The Gardener's Guide To Organic Gardening

The Gardner’s Guide to Organic Gardening

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The Gardener’s

Guide To Organic Gardening

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Table Of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................... 5-6

What Does Organic Mean? .......................................................... 6-9

Why Go Organic?.................................................................. 8-9

Myths About Organic Gardening ................................................. 10-13

Organic Means Expensive ...................................................... 10-11

Organic Food Has to be Regulated .......................................... 11

Organic Food is Diet Food ...................................................... 11-12

Organic Gardening is a Fad .................................................... 12

Organic Gardening is Much Easier ........................................... 12-13

You Can Plant Anything You Want........................................... 13

Types of Plants to Put in Your Garden ........................................ 13-21

Vegetables .......................................................................... 14-18

Herbs .................................................................................. 18-21

Seeds VS. Transplants ................................................................ 22-31

Seeds ................................................................................. 22-26

Transplants ......................................................................... 26-30

The Great Seeds VS. Transplants Debate ................................. 30-31

Planning Your Organic Garden .................................................... 31-34

Planting Tips for Your Garden ..................................................... 34-37

Getting to Know the Parts of the Plant .................................... 34-35

Tips for Planting ................................................................... 35-37

Basics for Composting For Your Organic Garden......................... 38-40

Mulching Tips ............................................................................. 40-42

Organic Pest and Disease Control ............................................... 42-48

Pests .................................................................................. 43-44

The Damage They Leave Behind ............................................. 44

Making Your Enemies Your Friends ......................................... 45-47

Disease Control ................................................................... 48-49

Tips for Maintaining Your Organic Garden .................................. 49-53

Watering ............................................................................. 49-50

Feeding .............................................................................. 51

Weeding .............................................................................. 52-53

Making Your Organic Garden a Family Project ............................ 54-58

Conclusion .................................................................................. 59-62


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Introduction

Many people have some kind of garden. Some people have a garden in

their backyards while others have a simple garden in a window box.

Gardening has proven to be a great hobby not only to pass time, but

also to give you something to do where you can reap the rewards of

your hard work.

Of the small amount of people who are not already gardening there is

a great deal of people that want to get into it, but don’t know how to

or they haven’t figured out what kind of garden they would like to get

started with. There are a number of different types of gardens to get

into and several types of herbs, flowers, vegetables, and fruits to

plant. Deciding what you want to plant can be fun, but it can also

cause many headaches.

That’s because each plant needs special care not to mention some

plants just some won’t grow well in certain areas. Keeping track of all

this type of information may seem overwhelming at first; however, it

does help you to learn more about what each plant has to offer and

how to care for each type of plant.

As if that wasn’t enough to make your head spin you also have to

consider global warming. Eco-friendly measures have been taken and

people are starting to use techniques to help keep the earth’s water,

air and soil clean and healthy. The going green area has begun and

will only get stronger over the passing years.


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People are more health conscious now than they were several years

ago. Today people want to live healthier, longer lives then their

ancestors. We are thus taking back control of the foods they consume.

Living a healthy life is now a priority on the minds of many people.

As we become more educated and start, taking back control over the

foods we put into our bodies we are realizing that many of the

aliments and diseases that are affecting us are the result of harmful

chemicals used to grow the foods we consume. These harmful

chemicals are causing this generation to be on a clear path of living

shorter lives than their parents. It is imperative that we find a way to

avoid the harmful chemicals that are threatening our lives.

Although commercial farming may provide us with the necessary fruits

and vegetables that our bodies need, farmers have to use pesticides,

fungicides and other harmful treatments in order to deliver these foods

to the grocery store. Those treatments keep the bugs and diseases

away, however, these chemicals can actually absorb into the very

produce they’re supposed to be protecting.

This problem has spawned a new type of gardening, organic

gardening. Organic gardening was born to help us not only save our

environment, but also give us healthier fruits and vegetables.

What does Organic Mean?

Organic Gardening is working its way into our agricultural systems.

Grocery stores are stocking their shelves with new items all the time.

You’ve probably seen everything from low-fat items to cholesterol free

food. More and more food choices pop up all the time. Health is an

important part of lives and that includes the food choices we make.


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Nowadays, we see food items labeled with “natural”, “eco-friendly” and

“organic”. Each one of these food labels speak to those who are health

conscious or looking to rid themselves of any chances of contracting

diseases and other types of ailments from the affects of harmful

chemicals.

Organic simply means “natural”. It’s a way to naturally grow items

without using too many manmade materials that result in unwanted

harmful effects such as toxins. Organic isn’t necessarily safe, but it is

much safer than other types of gardening. While most gardeners use

residential types of pesticides and herbicides to keep their produce

from developing disease and becoming insect infested; organic

gardeners use natural means to provide the same things without

harming our food supply, pets or even the soil itself.

Organic is not a special hybrid operation that creates new produce.

Rather, it simply a natural way of doing something that we are already

doing. It’s just done using chemical-free techniques to produce the

same types of items that other gardeners are gardening.

Organic gardening also doesn’t use any type of genetically modified

items. Again, everything is natural incorporating something genetically

modified would defeat the purpose and values that organic gardening

has brought upon itself. The genetically modified produce does tend to

naturally repel insects, but it’s still not a natural way of gardening.

Just like you recycle some of your home’s products, organic gardening

using the same kind of recycling; only you’re recycling things like

vegetable scraps, wood chips and sawdust. Utilizing the things that are

already available to you in your home that doesn’t bring any harm to

anything in nature is what organic gardening is really all about.


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Why Go Organic?

Now that you’ve become more aware of what organic gardening is;

you’re probably wondering why people are abandoning their regular

gardening routines and turning to this kind of gardening instead.

Organic gardening has many benefits that other gardening doesn’t

have including:

Can be less inexpensive- Eliminating the costs that the chemical

fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides etc. presents. More natural

techniques are being used by using items we may already have

in our homes.

No harmful chemicals- by using normal, safe products we

eliminate the chemicals that have brought harm to us in the

past.

Safe for the environment

Attracts pleasant sights, like butterflies, birds, and small

mammals

More pleasant tasting produce- no artificial additives

Enhances the soil using natural means

By going organic, you can reduce erosion and conserve your water

resources. This will help eliminate some mistakes that other gardeners

have made that brought them less than satisfactory results in their

gardening efforts.

You have a higher sense of pride knowing that you not only grew your

own vegetables and fruits, but you also produced items practically

from scratch. You use homemade compost, mulch, plant food,

pesticides, and fungicides.


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You promote a healthier lifestyle by eating foods that aren’t laden with

any unnatural products like you get at the store. You continue to

promote a healthier lifestyle and save money, because these items will

be encouraged to grow repeatedly when they seed. This eliminates the

need for buying more and more seeds or seedlings every year and

your soil is never contaminated with anything it doesn’t need.

By using organic techniques, you can help your environment by

eliminating some of your waste products and putting them into your

soil instead of adding them to landfills. Not everything should go into

the soil, but some of your waste works good to bring the necessary

nutrients to the soil and ultimately your produce.

