Beginners Organic Gardening 2
What Is Organic Gardening?
Organic gardening is a method whereby fertilizers and pesticides are not used on plants. Organic gardeners avoid having synthetic materials or chemicals in their plants. It supports the natural ecology by providing natural resources to support a strong growth of the plants. It supports the concept of recycling such as using waste of animals, vegetables waste, kitchen scraps, etc. Using the fertilizer from your chickens is excellent for your garden.
Planning Your Garden
First step in planning your organic garden is to choose the area which will be cultivated. Find the site in your backyard which will have sunlight at least 6 hours daily. The soil in the site must drain well, have the right air circulation and have a shield (could be your house) from a strong wind.
Decide the how wide an area you are intend to use for a garden. As a beginner, it is better to start small. Once you have enough experience, you can extend the area of the garden. For a start a 10×10 foot area is large enough for you to plant different vegetables and even flowers.
Draw out the garden plan after you have selected the site for your garden. Provide enough space for each plant to maximize their productivity. If possible, prepare a scale model. As you do so, remember the size of the plant when it matures and make proper adjustment in your plan. Provide space for paths which will also be for your convenience.
The layout of your garden will depend on the plants you are planning. There are vegetable that mature early while some will have to stay for a whole season. Be sure to list the plant that will have so you can have the necessary things to be done in your garden layout.
It is important to save the garden layout you have made for next year reference. One way of avoiding pests and diseases is the rotation of plants. Do not plant vegetables at the same spot for consecutive 2 years. You will need to wait for the third year to plant the specific vegetable planted on its first year.
In choosing plants for your garden, consider the climate and the type of soil that your have. If the plant is suitable in its environment, it doesn’t need too much attention to survive and be productive.
Getting the Soil Ready
Feed the soil that feeds your plant. In organic gardening preparing the soil is the key to attain success.
Check your local Cooperative Extension Service. They can help you test the acidity of your soil. The recommended pH for vegetable garden is 6.8. The result of the test will also have a guide on how you can reach the appropriate pH. Your plant will need nutrients such as potassium, calcium, nitrogen and phosphorous. The amount of these nutrients will also be available in the test result. Consult with them how you can balance the needed nutrients.
The best gardening soil has to look, feel and even smell pleasant. It must have the right structures which depend on its component particles which could be composed of clay, sand, silt and humus. So no matter what kind of soil you have in your site, you can transform it into the right garden soil.
Check your soil’s organic content or the amount of decomposed material that is present. The primary technique used to increase the organic content is to add compost. You can make your own compost, where you can recycle materials such as vegetable waste, egg shells, and kitchen leftover.
Mix the organic material with the loose topsoil. Animal manure (horse/cow) is one of the best materials to add. Buy these from a local farmer in your area. In case there is none available, you can check in a garden center or shop if they have an alternative that you can use in tilling the soil.
Avoid digging the soil during cold spring where you might damage the structure. If the soil looks like fudge, you can wait until it dries out before tilling. Do not dig too deep but just enough to be able to remove grass and weeds. Set aside the grass to be use in your compost.
After tilling, wait for few days before planting.
Planting Your Garden
There are available small plants in garden centers which you can buy. However, since you are into organic gardening, there is a possibility that these plants have been exposed to pesticides. It is recommended that you start your garden from seeds.
You can directly plant the seeds in the ground, but have patient for it takes some time to grow. And do not expect that 100 percent of those seeds will germinate. In average, only 3/4 of the seeds planted will grow.
Consider that there are plants that cannot grow when planted together. They compete for air and light. But there are sees such as those of peas, radishes and beans that can grow fine even when bundled together.
Do not cover the seed to much soil. Add soil that is twice the size of the seed. There are fine seeds that you don’t have to cover at all.
If you are planting your seed, make a small trench with each row an inch apart. The bigger the distance of the row, it makes it easier for weeding and moving around when the plants mature. Sprinkle the seed on the trench evenly to avoid crowding. Have enough space between the seed so they can have the light and air circulation that they need.
After planting the seeds, put markings with a small stick or rather a Popsicle stick so you can also attach a name at the end of the row. Water the planted seeds. When it starts to sprout and pop out of the soil, you only have to do the right cultivation to ensure that they grow strong and healthy.
Starting Seeds Indoor
Since you can’t start planting seeds in your garden until early spring, there is an alternative to start planting indoor during winter months. Many have preferred this method since during the planting season the plants are ready and can be harvested early.
Mark the planting date in your area, which is usually the last killing frost. Four to eight weeks before that date you can start planting the seeds near a window that will have enough sunlight.
Select containers that have holes in the bottom. You can buy plastic pots or trays in garden shop or you can recycle tin cans, Styrofoam cups, and milk cartons as container.
There are available potting soils sold in garden shops which you can be sure it is rich in nutrients and doesn’t contain weed seeds. But if you on budget, you can make your own soil mix. Get a top soil in your yard which must be well-drained and does not contain high clay. If possible gather soil from an area that has shrubs and trees. Add sphagnum peat and sand and mix.
To ensure that there are no weed seeds or fungi that can cause diseases to your plant, place the soil mix in a tray or baking pan. Make sure the soil has enough moisture and put in an oven for 45 minutes at 250 degrees.
Put the soil in a container when it cools. Do not fill the container completely but leave 3/4 inch between the rim and surface of the soil. Place the seed on top of the soil. If you are using individual peat pots, place 2 or 3 seeds in each pot. Sift some soil on the top of the seeds using a sifter or window screen. The same in planting in the ground, do not cover the seeds with too much soil – if possible only 4 times the seed diameter. Add water but avoid causing the seed to float on the soil surface.
Cover the seed with plastic sheets and keep in a room that as 60-65 degrees temperature. Do not leave it in area that can have a direct sunlight until it starts to germinate. Do not let the soil dry out.
When the seeds start to germinate, move the pots near the window where they can have direct sunlight. Do it gradually for two to three days. When the first true leaves begin to appear, have only one seedling per container. Get rid of unwanted seedlings using a tweezers instead of pulling it out. If you have planted the seed in one big container, transplant the seedling into their individual pots.
When they are already separated, water the seedlings carefully. Do not let the soil dry out but also avoid frequent watering that might disturb the growth of the small plants.
A week before the schedule of planting the seedling in the ground, expose them outdoor. But be sure that the temperature is not below 50 degrees. Lessen the frequency and amount of water that you feed. This will be an adjusting time for the plant to its full exposure outdoor.
Upon planting on the ground, remove the plant from the container carefully not to damage the roots. Place the plant in a hole you have dug in the ground. Cover the roots and be sure that the soil covering is firm and packed.
