Useful Organic Gardening Recommendations
Monday, February 20th, 2012Organic gardening is an agricultural method in which the gardener employs different eco-governed techniques to crop management, soil management and vermin management. The major target of organic gardening is to work in harmony with the regional environment eco-systems in order to receive high crop yields. Now organic gardening is a part of the environment, but not a disruption to the environment.
- Soil management
One of the major strategies of organic gardening is to avoid the use of man-made manures since these have a negative impact on the environment. The positive position in organic gardening is the application of different organic materials to naturally enhance soil health and nutrient value.
Just incorporate finished compost, animal manures as well as green fertilizers into your soil in order to promote the growth of microorganisms in the soil and as a result increase nutrient value. Remember that green fertilizers are derived from cover crops as alfalfa and buckwheat. Such animal manures like chicken or steer fertilizers should be composted prior to implementing to the soil.
You have to maintain nutrients in the soil with regular applications of finished compost as side dressing to flowering plants or feed the plants with compost tea. As well, you can add some organic mulch to the soil surface. As the mulch breaks down, it adds nutrients to the soil.
- Crop management
You have to rotate crops in order to avoid nutrient imbalances in beds. Bear in mind that each kind of plant has specific set of nutritional needs. And if you plant the same crop as tomatoes in the same place during several seasons, you will be too much of the same nutrient and not enough of others.
Companion planting is a part of crop management as well. It takes advantages of the natural symbiotic relationships between plants. For instance, basil planted together with tomatoes could improve the flavor of the tomatoes while chamomile planted with onions makes the onions tastes better.
The practice of companion planning emboldens diversity and decreases the risk of nutrient imbalances. With various plants placed together, different nutrients are needed thus creating a more balanced draw on the soil. By intermingling plants, you traditionally encourage bio-diversity which in its turn supports your garden’s micro-ecosystem – a system that includes predators and vermin.
- Vermin management
Companion planting is a part of vermin management as well. There are several things that you should keep in mind. For instance, oregano deters cabbage fly and cucumber beetles. Peppermint repels aphids and at the same time attracts bees. Lemon balm releases citronella compound which repel different garden pests. At the same time lemon balm attracts bees for pollinating and predatory insects that feed on pests.
Organic gardening methods include maintaining a population of insects and bugs in the garden. You could attract beneficial and predatory insects by planting such herbs like yarrow, dill, lemon balm and so on. The balance between pest and predator creates a pest management system without the need to use of chemical pesticides.
Increasing number of people are getting involved into permaculture activism movement today. It’s not surprising as luckily many individuals began to understand the importance of green lifestyle. The representatives of this movement are trying to involve others and run different permaculture fundraising activities. Don’t stand aside – if you don’t know how to start – find organic gardening seeds and proceed.