Mothers can grow their own vegetables and chop up the produce to

make their own baby food. This helps them to save money by not

having to buy the expensive store brand baby food. It also gives their

baby healthier food to eat, because it’s grown without any harmful

chemicals and they won’t have to use any food additives or food dyes

to keep them fresh and increase shelf life.

People also like going organic, because they can have access to their

own vegetables whenever they want them and they’re staying healthy

at the same time. Homegrown vegetables make for crisper and fresher

flavor to your favorite dishes too.


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Myths about Organic Gardening

If you’re serious about organic gardening; you’ll find yourself sifting

through lots of information. The problem is, with all that information,

you not only find facts but myths as well. It’s hard to know what’s true

and what’s myth. Of course, no one wants to waste a great deal of

time reading information if they’re not going to get the best

information for their time and essentially their money.

While some myths are false, others hold some truth to them. Let’s

explore some of the more common myths and get to the bottom of

what truth lies behind them, if any.

Organic Means Expensive

Tending an organic garden doesn’t have to mean it is expensive to

maintain. It would depend on the type of garden you choose to grow,

what materials you choose to use and what you choose to plant within

it. Overall, an organic garden will not cost you too much more than

going with a regular garden. In fact it could cost much less, if you

choose to grow for yourself; pick inexpensive items to plant and use

more natural means of pesticides and fertilizers.

Just because you choose to grow an organic garden, doesn’t mean

that everything you buy for it has to be expensive. There’s also no

special process to use unless you go commercial; so cost can be

minimized.


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This myth may come from the fact that food seen in grocery stores

that are labeled “organic” are sometimes priced higher than those that

aren’t labeled that way. It’s important to note that the foods you see

in these stores that are labeled “organic” are grown commercially.

Organic Gardening Has to be Regulated

This is some truth to this one. If you’re going to grow your garden

commercially and want to sell the items in stores for consumer

consumption then yes, this would be true. In order for your products

to be labeled as “organic” to sell in stores, they would have to have

gone through certain processes and would have to meet certain

criteria. If you selling your organically grown garden on the

commercial market then yes, the government is going to regulate your

products.

However, if you’re looking to grow your own products from your own

organic garden for your own use; it wouldn’t be necessary. The

government does not have to regulate your own home garden if you’re

the one that is going to consume the food. Therefore, as long as your

products are for yourself or your family and neighbors; then you have

no need to worry about getting the government involved.

Organic Food is Diet Food

By simply growing organic food, you’re not going to guarantee yourself

that you will lose weight. Organic food is just like the food from the

grocery stores, except without the chemicals, additives, etc. that the

store offers. Fruits and vegetables are healthy food items to consume

and eating more of them will encourage some weight loss, but it will

take more than just that to see a significant amount of weight loss.


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Organic food only refers to the process taken to grow the produce.

While it can certainly help aid in your weight loss plan, don’t count on

it to be the number one thing in your diet plan. You will still need to

have a proper diet and good exercise routines in order to see any

significant weight loss.

Organic Gardening is a Fad

Organic gardening is no fad. Since going green and becoming health

conscious are getting stronger in our lives, organic gardening will

always be at the top of the list to help make those things happen. In

addition, since there are no harmful effects from organic gardening,

there is no reason for it to fade away and become outdated.

Fads come and go. People go gung ho on one idea and when

something else comes along, they tend to forget that one idea and

focus their attention on the new thing that came along. However, since

organic gardening is based on healthy, natural processes it’s hard to

imagine that there would be any other way to come up with that could

surpass what nature already gives us for our organic gardening efforts.

Organic Gardening is Much Easier

Organic gardening is not easier than normal gardening techniques. If

anything, you may be working a little harder. In organic gardening,

you create, mix, and apply your own mulching, compost and even

pesticides and fungicides. You may not have to run to the store to buy

the commercial based items, but you have to create the products

yourself, so compared to other types of gardening the work is

relatively equal.


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Applying your own treatments could be more work then simply taking

a chemical based product and spraying or sprinkling it in the garden.

So, with the planting, maintaining, and harvesting organic gardening

could hardly be considered easier to do then regular gardening.

You Can Plant Anything You Want

Not really. You can plant what you want, but not all plants will work in

all areas. Some plants won’t thrive in cold climate areas and others

won’t thrive in weather that’s too hot and humid. You have many

options to choose from, but you’re still limited to what will work in

your area.

In addition, you have to be thinking about the time of year that you

want to plant an item. It’s not going to do you any good to try and

plant something in mid-summer when they thrive best in early spring.

Each plant has a certain time frame that they should be planted, so if

you want to start a garden in mid-summer, then you’re limited to

what’s available and what can thrive in that kind of weather.

Types of Plants to

Put in Your Garden

If you are willing to put in the effort needed to plant an organic garden

then it can be lots of fun to grow your organic garden. As a beginner

to organic gardening or even gardening in general, there are some

plants you can choose that are easier to manage. Whether you choose

to grow your own vegetables, grow your own herbs or even dabble a

little in both; you can still have a sense of pride that your first try

didn’t end up a failure.


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The best way to ensure success is to plant the items that don’t require

too much time or money to make them grow. There are several plants

you can choose from that can easily and cheaply be grown organically.

Let’s take a look at some of the vegetables, and herbs that can make

your first garden a great success.

Vegetables

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a great way to start your organic garden. They require

little maintenance to grow and the cost to plant them in your garden is

minimal. Once planted all cucumbers require to grow is some watering

every now and then. Of course, this will depend on the area you live

in, but cucumbers work best in humid areas where they can get at

least 8 hours of sun approximately every day.

Cucumbers generally take around two months to grow before they can

be picked and eaten. Since there are several different varieties of

cucumbers available, it’s best to see what types will work best in your

climate and area. Since they grow from a vine that runs along the

ground, you may want to consider taking control of where the vine

grows by strategically placing sticks to keep them growing where you

would like.

You can plant your cucumbers either by using seeds or by

transplanting an existing plant. When they start to mature, you will

want to start picking them as often as possible, and don’t allow them

to completely mature. They’re at their best when they’re not quite

ripened.


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Spinach

Spinach is another great vegetable for your first organic garden. While

they do require some partial shade and excellent soil preparations,

they’re still a low-maintenance vegetable. The key to making them a

success in your garden lies mostly with your composting, we will

discuss composting in further details in a subsequent chapter. Spinach

often works best if they’re planted a few weeks after the last expected

frost and they can grow pretty much on their own after that.

There’s still some maintenance that will have to be performed, but

nothing that will take too much of your time. Pruning the leaves every

so often after they’ve grown to be about 4 inches in height will help

them become a successful crop for you.

In most areas, Spinach only takes a couple of months to mature to

where you can start picking it and enjoying it with your meals.

Green Beans

Green beans can either be grown in bush or pole types. The bush

types are probably the easiest way to grow them, but the pole types

can be done as well if you want to spend some time controlling where

they grow. They tend to grow best in warmer soil, so it’s

recommended not to plant them too early in the season. The warmer

the soils the better off you are with your green bean crop.

