How to Start Your Own Organic Garden

The increasing focus on healthy living and diets nowadays has inspired people to go back to the basics when it pertains to the usual manner by which plants are grown. Considering this lingering situation, health advocates are recommending that people throw out chemically-induced fertilizers and modern ways of planting out the window and welcome back organic gardening with open arms.

Unfortunately, organic gardening sounds complicated as; still, many are not interested in engaging in such activity for the reason that growing organic plants especially in one's backyard may seem tedious and impractical for an ordinary person whose only goal is to live a healthy life. So to shed light on this misconception, here are the basics in setting up an organic garden.

Organic Garden Setup Simplified

For the most part, an organic garden can contain any crop that can be grown organically. If that does not sound specific enough, a potential organic garden owner should consider citrus fruits, nuts, and other herbs that are already cited by various organic farming industries. These prove that such crops are very easy to grow in an organic garden and are thus very practical even for a homegrown organic garden, provided enough space and ample, appropriate soil are available.

At the same time, an organic garden is mostly dependent on the methods that will be used in growing the crops therein, while the success of growing such garden in your backyard is mostly based on the manner you treat the soil. This may seem laborious, but the soil used for organic gardening must not be treated with synthetic agrichemicals that will have adverse effects in your goal. Most of the labor is centered on manual activities as well as a conscious monitoring of the plants' growth. In the same manner, the organic garden is not something that contains plants alone. Since one of its primary goals is promoting biodiversity, it must be integrated with pests, birds and other organisms that although may sound harmful for the plants, are among the greatest contributor in the healthy growth of the plants.

The Key Elements in Starting Your Very Own Organic Garden

First and foremost, you must provide your plants a definitive ample space where they can breathe. Thus, it is important that you have ample space to plant at home. This could be a section in your yard, while it can also be a space provided by a wooden container. If you choose the later alternative, remember that wood is the best place to grow plants as it allows air to seep through, unlike plastic. You may also use ceramic pots provided that they have holes at the sides or the bottom to allow plants to breathe.

Second, plant seeds or seedlings. You might want to start with vegetables that grow into small shrubs, like tomatoes or peppers, or root crops, like yams and potatoes. Since you are still a beginner at organic gardening, smaller plants will provide good practice.

Lastly, create compost. The best thing about compost is that it is made up of materials that you normally throw away, so you don't have to buy anything. Biodegradable materials make up compost. This may be made out of wood shavings, coffee grounds, vegetable and fruit peelings, animal manure (but don't use dog, cat, or human feces), and cut grass, among many others. You have to wait for the mixture to decay first before you can actually call it compost. This will then provide your soil essential vitamins and minerals that help it stay healthy for longer periods of time.

Nothing Difficult About Organic Gardening

When you really think about it, there really is nothing difficult about starting your very own organic garden. In fact, it is not even close to tiresome or expensive. Organic gardening, to be successful, is all about technique.

Experts would say that the best way to apply compost is to use only a very small amount thereof on your soil. So if you are planning to start with a small patch and with only a few seedlings don't get carried away with the compost. Remember that making compost can sometimes be a messy one especially if you are careless concerning the location wherein the compost will be made. 

The compost is already rich in so many nutrients that you don't need to go overboard. Spread it over your garden patch in two to three inch layers at the start of the planting session and you're basically good to go. When planting during the winter season, just make sure that you cover your patch with mulch so that all the soil vitamins do not get stripped off and your plants are kept warm, provided with the sufficient amount of protection for their growth.

Here's a tip: The healthiest and best compost mixture is one that is a fundamental combination of browns and greens, and is odor-free, dark and a little moist. Organic growers find that layering the browns and greens and spreading them on top of each other alternately is very effective as well.

Combat Pests The Natural Way

Of course, as with any other type of garden, organic gardens are not immune to pests. Applying pesticides is the quickest fix, but you will be defeating the purpose of going organic. There are several natural ways wherein you can combat pests and ensure that they stay away for a longer period.

One effective way of making sure that your garden has the least pests possible is by placing a bird bath near your patch. Any kind of bird bath will do, as long as birds find it nice to hang out at. Now what is the connection between bird baths and annoying vermin? The answer to this is simple: birds feed on insects. The more birds you have frequenting your patch, the greater the chances that pests will stay away.

But, don't go all gung-ho and violent against insects just yet. There are certain types of vermin that are actually beneficial to your actual organic garden. These include bees (which aid in the plant reproduction process through pollination), ladybugs (which eat those nasty aphids that feast on plant leaves), and earthworms (which help till and aerate the soil). When you find these in your patch, leave them alone. They look like a nuisance, but they're more helpful than you think.

It is also prudent to keep your garden trash-free. A clean and well-tended garden is an actual garden that is in full health. Don't give unwanted vermin an opportunity to find comfort and hold residence there. Even stray chips are potential magnets to all sorts of living things you do not want in your very own organic garden.

Creating barriers that will prevent pests from getting into your garden is also effective and very simple. You can create a sort of fence around it and then place a sheer net to cover your growing plants. Of course, common sense would tell you that the net's holes should be stocking-like narrow so that the little critters won't be able to get through.

Finally, perhaps the simplest way of getting rid of unwanted bugs is to handpick them out of your plants regularly. Since you're growing your very own organic garden, it means that you actually are committed to tending to your patches almost everyday in order to make sure that they turn out well. (You don't need to be an expert to carry this out.)

Once you have picked out the unwanted insects, do not just hurl them out of the patch. You can expect them to return after a while. Instead, place them in a soapy solution to kill them, or gather and then incinerate them later. The procedure might sound cruel to some, but killing them is the best way for them to stay out of your beloved garden. This is one situation where the end definitely justifies the means.

Give Your Garden Some Love

You can't just start your very own organic garden without being bent on regularly attending to it. As mentioned earlier, organic gardening requires commitment on your part.

While plants can grow by themselves, considering that they have done so for the past millennia, making it happen successfully in a backyard that's located in relatively dry land is another story. Most backyards are already stripped of the necessary nutrients that soil needs to be able to produce healthy greens. And if you live in the city, the soil quality is expectedly worse. It is your responsibility to make sure that your plants have a conducive place to stay alive.

Plants can be compared to people. They thrive better if they feel they are well taken cared of and loved. Growing your very own organic garden isn't just about knowing and applying the technical how-to's. It's about you wanting to live a healthier lifestyle and helping your garden grow to its fullest potential without compromising Mother Nature's hand on the process. Give your garden some love and it will definitely love you back.