regular gardening and organic gardening is that no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides are used when gardening organically. This makes a little more work to grow plants this way as you need to create your own compost and dig it into your beds and containers, but it is well worth the effort.

As you can imagine though if you forsake garden pesticides you are going to experience problems with unwanted insects, and possibly disease as well. There is no option for the organic gardener to spray chemicals to cure greenfly or put down slug pellets. But there are ways to minimize pest damage by using natural ways to protect your plants, and there are even non-chemical non-pesticide organic pest removal sprays that can be chosen.

A regular gardener need not concern themselves with the ability of the soil to continue to feed the crop right through the growing season, as he or she can spray fertilizer on the crop at any time he wishes. Organic gardeners must start with the soil and ensure that when prepared in spring it will hold sufficient nutrient and release it gradually throughout the season. So, rather than adding chemicals to the soil, organic gardeners regularly add organic matter in order to keep the soil healthy and productive.

What to do to Start an Organic Garden

The No. 1 fact for any organic gardener to remember is that the presence of good compost is essential to the well being of all plants grown organically.

If you do not already have a compost pile or compost bin, you need to start now. Compost piles can be made with almost any waste organic matter. For the organic gardener the obvious choices will , grass clippings, leaves and prunings (keep to smaller branches only), dead flowers, vegetable scraps, fruit rinds and many other things.

What you need is soil that is a good loam, and dark in color with a sweet smell. So be generous when you add compost and select a spot that drains well so that water does not just sit around the plants, follow the guidelines in this article, and your plants should stay healthy and productive.

You might have healthy soil to start with and only need to add some compost. But some soil might need more natural additives than compost provides. Natural additives include things such as rock phosphates and bone meal. By purchasing and using a simple soil test you will know the soil's pH balance and be able to determine which nutrients you need to add.

One of the things that makes organic gardening more difficult is keeping insects off the plants. Most gardeners simply reach for a pesticide and spray the plants. But organic gardeners who truly want to stay away from chemicals must find other alternatives. Instead of using pesticides, the best way to defend your plants from insects is to use preventive measures. Here below is a video which should give you ideas for organic pest control.

Since unhealthy plants are more likely to be attacked by insects, one of the best natural ways to protect your garden from insects is to make sure your plants are healthy.

There are several things you can do to encourage healthy plants. Keeping them not too wet and not too dry is one thing.

Another way to protect your plants from insects, however, is to encourage insect predators into your garden. These include:

- lizards

- ladybugs

- frogs

- birds .

Yet another way to prevent disease is to start with disease resistant plants and plant them in their prime.

These creatures can be attracted to your garden by keeping a source of water nearby, such as a pond, and by growing plants that attract them. There are also some household items that fight against insects, such as hot peppers and garlic, as well as insecticidal soaps.

Many diseases spread because the site of the garden does not drain well or does not allow for good air circulation. If your garden suffers from poor drainage you may need to approach a contractor to install land drains.

Weed Control for Organic Gardening

Besides diseases and insects, another annoying and frustrating problem faced by organic gardeners is weeds. Organic mulch can act as a weed barrier, but for even better protection put a layer of cardboard, construction paper, or newspaper under the mulch. Spreading a layer of corn meal gluten to slow the growth of weeds is another idea. Do this early in the season before planting.

Lastly, for weed control there is also the age old implement known as the hoe. Regular hoeing and hand pulling the weeds will help a great deal, and it requires no sprays. Don't forget many pesticide sprays can possibly hurt your family or the environment. Overall, persistent weeding will unfailingly beat the weeds for good after a few seasons of consistent hoeing and weed pulling.

Conclusion

Organic gardening is an excellent way to assure that your plants will be free and clear of all pesticides and, if taken care of properly, will be truly healthy. Organic gardening may require more time and effort than regular gardening, but your family and the environment will greatly benefit.