Green beans come in numerous varieties, so do your research and

choose which ones will thrive best in your particular area. The prime

planting soil will be loose and moist to help the seedlings grow and

they should be harvested when the beans are nice and firm, but not

too hard. If you wait too long to harvest them, they can become tough

quickly.


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Carrots

Carrots are not only a tasty treat to have, but they’re also easy to

grow. They will need loose rock-free soil that holds moisture well.

Carrots are also great because they can tolerate the cold well, so

there’s no problem with planting the carrot seeds early in the season;

should you choose to.

When planting the seeds, try to plant them about ½ inch deep and ½

inch apart. This will help the seedlings grow well and when they reach

about 3 inches in height, you can start thinning them down to where

they’re spaced about 3 inches apart.

The carrots will be ready to harvest when they mature, but don’t wait

too long as they can get hard and woody. Harvesting them is simple.

All you have to do is loosen the soil around the carrot using something

small like an old dinner fork and then pull them out root and all. They

can then be cleaned and eaten right away or stored for eating later.

Radishes

Radishes are another popular vegetable to plant in a garden, because

they’re also easy to grow. You can find several different varieties of

radishes to choose from and they’re all pretty easy to maintain in a

garden. They mature quite quickly, so you can enjoy some of your

garden efforts not long after you start your organic garden.

Radishes are also a popular choice because they can grow well in any

type of garden. Window boxes, small gardens, pot gardens and even

huge raised gardens will work to plant and grow radishes. In addition,

radishes fare well in cold weather, so you can plant them early in the

season and not have to worry about them.


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You can harvest your radishes when the pod starts to poke up from

the ground and the exposed area of the radish appears to be

approximately 1 inch across. Loosen the soil around the radish and

simply pull them from the ground.

Zucchini

Zucchini is another super easy vegetable to grow. They are much like

the cucumbers in the way that you pretty much plant them and let

them grow on their own. They require little maintenance other then

controlling where you want them to grow as they can quickly take over

any garden if they’re left completely on their own. You will have to do

some pruning to ensure good control, but other than that they are

maintenance free.

They can take about a month and a half to two months to grow to be

mature enough to pick, so you’ll need to keep an eye on them and be

sure to pick them often.

They’re great summer garden vegetables, so you’ll need to wait until a

little later in the planting season to plant them, but they will thrive

well in summer heat.

Beets

These vegetables are reportedly easy to grow in almost any climate,

but they seem to thrive better when it’s not too hot or too cold. If the

weather is too hot, they can become too hard quickly and if the

weather is too cold, they can go to seed long before they ever develop

any roots.


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If you want a continuous supply of beets during your garden season,

you can plant separate crops approximately 3 weeks apart. The seeds

should be planted in the ground at about 4 inches deep and around 3-

3 ½ inches wide.

They will mature at around 3-4 months and should be harvested by

twisting the tops off and then plucking them out. Try not to cut the

tops off.

Herbs

Herbs are a great way to start an organic garden at home. These can

grow outside in gardens, in pots outside or in window boxes inside

your home. The easiest herbs to start with are:

Basil

This is one of the most common herbs found in an organic garden. It’s

easy to use and it is used in a large variety of different dishes. Basil is

planted by seed and tends to thrive best in some kind of container

whether it is pots or a window box.

Basil loves the sunshine and does well in warm areas especially in

warmth from the sun. Placing them in your south windows will ensure

a good crop of basil depending on the area where you live. Since they

need moisture to thrive you should mulch them after the seedlings

have shot up.

Basil is harvested when they have several pairs of leaves. You should

continue harvesting the leaves as often as possible, because this will

encourage new growth and keep fresh basil coming your way for a

long time.


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Parsley

Parsley is a popular herb because it can be used as a spice, as a

decoration on your plate or for plant edging. It can also be an easy

herb to grow.

Parsley is an herb that loves sun. Make sure it gets a lot of sun when

planting it outdoors or find the window in your home that brings in the

most sunlight during the day. This herb does have a slow germination

rate, so typically people choose to plant the seeds in an indoor pot and

then transfer them to the outdoor garden about 6 weeks later. They

are also low-maintenance. You can get by with simply sprinkling the

seeds on top of your soil and spraying a mist of water on top. They do

not have to be sunk into the soil in order to grow.

Once the leaves start to curl then you should start harvesting them.

They taste the best when they’re used right after harvesting and

cleaning. It’s also recommended that you harvest this herb early in the

morning hours when the herb’s plant oils are the strongest.

Oregano

Oregano is a great Italian herb. It needs a lot of sunlight, but could

grow in partial shade if need be. This herb requires a well-drained soil

in order to grow.

Oregano works great either by growing from seed or from a

transplant. If you choose to grow from seeds then the seeds should be

planted about ¼ inch deep in the soil and should be about 12 inches

apart. If you choose to plant with transplant seedlings, then you would

need to plant them about 18 inches apart.


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This herb is ready to harvest right before the flowers start to open.

Then all you need to do is to cut off about 6 inches of the stem and

remove the leaves. You can then clean and chop the leaves to add

spice to your dishes.

Thyme

Most organic gardens use Thyme because of its decorative value as

well as its flavor. Thyme is often used as an edging plant to gardens

because of the tiny flowers that bloom within it. They offer not only a

great view to look at, but also a sweet minty smell as well.

Thyme works best when you plant the seeds in early spring in a well

sunlit area. Planting it in a light sandy soil is all that’s necessary to

grow this herb. Thyme can be mulched with grass clippings and straw

to help keep the weed population down. It also doesn’t need a ton of

water to thrive. Avoid overwatering this herb and mist it with water

instead just until the seedlings get moist.

You can harvest this herb just before it flowers by snipping some of

the stems as needed. Mid-summer is usually when the harvesting of

thyme begins.

Sage

Sage, like other herbs, needs a full amount of sunshine to grow. The

seeds need only a small amount of soil covering to grow healthly herb

seedlings. This herb grows the best in a hot and dry environment, so it

doesn’t need a lot of water. In fact, a good once a week watering

would be enough for this herb.


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Sage is also easy to transplant, so you could start growing them

indoors and transfer them to the outside garden later on. It’s ready to

harvest just before the flowers bloom. All you have to do is trim about

half of the leaves. Leave some of the leaf on the stems in order to

encourage more leaf growth down the road. Sage leaves can keep well

in airtight baggies to dry them and use later.

If you let the sage, plants grow, and the flowers bloom; it will slow its

own seeds. This way you keep growing fresh sage each year and you

will save time and money. Growing sage holds many different benefits.

Not only can you use it for seasonings in your dishes, but also for

herbal teas, which can promote good dental health as well as help

alleviate some of your minor ailments.

Rosemary

If you want to grow herbs for fresh seasonings, then your garden

should not be without this one herb. It’s used in most of the popular

dishes that top chefs prepare in their own restaurants.

