Growing Organically. How do you Choose?

Once you have decided to go organic and grow organic, what is the next step?

First of all you need to be sure the soil is not contaminated by previous chemicals. Contact your local extension office and find out where you can send a soil sample to be tested.

Once your sample is returned to you and you view the report. Figure out what else would be beneficial to add into the soil creating a good balance to promote plant and crop growth.

Once your soil is ready for planting, plan first, where on your property the compost pile is going to be placed. Then draw a diagram of the rest of the land that you will be using to grow your food.

Buy your seed packets. You will need to know how many inches or feet apart to grow your vegetables or herbs. The seed packets will carry this information.

Plan how many rows you need, what shape you desire your garden to be, and will there be any raised planters or beds? How will you mark each row?

Make sure you have those markers ready as well to label each row in your garden as you plant your seeds or small starts.

Is there a good irrigation system for this garden?

Now make a list of the garden tools or farm machinery you have on hand, and compare it with a list of what you will need:

You will need:

shovel
hand aerator
tiller
trowels
hoe
tractor (if working acres of land)
wet-n-dry vac (handy to vacuum up insects)
knee pads
sprayers
hand tools
wheelbarrow
garden cart
gloves
pruning shears

It is also important to note that for the health of your plants, you should periodically disinfect your garden tools to stop the spread of disease. You can accomplish this by disassembling your tools and washing them in bucket of warm water and liquid soap.

What to plant

When deciding what to plant, base your decision on several factors.

Location of the land you are planting
Climate
Content of soil

Organic Foods

If you live in a cold-weather climate here are some plants you might want to consider:

Peas
Thyme
Tarragon
Artichokes
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Spinach
Onions

Some warm-weather crops:

Potatoes
Tomatoes
Squash
Beans
Cucumbers

Make sure that the plants that require full sun are planted in your garden to take advantage of the direct sunlight.

When shade is needed for other plants, and there are no trees nearby to provide that shade, you can create shade by building a wooden fence around the garden, or using a trellis to shield the plants that are vulnerable to the rays of the sun.

There is nothing more rewarding than at harvest time, walking out in your backyard and picking fresh berries off your vine, or eating an apple straight off your tree.

Because you had a direct hand in growing these fruits and vegetables, you are secure in the knowledge that no synthetic pesticide, insecticide or herbicide has touched it and all that natural goodness is all yours to enjoy; the fruit of your labor.