Organic

Organic Gardening 10 Practical Steps

“Organic gardening is not just the avoidance of chemicals, in the larger view, it is organic living using nature’s laws.” I read this quote by an unknown person sometime ago and realized that my parents and others like them were organic gardeners long before the current resurrection of these principles. They didn’t use chemicals on the food they would feed to their children and gardening was a part of daily living to ensure there was sufficient food to preserve for the long winters. Everything was re-cycled and kitchen scraps were routinely thrown onto the garden to replenish the earth. Organic fertilizers such as manure were used and the only fertilizer on the roses was bone meal. My mother and father produced the best tasting vegetables and lots of them – enough to feed a family of seven throughout the winter. Birds, worms, and other signs of a living earth were welcomed into the garden.

In recent times synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides have become the practice most common among commercial agricultural practices. These practices have had some undesirable results such as the loss or depletion of topsoil, land becomes less fertile, and the excessive use of pesticides has resulted in pests resistant to the current chemicals resulting in the development of even stronger chemicals. Our environment is being damaged by toxic chemical spills, chemicals leaching into rivers and water supplies are contaminating our drinking water, and the effect of global warming is becoming a major part of the political agenda.

Our personal diet and health is a major topic of importance as more attention is being paid to the relationship between food and health. Research has demonstrated that organically grown vegetables are higher in vitamins and minerals than those grown with inorganic fertilizers. Gardening organically and growing as much of our own food as possible is one of the steps we can take to start healing the earth on which we live and in the process healing ourselves. Several key components are fundamental to the practice of organic gardening.

Practical Steps to Organic Gardening

1. Soil. The soil is kept healthy by working with Nature rather than against it. Practices include using organic fertilizers such as manure to replenish the earth and all refuse produced by the garden should be recycled back into the garden. Organic gardening uses all of the waste produced in the garden such as grass clippings, leaves, and leftovers from the kitchen to make compost that feeds the soil and keeps it full of the nutrients necessary to grow crops.

2. Avoid the use of all synthetic chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Eliminating the use of chemicals in the garden allows gardeners to not worry about children, pets, and wildlife coming in contact with synthetic weed killers and fertilizers on the lawn and shrubs. The food grown is pesticide-free, additive-free, and nutritious food for the table.

3. Sustainability. In his book, Gardening Organically, John Fedor defines sustainability as “the ability of a society or an ecosystem to function indefinitely without squandering the resources on which it relies.” Organic gardening does this by ensuring there is no loss of nutrients or topsoil in the garden.

4. Environmental Stewardship. Gardening organically means that the environment benefits from the reduction in contamination of the water supply and air pollution. It means that we provide a habitat for wildlife including beneficial insects and animals.

5. Wildlife-friendly Habitats. Informal areas can be created to assist wildlife in their search for habitat where they can survive the destruction of many areas; destructions that have now endangered many species.

6. Intensive planting. Plants are spaced closely together to conserve water and shield the soil from sunlight thus helping to prevent weed seeds from germinating and growing.

7. Biodiversity. Biodiversity ensures that when a change in growing conditions occurs, a single crop from a monoculture does not lead to a crop failure. The food supply does not become jeopardized when a diversity of species are planted.

8. Rotating Crops. Crop rotation assists in the control against soil-borne pests and diseases. This rotation makes a difference in the productivity of the garden as those diseases that affect the plants are kept in check by the rotation of the crops to other areas of the garden.

9. Watering and Weeding. Rainwater can be saved to water the garden. Soaker hoses, drip irrigation, and watering by hand conserve water. Mulches are invaluable in both water conservation and slowing down weed germination.

10. Saving Seeds. Save some seeds from your best plants when harvesting crops. Many old varieties are being lost at an alarming rate and preserving this biodiversity is important. Some of these saved seeds have been used to develop new strains after disaster has affected commonly cultivated varieties.

Organic Gardening - A Growing Trend

In the past decade and a half, organic products have achieved almost mainstream status. Where organic produce was a specialty item in a few upscale grocery stores in the early 1990s, today's supermarkets commonly offer organically produced items.

An upward spiral is happening: Organics have become more available and more affordable. The result is that a larger proportion of the population buys organics. This leads to an increased general awareness of the benefits for people and the environment of organic production.

Greater awareness of the benefits contributes to a greater demand for organic products. Higher demand encourages growers to an even larger production of organics. Increased production results in organics being increasingly available and affordable… and upward the trend goes.

During the 1990s, organic product sales dramatically increased at the rate of more than 20 percent every year. By the beginning of the 21st century, sales of organic products passed the $9 billion mark. Today in 2006, the majority of US consumers (7 out of 10) buy organic food at least some of the time.

These statistics are encouraging indications that organic production is here to stay. This is good news for the well-being of people and the environment.

**What ORGANIC means**

Fifteen years ago, organic growers might have had to explain to shoppers at a farmer's market what the label "organic" means. Today, most people understand that for a product to be labeled organic, it had to be grown without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or hormone supplements.

But organic growing is a system, and is not just a matter of substituting natural materials for synthetics. Whether on the large scale of the market farmer or the small scale of the backyard gardener, the underlying principles of an organic system are to work within the boundaries of nature to grow healthy food.

The system starts with a focus on healthy soil, which supports healthy plants. When plants are strong, they are naturally disease and pest resistant.

**Why ORGANIC is better**

Rather than apply chemicals to cure disease and control pests as conventional growers must do, organic growers are oriented toward prevention through continuous soil improvements. It's a big difference in attitude: the chemical quick-fix vs. long-term soil building.