This herb can be grown from seeds, but generally works best with a

transplant seedling. Rosemary is more often seen in indoor gardens

because it doesn’t grow well in the colder climate areas. A nice sunlit

area or an area that gets a small amount of shade will work best.

By growing rosemary indoors, you can continuously harvest them

anytime you need some. It can also be dried and frozen to use later

on.


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Seeds VS. Transplants

When planning your organic garden you will have to make a choice

whether you want to use seeds or transplants seedlings. Both of these

have their pros and cons, so which should you use for your garden?

Here are the pros and cons of both:

Seeds

Just about any vegetable, flower, or herb can be planted using seeds.

You can also find many different varieties of each one as well. Seeds

have many benefits. Some of them include:

Inexpensive

Some can be easier to use

Sense of accomplishment of growing something almost from

scratch

Less mess when planting

As you can see, seeds have great benefits, but not everyone chooses

them. The reasons why some people choose not to use them are:

Takes more time to plant then seedlings

People fear their seeds won’t sprout; thus wasting their time

Take longer to grow

Spend more time weeding

Hard to keep track of after planting

When starting an organic garden you will be faced with deciding

whether to use seeds or not. You need to decide what you want out of

your gardening experience.


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Some questions to ask yourself include:

I. Do I have the time to devote to the planting as well as the

maintenance?

II. Does starting or making something practically from scratch

appeal to you?

III. Do you have the patience to do what it takes to make your

garden successful?

IV. What items do you have in mind to plant?

If seeds are what you want for your garden; there are ways to get the

most use out of them as well as giving yourself a wider edge in making

your gardening a success. Let’s take a look at the reasons why people

choose to not use seeds again. Each one of these hurdles can be

overcome if you think about it.

Takes more time to plant then seedlings

Obviously, they do take a little more time to plant than most

seedlings. However, they don’t really have to take that much more

time. It’s best to have your organic garden planned out ahead of time

with what you want to plant, when it needs to be planted and where in

the garden it would grow the best. Once you know all that, then you

can organize a plan and decide how you will accomplish each step.

This will help you save some time and will allow you to use your

gardening time more wisely.


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People fear their seeds won’t sprout; thus wasting their time

Usually the reason the seeds don’t end up sprouting is because people

don’t follow the seed instructions. Sometimes, there are more things

to do to prepare for planting then just sticking the seed in the ground.

Be sure to check the seed packages before actually planting them.

Some seeds require you to soak the seeds for a specified amount of

time before you plant. Other seed packages require you to pre-treat

the seeds in some other way. There’s a reason for these preparation

steps, so make sure you actually follow them like it instructs you to.

Following the directions for your seeds will give a much higher chance

of getting them to sprout which would eliminate your fears of them not

making it.

Take longer to grow

For an organic garden, there’s not a whole lot you can do to make the

seeds grow faster. Growing a plant from a seed is much like a baby

growing into an adult. The seed will take time to grow and develop into

a mature plant to harvest or enjoy.

In some cases, the seeds won’t take all that long to grow. Most can

take a couple of months while a few could take only a couple of weeks.

Be sure you take care of the seeds you plant and spend time weeding

them, watering them. This can help them grow a little bit faster, but

keep in mind that a seed doesn’t grow overnight. Don’t assume it will

be a full fledged plant right away. The more you prepare yourself for

how it will all go down, the easier it will be on you.


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Spend more time weeding

When using seeds, you’ll see more weeds growing around each

seedling. The longer it takes for the seed to grow into a plant, the

longer period of time you will have to spend weeding your plants. No

one wants to spend a endless hours weeding their gardens. The thing

is, there are a few ways around this that can reduce your weeding

time.

For instance, using organic mulch will help you keep weeds down to a

minimum. It doesn’t take too much time or effort to lay down the

necessary mulch to make this happen. There may be some weeding

that will have to be done, but not nearly as much as there would be

without the mulch.

Hard to keep track of after planting

This is understandable since the seeds are usually buried under the

soil. Once their under the soil it’s hard to remember exactly where you

planted them, which makes them more difficult to water if you can’t

find them. You could also make the mistake of overwatering your

seeds if you just throw down lots of water just to make sure you cover

all your bases and get all the seeds.

Overall, it’s not all that necessary to remember where each and every

seed is planted. When you plan your garden, you’ll know where that

particular plant is at in the garden. In addition, if you follow the

directions of the seed packets there will be instructions that say how

far apart each seed should be planted.


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For example, the packet may say that each seed should be planted 12

inches apart. If you tag the first seed with a label of what’s planted

there; you will know that every 12 inches or so, there will be another

seed.

There’s another type of seed you can purchase to use in your garden.

Many seed sellers are now offering organic seeds. These seeds are not

treated by any harmful ingredients, nor are they genetically modified

in any way. These seeds are certified to be organic and help you

control the naturalness of your garden. They usually cost a little more

than the regular seed packets you might normally buy, but for an

organic garden, they can certainly give you that edge in keeping your

products environmentally safe and more natural for your consumption.

Transplants

Transplants are where the seeds have already grown into seedling

plants. You would take these plants and transplant them from their

purchased containers into your organic garden. These seedlings have

their pros and cons just like the seeds. Now its time to explore the

world of transplant seedlings.

The benefits of using transplant seedlings are:

Can be easier to use

Easier to control

Quicker time to harvest

Less weeding time to worry about

Already grown into seedlings so no worrying about them not

sprouting


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These great benefits are what make most gardeners turn to the

transplant seedlings to get their garden started. However, like

anything else there are also cons to these pros. Some of these include:

Cost more than seeds do

More back breaking work

Because they’re grown elsewhere, they are more than likely

treated with some kind of chemicals

Roots could be injured when taking out of the container to

transplant

Seedlings could be diseased when you purchase them

If you choose to go with transplant seedlings, there’s no reason to let

the cons bring you down. There are ways of getting around them. Let’s

take a look at them again and see what could be done to ensure a

more successful organic garden.

Cost more than seeds do

Well, they do cost more than seeds do. However, you need to

consider, there is a lot of work that has already been done for you.

The seeds were planted for you, watered and the seeds developed into

the planting stage already. You have just saved yourself time there,

not to mention the weeding you would have had to do if you had

chosen the seed route. Therefore, the cost of the transplants shouldn’t

seem like too much since a lot of the work you would normally have

done yourself is done for you.


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Moreover, you also need to realize that you are guaranteed seedlings

already. You will not have to worry about the fact that some seeds

may not sprout after you go through all the trouble of trying to get

them to grow.

More back breaking work

This is one of the biggest reasons some people don’t like to use

transplant seedlings. There is a lot of work involved when getting them

transplanted into your garden. You have to dig holes at the proper

depth, take the seedlings out of the containers and place them into the

holes, fill the holes back up, pack the dirt down and then water them.

It doesn’t sound like much, but when you take into account the

bending and kneeling you have to do to get them done, it doesn’t

seem like much fun anymore.

If you don’t like the bending and kneeling; you may want to consider

using a raised garden box for your plants. This way there would be no

kneeling and less bending for you to get them transplanted.

