Several Organic Gardening Tips

Organic gardening is an agricultural method in which the gardener implements various eco-governed strategies to crop management, soil management as well as vermin management. The main goal of organic gardening is to work in harmony with the regional environment eco-systems in order to get high crop yields. Today 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 because these have a negative effect on the environment. The positive position in organic gardening is the usage of different organic materials to naturally improve soil health and nutrient value.

Just incorporate finished compost, animal manures as well as green manures into your soil to provoke the growth of microorganisms in the soil and as a result increase nutrient value. Keep in mind that green fertilizers are derived from cover crops like alfalfa and buckwheat. Such animal fertilizers like chicken or steer manures should be composted prior to applying to the soil.

You should maintain nutrients in the soil with regular usage of finished compost in form of side dressing to flowering plants or feed the plants with compost tea. In addition, you may add several organic mulch to the soil surface. As the muck breaks down, it adds nutrients to the soil.

- Crop management

You have to rotate crops to avoid nutrient imbalances in beds. Remember that each kind of plant has specific set of nutritional needs. And if you plant the same crop like 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 may improve the flavor of the tomatoes while chamomile planted together with onions is able to make the onions tastes better.

The practice of companion planning supports diversity and reduces the risk of nutrient imbalances. With various plants placed together, various nutrients are needed thus creating a more balanced draw on the soil. By intermingling plants, you traditionally support bio-diversity which in its turn protects your garden’s micro-ecosystem – a system that usually includes predators and pests.

- Vermin management

Companion planting is a part of pest management as well. There are some things that you need to bear 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 various garden pests. At the same time lemon balm attracts bees for pollinating and predatory insects that feed on vermin.

Organic gardening methods commonly include maintaining a population of insects and bugs in the garden. You could attract useful and predatory insects by planting such herbs as yarrow, dill, lemon balm and many others. The balance between vermin and predator creates a vermin management system without the use of chemical pesticides.

Increasing number of people are getting involved into organic gardening activist movement today. It is little wonder as luckily many individuals began to understand the importance of green way of life. The representatives of this movement are trying to attract others and run different organic gardening fundraising activities. Don’t stand aside – if you are not aware of how to start – look for organic gardening seeds and proceed.