The benefits of taking the long-term approach are immediate. Rather than having to keep indoors during a "re-entry interval," (after using poisonous chemical pesticides, there is a required safety period when people must avoid the area), organic gardeners never experience exile from the location where they grow food.

Also, there is the difference in the effect on local water sources. Organic gardeners don't contaminate ponds and groundwater with synthetics.

In short, gardeners who live where they grow food have a particular motivation and advantage in using an organic system: personal health and safety. But everyone benefits when organic methods are used because they are sustainable: wholesome food is produced in a system that respects the natural environment.

Organic Gardening In The 21st Century

Over the course of the past decade, a significant number of men and women from different parts of the world have taken up gardening. In this regard, these people have found themselves interested both in creating magnificent flower gardens as well as in cultivating thriving vegetable gardens.

A majority of gardeners still rely on what might be considered "mainstream methods" when it comes to the care and maintenance of either their flower or vegetable gardens. In other words, these gardeners tend to rely upon various commercially availabable chemical treatments and products to care for their gardens. Various types of garden-related chemicals -- from pesticides to fertilizers -- are available readily at garden supply shops and discount retail stores. More often than not, these basic products can be obtained for a fairly reasonable cost.

As a person becomes more involved in the care and maintenance of his or her garden, such an individual tends to become more conscious and aware of how the materials he or she utilizes to tend a garden space actually effects the environment and the plants being grown (particularly vegetables). Consequently, many experienced gardeners (and, in reality, an ever growing number of novices) have turned to organic gardening practices.

Organic gardening practices actually have been around and utilized by people since certain ancient tribes gave up hunting and gathering and settled down to grow their own crops and to maintain their own domesticated animals. In their most basic form, organic gardening practices consists of the use of naturally occuring materials (organic materials) in the care and treatment of a garden patch -- vegetable or floral. No man made chemicals or any type are utilized in true organic gardening regimens.

For example, when it comes to providing nutrients for an organic gardening, two resources normally are relied upon: compost and manure. Likewise, when it comes to the issue of pest control, natural steps are taken to rid a garden of offensive bugs and insects. In this regard, benign insects that do not damage plants but who prey upon bugs that harm foilage are placed in a garden or patch to deal with a harmful infestation problem or situation.

In the final analysis, people who espouse organic gardening practices and techniques maintain that the goal or such natural programs is to nourish and protect the soil well into the future rather than providing a quick, seasonal fix for one planting period. Through organic gardening, soil and water contamination is reduced significantly. Additionally, when it comes to the production of vegetables, the food generated from an organic garden is free of harmful chemicals and deemed to be far healthier for human consumption.

Organic Food For A Better Environment And Health

You must have heard about organic food, haven't you? What do you know about it?

Imagine if your spinach, broccoli, carrots, celery, apples, oranges, pears, and other fruits and vegetables on your table do not contain chemical substances. A healthier body will be yours ever.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic food is produced by farmers to emphasize renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.

This food is produced and processed without using any synthetic ingredients or chemical substances which can disrupt the balance of nature.

Do you know what that means? Yes, organic food production is better for our environment.

Meanwhile, organic meat, eggs, poultry, and dairy products are produced by not using growth hormones and antibiotics. Wow, that's supposed to be healthy and safe for your body.

Consuming organic food is indeed an investment to a healthier life in the future. Making it a daily menu for the family is a healthful idea as well.

What is the standard of organic food?

The USDA has established a set of national standard that "organic" labeled food must meet.

One of them is the farm condition, whether it follows the rules necessary to meet the USDA organic standards. For instance, there must be no prohibited substance for 3 years on land.

Certification to the companies that process or handle the organic food before it reaches local supermarkets or restaurants is also required.

How to tell if certain food is organic? See a label on the food package or watch for signs in the supermarket.

Costly, yet healthy

Unfortunately, you may find that organic food is rather more expensive from non-organic one. One of the reasons is organic food needs more farmers to handle the production as they weed, for example carrots and onions, by hand.

So it's clear than consuming organic food is not simply about eating. Again, it is a future asset. Not only is it beneficial for our environment but also for our health, our family's health.

Organic Gardening Resources On The Net

If you are a person who is interested in reaping the benefits of organic gardening, you may be wondering where you can turn for helpful and reliable resources and information pertaining to organic gardening practices. As with so many things in the 21st century, the Internet and World Wide Web has become a wonderful resource and source of information for men and women interested in organic gardening in this day and age.

There are a growing number of websites on the Net that deal with organic gardening. For example, there are organic gardening coops that maintain websites that provide a whole host of information on organic gardening.

In addition to organic gardening and organic food coops, companies that market products for organic gardeners oftentimes now maintain very user friendly websites on the Net. These sites provide information and also include the ability through which you can purchase product to meet your own organic gardening needs.

Some colleges and universities now maintain website venues through which you can access information about different types of gardening practices, including organic gardening. These websites can very helpful to a person who is looking for information about organic gardening.

There are now enterprises on the Net that publish in cyberspace magazines that deal with organic gardening. By subscribing to these publications, you can have delivered through email organic gardening magazines that can keep you abreast of the very latest developments when it comes to organic gardening in this day and age. These magazines strive to give you the very latest information about organic gardening practices from around the world. In short, these can be very vital resources to a person interested in organic gardening in today’s world.

There are also organizations that you can join in cyberspace. Through these organizations you can further your own self education about organic gardening. In addition, you can share information with like minded gardeners, with other men and women who are interested in organic gardening practices.

Finally, in association with these organization, there are websites that offer community forums and bulletin boards. Through these services, you can link up with other men and women around the world who are involved in organic gardening. In so many ways, the best ways to learn about organic gardening is to share experiences with other organic gardeners from different parts of the globe.