Otherwise, you should make sure you have your knees padded and

wear gloves for added comfort. If you can, get the garden ready

before you actually bring the transplant seedlings to it.

Having the holes dug ahead of time will help since the only work you

have ahead of you at that time will be to plant them and then water

them. This gives you less time on your knees and less time spent

bending and stretching to get the job done.


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Because they’re grown elsewhere, they are more than likely

treated with some kind of chemicals

Transplants that are grown elsewhere probably have gone through

some kind of treatment. You may be picking up chemically treated

transplant seedlings, which defeats the purpose of having an organic

garden.

Not all is lost though. Just make sure that the transplant seedlings you

end up picking up are from someone who has used organic processes

to grow them. There are nurseries that specialize in organic seedlings,

so this will help you keep the tone of your organic garden.

Roots could be injured when taking out of the container to

transplant

Injuring the roots to your transplant seedlings could cause the

transplant not to grow. While some root systems are strong, others

are not, so injury can happen at times.

You will want to be careful when extracting them out of the containers

they are purchased in. You should also plant them immediately after

taking them out of the container to eliminate any further chances of

injuring the roots.

In addition, some plant seedlings can be planted with a segment of the

container they come in. You would simply break off a segment

containing one of the plants and plant the whole thing in the ground.


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Seedlings could be diseased when you purchase them

It’s pretty much a given that when you put a lot of plants into the

ground some will ultimately not make it. That’s a way of life. However,

when you purchase your transplant seedlings, the last thing you want

to do is to buy some that are already diseased or well on their way.

Most of the seedlings you purchase at nurseries have gone through

some kind of processes or treatments to help prevent bug infestations

and diseases. Still, some will fall prey to these ailments no matter

what steps are done to prevent the disease and infestations.

When you’re browsing through the seedlings, it’s important to

thoroughly check out the ones you want to buy. Look for anything

unusual like brown spots, insect holes etc. If one of the seedlings

contains unusual markings, like that, it could be diseased and the

plants in the container with it could be susceptible to it as well.

The Great Seed VS. Transplant Debate

Now, that you have seen the pros and cons of both seeds and

transplants; you’re faced with the decision of which one works for you.

You will probably come across some many views on this subject and

some people will have some convincing arguments about which ones

will be best for your garden.

What it all comes down to though, is what works best for the particular

item you want to plant. In the end, you will probably use both for your

garden. Some plants work best by planting seeds and others you may

choose to skip a lot of the work on and go with transplants.


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Neither one is any better than the other is when you look at the whole

picture. Research the plants you want for your garden and find out

what works best for them.

Planting an organic garden should be an enjoyable experience for you.

Don’t get too hung up over which way to plant your items. Focus more

on what you want in your garden and what the ultimate outcome will

be.

Planning Your

Organic Garden Layout

Before you get started planting your garden, you will need to come up

with a plan for your garden’s layout. The layout will determine where

you will plant your seeds or transplant seedlings so they get the most

out of what they need. The things you will need to look at are:

What kind of space do you have to work with?

Where are you planning to have your garden? Do you have sufficient

space to plant everything that you want? You will need to consider

these things ahead of time, because if you don’t have enough space to

work with, you will want to rethink which items you plan to plant in

your garden. You have to keep in mind that seeds and seedlings will

have a specific distance that they will need to be planted apart from

each other.


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In order to promote good growth plants will need to be planted a

specific distance apart for each other. You can figure out some

approximate measurements to help you determine whether the space

you want to use is going to be sufficient for everything you want to

plant in your garden.

What does the soil look like?

You will need to see what the soil looks like in your chosen garden

spot. Compost and mulching will help add what a soil might be lacking,

but the soil still needs to be in good shape in order to grow plants.

Some of your plants will not be able to grow in soil that is too rocky, or

has a clay structure. Some plants might work best in these areas, so

you may need to split your garden up into separate areas, depending

on what you would like to plant.

You will also need to make sure you’re not digging up soil where there

are cables. Some cable lines could be buried where you want to have

your garden, so you should check it out and make sure you have the

all clear before doing anything. Most cables should be buried deeper

than you intend to go, but it’s best to be absolutely sure and safe

before you do anything.

What do your plants require?

When you have an idea of what plants you’re going to add to your

garden, you will want to research them to see what exactly they

require. Some of your plants will need a lot of sunlight and some might

work best in partial shades. You will have to keep this in mind when

planning where each plant will go in the garden.


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You will also need to keep in mind how large your plants will get when

they get to harvest time. Some plants that need a lot of sunlight might

not grow to be as big as the plants you have growing next to it. If that

happens, the smaller plants may not get as much sunlight as they

should.

Also, if your plants need a lot of sun, then think ahead and see if the

sun will be shining on that spot for a majority of the day. If the sun

doesn’t shine in that area for a sufficient amount of time, then the

garden spot may not be a good one.

Don’t forget your herbs and flowers

When planning your garden layout, don’t forget to factor in some

herbs and flowers. Herbs and flowers provide you with some pleasing

visuals as well as pleasant, aromatic odors. This makes the garden

appealing to your eyes ad nose and could become the topic of

conversation among your neighbors.

In addition, the herbs and flowers act as a natural means of pesticides.

They can attract the beneficial insects that will attack and take care of

the plant damaging insects while leaving your garden alone. They also

have the ability to repel some of the pests that you don’t want getting

into your garden.

Plan your garden with what you want to plant and what works

best in your area.

There’s no reason why you can’t have a nice looking garden, but don’t

plan your garden trying to match colors or textures and make it look

like some kind of exotic paradise. Plan the garden for what will thrive

in that area.


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Leave your visual pleasantries to the flowers and herbs that you plant

around your vegetables. You can add some garden accessories like

benches, birdfeeders, and decorative pot hangers. You can even make

a gravel or stone walkway if you want.

Planting Tips for Your Garden

Getting to know what a plant is all about might help you learn why

some of these techniques are recommended for planting and

maintaining your garden. We’ll start at the bottom and work our way

to the top.

Getting to Know the Parts of the Plant

Roots

Some plants have a primary root, which is the biggest part of the root

system. This root is the storage part of the plant. The root will provide

the plant with the necessary water and nutrients that it will need to

thrive. Branching from the primary root are smaller roots. These roots

transport the soil’s fluid and disperse it through the large root.

Off the smaller roots are little root hairs. These pick up the water and

the necessary nutrients so that the whole root system can work

together to nourish the plant.

Stem

The stem resides aboveground. From the larger root, the stem takes

over and disperses water and nutrients from the root system to the

leaves, buds, flowers, or vegetables. Once the roots have picked up

the food from the soil, it moves up through the stem so the plant can

grow and develop like is needed.


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Leaves

The leaves will absorb the sunlight and promotes the photosynthesis

process.

Flower/Buds/Fruit

All of these will play a part in the reseeding or reproduction of the

plant.

