Conclusion
Organic gardening is not all about planting crops without the use of chemicals. Instead of looking at organic gardening in that light, it would be better to look it as a way of working with nature. If you see it this way, organic gardening shouldn’t sound as daunting to you.
Aside from the nutritional and health benefits of organic produce, organic gardening provides an individual with a practical way of growing crops. Imagine the hundreds of dollars you can save simply by opting to solve garden problems with simple solutions. You can resort to composting if you want to make your soil more fertile, and you can always introduce insects and other organisms to drive away garden pests.
Aside from that, organic gardening is a great way of keeping the environment free from toxins. As an organic gardener, you steer away from artificial additives that harm the soil as well as the surrounding wildlife. This form of farming also proves to be a good activity that nourishes not just your physical well-being, but also your emotional and psychological well-being.
Just like any form of farming, the process of organic gardening begins in the soil. It starts from determining the kind of soil that you have, its pH, and overall condition. This is one crucial step that you shouldn’t miss since it helps to determine the kind of plants that you can place in your garden. A good soil-plant match is a vital component of your garden’s wellness.
However, it’s not enough that you have good soil quality and plant-soil match. To be successful in organic gardening, you need to continually nourish your soil. One way of doing this is by adding compost. Compost is any living material that is left to decompose and serves as a fertilizer. Be wary though, as not all organic matter can be turned into compost. Dead animals, cat litter, and dog manure can’t be turned into compost since they only serve to attract vermin.
Learning to determine how much is too much when it comes to watering your plants is equally important. Under- or over-watering can result in serious damage that might just put all of your gardening effort to waste. Things to consider when watering your plants include the type of soil that you have, the kind of plants that you have and if they can survive drought, and your current environmental conditions. When it comes to watering your plants, the key is to water frequently and deeply.
A garden wouldn’t even be called a garden without intruders. At some point, garden pests in the form of insects and other animals can eat away or damage your plants. In these situations, you don’t have to resort to the most aggressive approach immediately. You can turn to nature by using organic products to get rid of these garden pests. You can also add minor changes like building a fence to keep wandering animals away.
One of the most fulfilling parts of organic gardening is the harvest. To have a fresh taste in your produce and to get the maximum amount of nutrients from them, you have to know the right time for harvesting your crops. Most leafy crops cannot survive colder temperature, so you should harvest them before winter comes along. As for some fruits like tomatoes, you can let them reach maturity indoors.
You see, organic gardening isn’t as complicated as most people think it is. Just as in conventional farming, it requires dedication and hard work. As much as this eBook would like to provide you with every step you need to know for organic gardening, it’s not enough to fully equip you to succeed every time. Learn to be patient, connect with other organic gardeners, and continue to educate yourself. There’s still so much to learn about this worthwhile activity.