Organic Gardening at Home – The Benefits of Growing Green
Organic gardening at home refers to using materials in their most natural form along with solid gardening principles. “Going green” provides several benefits. You eliminate the release of nitrogen and phosphorus from petroleum-based fertilizers into the groundwater, and you also avoid exposure to pest controls and chemical fertilizers, creating a safer environment for children and pets as well as yourself. In the long run, you’ll also save money. Although organics typically cost more, the results last longer as they build up the soil’s biology, and application will be less frequent.
Having good soil is the key to successful organic gardening at home. It needs the right pH, good consistency, and a good balance of nutrients (e.g. nitrogen) and micronutrients (e.g calcium). Typically your soil already has everything it needs, but you can build it up further with animal manure, compost, cover crops and leaf mulch.
Homemade compost is an excellent source of nutritional supplements as well as a great way to recycle plant and vegetable water. Layering planting beds with compost and pine straw or mulch will help protect your plants from summer droughts and winter freezes and will also promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms. Learn more about organic composting in this video from SmilingGardener.com:
If you decide on using organic gardening products like composts, fertilizers and soil conditioners, look for labels stating the product is suitable or acceptable for use in organic farming or production. You can also look for the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) seal; however, since it is a voluntary review program, not all organic products will carry this seal.
Not many organic pesticides are preventative, but you can control pests by selecting disease-resistant plants and keeping your garden watered and fed well. A good strategy is to plant flowers, vegetables and ornamental plants near plants that naturally repel pests, such as garlic, lantana, marigolds, lavendar and sage. Another best practice of organic gardening at home is to choose plants that are best suited to the climate and soil of your geographic location; they will require less care and be more disease- and pest-resistant.
You can reduce water usage by zoning, rainwater harvesting and drip irrigation. Zoning refers to grouping together plants with similar water requirements. Hand watering with water collected through rainwater harvesting is the most environmentally friendly option; however, if your roof is constructed from asphalt or fiberglass, contaminants may get into the rainwater, so you may not want to use it on your vegetable garden. Organic gardening at home improves water retention, so be sure to use bark, mulch, straw or shredded leaves.
If you garden conventionally, you can garden organically. You can start with using organic pest controls or adding organic compost to your planting beds. If you want to go 100% organic, you will need to prepare the soil first and wait one season before planting. Easy maintenance, lowered costs, and a beautiful yard are benefits of organic gardening at home worth waiting for.