Each of these parts of the plant has a job to do in order for that plant

to thrive. They work together as a team to give you the plants you

want for your garden. This is why it’s so important to take the time to

do your gardening just right. When each part can work efficiently then

the plant will grow up to be lush and healthy.

Tips for Planting

After you have your garden, all planned out, you’re ready to get

started with planting. Planting is important because this is what will

get the seeds or seedlings to take hold and start growing into mature

plants. There are a few things that you want to do to ensure they are

properly planted and turn into the crops you want. Here are some tips

to help you do that:

Follow Directions

You will need to follow the directions of what you want to plant. If the

seed packets say to pre-soak, then you must perform that step. If you

try to skip it, then you will reduce your chances of growing good crops.

If they need to be planted in a certain time of year, then you need to

do that.


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If you try to plant your seeds or seedlings when they won’t thrive,

then they’re not likely to grow good crops. You would’ve wasted your

time trying to get them planted. The directions are there for a reason.

The techniques they recommend are tested, so use the instructions

that come with the seeds.

Consider soil testing before planting

Soil testing will help you determine if your soil is lacking in nutrients. If

you know ahead of time, then you can compensate with what you

need to make the soil enriched to help make your plants grow. The Ph

balance is also something to look into. Soil acidity is another way to

make sure your plants grow. A Ph balance of 7.0 is generally

recommended for the soil. Nevertheless, this will also depend on what

you’re going to plant.

Other Tips

Be sure that the soil is warm- Don’t just go by the air temperature.

Pick prime times to plant- For instance, during a light rain, after it

has rained, late afternoon when the sun isn’t as harsh or pick a cloudy

day.

Start off with a clean slate and weed before planting- Make sure

your soil is weed-free before you plant. You can get rid of the weeds

right away and you won’t stress the plants after you plant them.

Place your plants in moist soil- This makes planting easier and

helps the plant or seed absorb water more easily.

Keep the depth- Be sure to place the plants at the same depth in the

soil as they were placed in the container.


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Plant transplants ASAP- Don’t let your transplant seedlings sit

around too long before placing them in the ground. They need water

and nutrients from the garden’s soil.

Organic Gardening Supplies - It’s not necessary to have any special

supplies to use for your garden. However, if you’re looking for

something to make your gardening efforts a little easier, there are

some supplies you could purchase to use in your organic garden:

Organic seed packets

Organic Seedlings

Plastic containers to grow your own seedlings in

Organic potting soil

Kitchen compost bins to keep scraps in while keeping away the

flies

Soil testing kits

Organic fertilizers

Rain barrels to collect rain water

Garlic clips to keep away deer and rabbits

Slug traps

Aerator shoes/tools for lawns

Beneficial insects for pest control

Liquid fertilizers

Don’t feel you have to buy any of these products. However, you can

see what you could get as you get more advanced in organic

gardening and want something to help make your hard work a little

easier.


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Basics of Composting for

Your Organic Garden

Composting is an integral part of getting your garden ready to plant

your organic items. The compost will make your soil enriched and will

give your plants a zest for life by giving them what they need to

survive through the tough times they may have ahead of them.

You will need to have a compost bin or some type of structure to

contain your own compost heap for your organic garden.

Compost bins will help you contain the smell of the heap and deter any

animal pests from getting in. These bins are great, but they can be

costly as well as take up more space in your yard then you’re willing to

give up.

Compost piles should be contained in some way. This will help you

have control over the heap and will keep it from spilling out into your

yard. This will be a less expensive way to create your own compost for

the garden. It can usually be contained with a wooden type structure.

If you want to go all out and spend a good deal of money, you can get

a compost tumbler. This tumbler will take your compost items and it

will tumble it around; making sure that all the items the compost

contains are well mixed. This works great, but again, it will cost you

money to have one. Otherwise, mixing by hand using a shovel will

work just fine. It will just take some extra time to get the heap mixed

well.


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Your compost pile should contain a 50/50 mixture of “greens” and

“browns”. This means the items you put in your compost should fall

under the “green” or “brown” categories.

Green refers to the nitrogen that it should contain. To get this

nitrogen, your compost should contain:

Grass clippings

Any of your vegetable scraps

Coffee grounds

Brown refers to the carbohydrates the compost needs. To get these

carbohydrates; your compost should contain:

Dry leaves

Wood Shavings

Wood chips

Shredded newspapers

Mixing all these items together will help you get great compost for

your garden and you’ll be using organic items to create a healthy

garden. You can also add other items like:

Alfalfa

Fish meal

Feather meal

All kinds of home table scraps

Manure

Limestone

Sawdust

Straw


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Things you should avoid placing in the compost pile are:

Meat scraps

Pet feces

Any diseased or insect infested plants

Weeds with their seeds

Fats and oils that attract animal pests

Mulching Tips

Mulching should be at the top of any organic gardeners list of things to

do for their garden. Mulching helps keep the soil enriched and healthy

and that increases your chance of having a successful crop of plants in

your garden. Mulching also can help keep weeds at bay.

Mulching can be done after you plant your garden or you could do it

long before. Organic mulch will help you keep your garden growing as

natural as possible and help you eliminate the use of those harmful

chemical based treatments that other gardeners tend to use.

The benefits that you are mulching could have for your organic

garden:

Adds nutrients to the soil

Controls the temperature of the soil

Can slow the evaporation of the water

Encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria

Encourages the growth of beneficial fungi


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Your mulch could contain:

Leaves

Lime

Grass Clippings

Sawdust

Small wood chips

Some of your compost pile

Mulching is important to your organic garden. Be sure to add this to

your garden’s plan and your plants will be healthier for it.

While mixed mulch is better for your organic garden, you can get by

with using other items as well. Some things you may use include:

Plain Wood chips

Plain Bark chips

Shredded newspaper

Sawdust

Your compost

Grass clippings

Before you place these mulching items into the mix you will want to

lay down some newspaper. This will help the soil get what it needs as

well as protect it from getting what it doesn’t need.


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Other tips to keep in mind

When laying mulch be sure to lay it 2 inches deep

Mulch in between rows and on pathways to help eliminate weeds

Water first or wait until after a good rain before mulching

When using newspapers for mulch; be sure not to use pages

with color ink as you don’t want the ink getting in the soil

Place mulch around plants, but try not to touch the stems with

the mulch

Use mulch in the fall to put around your outside plants to keep

them safe from the cold weather

Cover your garden in the fall and by spring your soil could be

well prepared

Organic Pest and Disease Control

Every garden will be faced with a pest or disease problem, whether it’s

an organic garden or not. Getting these problems under control and

preventing them from happening is the best way to help keep your

garden thriving. In the past, people would reach for the expensive

chemical based sprays and powders to control these problems. The

problem is those treatments can be harmful not only to the plants, but

to animals and humans as well.

The idea of organic gardening is to grow your plants with the most

natural process as possible. That means eliminating those nasty

chemical based sprays and powders that cause more harm than good.

If you don’t use them though, does that mean that you can’t control

disease or pests? Are your plants then doomed?


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Not at all. There are still a lot of ways to control the problems that will

allow you to have healthy garden and still go organic. Let’s explore the

world of the pests that you might encounter in your garden.

Pests

Bugs are everywhere. Unfortunately, they find their way into our

gardens too. Pest’s reak havoc on our plants to the point where the

plant dies and you’re out the fruits that the plant could’ve provided for

you if it lived. Also, those pests can go from one plant to another, so

when one plant no longer meets their need, they’ll jump right on to

the next one and the next and so on until you no longer have a garden

of vegetables, but rather a graveyard of plants.

No one likes bugs especially in their gardens. But, there are actually

some pests that you will want in your garden. These “good” pests will

help keep the harmful pests away while they leave your precious

plants alone. First, let’s take a look at the pests that you don’t want.

The most common types of pests that can be harmful to your gardens

are:

Aphids

Japanese Beetles

Cabbage Worms

Cut Worms

Potato Beetles

Mealybugs

Tomato Hornworm

Slugs

Spider MItes


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Not every area will have every one of these pests, but these are the

more common reported.

The Damage They Leave Behind

Each pest has his or her own nasty habits. Here is some of the damage

they can create in their wake:

Extracting juice out of the leaves and stems

Damage plant roots

Attract other pests like Moles

Eat the plant- making it susceptible to diseases

Laying eggs on the plant, where they hatch into plant eating

larvae

Eat stems clean off the plant

Damages new seedlings, so they won’t continue to grow and the

vegetables won’t be able to mature

Damage the vegetables rendering it useless to you

Secrete their own sticky substances, which can attract other

bugs and cause damaging molds

It’s completely disheartening to have all your hard work and garden

dreams go down the drain simply because these pests decided to take

up residence in your garden. To keep your garden healthy and take

back control of these ugly pests, you will need to find ways to get rid

of them- the organic way.


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Making Your Enemies Your Friends

The most common way to get rid of those damaging bugs is to bring in

other bugs. It sounds odd to bring in more bugs when all you want to

do is drive them away but the best way to control those pests are to

bring in pests that will control them for you.

These insects will stand guard in your garden getting rid of the

damaging insects that could ruin your crops. These beneficial insects

feed on the damaging bugs and won’t harm your plants.

The best bug-fighting insects are:

1. Big-eyed Bugs

2. Parasitic Wasps

3. Lacewings

4. Ladybugs

You’ll find these bugs to be the best of the best. There couldn’t be any

better pest control then these guys. Here’s what they will do for you:

Big-Eyed Bugs

These are hearty eaters. They will pretty much eat any and all plant

damaging insects that find their way into your garden. These bugs will

feed on your pests and when they’re waiting for more bugs to show

up; they will feed on pollen. They’re not interested in your plants, so

they’re safe to have in your garden.


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Parasitic Wasps

These are hardcore garden insect guards. They don’t feed on the plant

damaging insects themselves. Instead, they will lay their eggs inside

of their prey. The larvae that hatches from the eggs laid will do the

damage for you. They will eat the insects from the inside out. When

they grow to be adults, they’ll leave the garden, so your plants are

safe.

Lacewings

This is another insect where the larvae do more damage to your

plant’s enemies than the adults do. The lacewings will lay their eggs in

your garden and the larvae that hatch from those eggs will seek attack

and eat the softer bodied enemies like the aphids and the spider

mites.

Ladybugs

Since aphids are one of the biggest insect problems, gardens have; it

makes sense to bring in these insects for pest control. Ladybugs love

nothing more than to feast on the plant damaging aphids. If your

garden has any aphids, lurking about they won’t be there for long if

there are any ladybugs about. They’re also not interested in your

crops; only the aphids.

Bringing in the Beneficial Garden Bugs

Once these bugs find refuge in your garden, pest control of the

damaging insects can begin. The problem is, you have to get them

there in the first place.


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It won’t always be easy to do and not all areas will have all these

bugs, but here are some ways to encourage the beneficial bugs to take

up residence in your garden:

Avoid using pesticides

Grow flowers in the garden to attract them

Provide Mulch to attract them

Besides bugs, there are other ways to control the bugs and insects.

Here are some of them:

If you choose not to attract the beneficial insects or you can’t get

enough attracted to your garden; you can try using organic pesticides

using some home items. Those include:

Garlic

Cornmeal

Apple cider Vinegar

Hot peppers

Lemon Juice

Soap

Baking soda

Ammonia

Vegetable oils

Chives


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Disease control

Besides the bug and pest problem, your plants can also contract

diseases. These would be:

Leaf spots

Mildew

Brown rot

Scabs

Black Leg

Fusarium Yellow

Late blight

To help control these diseases and prevent them from taking over your

plants, here are a few things to try:

Horseradish

Baking Soda

Soap

Vinegar

Cinnamon

If you want to go with a commercially available organic fungicide to

ensure your plants stay healthy; there are few of them to check out:

Physan 20

Liquid Copper Fungicide

Copper soap fungicide

Sulphur plant fungicide

Mycostop


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Your garden can still thrive, still be safe to the environment and can

still be healthy if you take the time to care for them by using organic

ways to control those nasty bugs and the overwhelming diseases.

Tips for Maintaining

Your Organic Garden

Once you get your garden planted, it will still need a lot of tender

loving care to keep it healthy. Planting is important, but maintaining

the garden is just as important in making your organic garden a

success.

Insect and disease control is imperative, but other things will also

acquire your attention. The things you will have to keep in mind are:

Watering

Feeding

Weeding

Watering

In order to stay healthy, your plants will need the right amount of

watering to keep the roots thriving. It’s important that you water each

plant according to what they require. Take caution not to spray a lot of

water on all the plants, as this may not be what they require to thrive.

Each plant you place in your garden will have a different water

requirement. Some might need a good dousing, while others only need

a misting. It’s imperative that you find out how much each plant

requires and make sure it gets that amount and that amount only.


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Overwatering is a common mistake that many beginners tend to make

when trying to make their organic gardens a success. Overwatering

only drowns the plant and the roots. They can’t take on the extra

amount of water and won’t have a chance to absorb it as needed.

When you give the required amount of watering, the roots can absorb

what they need and can get ready to take on more when they need it.

It’s also important that you don’t water too frequently. The more times

you water, the more water the roots and plants have to try to take in

and absorb. They need some time to absorb and use the water given

before they can even try to take on anymore. Be sure to check the

watering requirements of each plant and see how much they need and

how often they need it.

There are a couple of different ways to water. For instance, you can

use a special spray head from your garden hose that will help control

the amount of water each plant needs. These spray heads are great

for watering the plants and helping them to avoid damaging the

seedlings by having a heavy stream of water weighing it down.

You can also use special water bottle feeders. These are especially

made to stick into the ground next to the plants in your garden. Water

is placed in the bottled end and water then water is absorbed into the

soil. The plants and their roots will absorb the water from the soil as

they need it. These water feeders are great for controlling the amount

of water that the soil takes on. They can be used for the plants that

don’t require that much water too often.


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Rainwater is actually the best water to use. Of course, rainy days will

provide that for your plants, but sometimes you will go through some

dry times. In order to prepare for this you can set aside barrels that

can collect some of the rainwater. You can then use the reserve of

rainwater on the days you need to water due to lack of rain.

Feeding

The next part of maintaining your garden is to keep the plants feed.

Like humans, your plants will need certain nutrients to stay healthy

and to prevent one of the many debilitating diseases that could show

up. It’s therefore, essential to feed your plants to maintain their health

and help them to continue to grow.

Some of the nutrients that your plants could need are:

Potassium

Nitrogen

Phosphorous

Zinc

Magnesium

Calcium

Copper

Sulpher

Maganese

Iron

Boron

To help your plants get these nutrients, you will need to make sure:

You have enriched soil to plant them in

You provide them with enough sunlight

Use organic plant food


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Weeding

The next part of maintaining your garden is to make sure you keep

your garden weeded the best you can. Weeds can be detrimental to

your organic plants. They can take over all the necessary nutrients,

water, and sunlight as well as attract the plant damaging pests.

Once you plant your items, you will need to get to work on making

sure the weeds are kept under control. You will be weeding from the

time you plant your seeds until the time they grow to a sufficient

enough size to where they themselves will discourage the growth of

the weeds.

It will be important that you know where your seeds are planted, and

what the seedlings will look like when they start to grow. This will help

you avoid picking the plants along with the annoying weeds. Once the

seedlings start to get bigger, you will have an easier time telling the

two apart.

Mulching is a good way to help prevent most of the weeds from

growing and taking over your garden. Some will still get through the

mulch, but there will only be a few compared to if you had not

mulched the soil.

Another thing that’s important to remember is to harvest only when

the plant has met its maturity.


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The following guide will help you see how much time some popular

vegetables will take to reach a mature enough age to harvest:

Beets - Beets can take anywhere from 40-70 days.

Cabbage - Cabbage can take around 4-5 months.

Carrots - Carrots will take about 90 days to mature.

Cauliflower - Cauliflower can take around 4-5 months before their

mature enough to harvest.

Sweet Corn - Sweet corn can take 2-3 months.

Cucumbers - These can take 2-3 months.

Onions - These can take 50 days.

Peas - Peas can take about 60 days to mature.

Peppers - Peppers can take about 4-5 months.

Potatoes - Potatoes can take around 90-100 days and sometimes

even more.

Radishes - These can take about 30 days to mature.

Squash - Squash can take around 4-5 months.

Tomatoes - Tomatoes can take around 4-5 months to mature for

harvest.

Please note that these time frames are approximate. It all depends on

the weather, the watering techniques, the climate, the soil, and many

other factors. The periods could be shorter or longer, but this will give

you a good basis to look for when planting them.


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Making Your Organic

Garden a Family Project

We live in a hectic world. We all have a ton of things that need to be

done in one day and there doesn’t seem to be enough time to do it all.

Many times, family time is one of things that gets pushed aside to be

had another day, but that day never seems to come.

Now, with all you have to do, you’re thinking about adding something

else to your already full plate. What happens to that much-needed

family time? Should you give it up? Should you give up your dream of

an organic garden in order to make room for that family time?

You don’t have to give up either if you want to make them both work.

Organic gardening is a great way to incorporate family time into your

lives if you make it a family project instead of just something you do

on your own.

How do you get this to happen? First, you’ll need to start with a plan.

Here is how you can turn your organic garden into a family activity and

still keep your sanity!

Family meeting

To kick off your family gardening project, you need to get everyone

together to discuss the idea. Not everyone is going to jump at what

you’re proposing right away. It’s great if they do, but not likely. Don’t

let that back you down to what you want. Be prepared to tell them not

only what your idea is, but also get ready for a presentation. One that

will explain what organic gardening is what the benefits are, and how

enjoyable it could be if they all pitched in.


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Don’t discuss the work involved, at least not yet. You want them on

board with the idea or close to getting on board before you bring up

the word “work”. Mentioning the hard labor that could be involved

could turn them off quickly and they may not be willing to hear any of

your arguments for the garden project.

Plan Your Garden

Once they’ve started to warm up to what you’re proposing, then you

can start planning a layout for your organic garden. Get everyone’s

input on what he or she would like to plant, and where in the garden

they should plant it.

Be flexible. Some of the family may not want to plant any vegetables,

but they may be interested in planting herbs or flowers instead. Giving

each person a chance of taking care of his or her own plants could help

get the project moving much quicker. If they aren’t willing to

participate at all, maybe they would be willing to at least be the official

photographer or videographer of the event instead.

You may have some family members that aren’t interested in taking

on their own plants. That’s okay too. They might choose to take on

some of the other tasks like helping another member of the family

with their plants or maybe they would be willing to weed the garden.

Let them come up with their own ideas on how they will get involved.

Going for the Items Needed

At some point, you will need to go and get all the items you will need

for your organic gardening day.


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The items that could be on your list are:

Seeds

Transplant seedlings

Gardening Tools

Batteries or film for your cameras

Sprinklers for watering

Pads for your knees

Gardening gloves and aprons if you choose to use them

You could plan a day for everyone to go and pick out these items. That

could also be a fun day as well if you choose to do it on a different day

then the planting day.

Getting the Young Children Involved Too

You may have young children or babies that aren’t as able to perform

some of the gardening tasks like the older children or adults. There’s

no reason why they couldn’t be involved in some way. Give them their

own special garden where they can pretend to plant things. Let them

play in some dirt to help not only their development but also to help

gain an interest in gardening when they get old enough to work

alongside the rest of the family.

You can also try putting them in charge of filling in dirt or covering

seeds. They don’t have to do the whole thing, but giving them a small

section just to make them feel like they belong in the family event.

If you have babies, they can get involved too. They may just sit and

watch or they may take a safe toy shovel and whack it into the ground

for you. Just let them do whatever they’re capable of doing safely.


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Call in Reinforcements

Make it a large gathering. Besides your family, you can get

grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors, and even family

friends involved too. Not everyone has to be involved in the planting

process other tasks could be done too.

Someone could be watching the young children, running after supplies

needed, getting the pizza or whatever food will be served, or maybe

they could be in charge of keeping the fun conversation going.

Choosing The Day to get Started

Once you have the garden planned out, you will want to choose a day

to get started. Do some research on the items that everyone wants to

plant in the garden? Some may need to be planted right away, while

others may need to wait a few weeks. Based on your research, pick a

day to get the garden tilled and prepared for your organic gardening

experience.

Stick to the day that you choose as much as possible. It’s important

that you don’t push the date aside, because you may never get started

at all. Write on the family calendar to show everyone what day it’s

planned for and help them remember not to plan anything else on that

day.

You should also choose what days each item will be planted if you’re

not going to do it all in one day.


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Plan a Day of it

You should plan a whole day of it or at least most of a day, even if you

only prepare the garden on your start day. Plan a big breakfast to eat

beforehand and maybe decide on a restaurant or other fun thing to do

after you’re all done and cleaned up.

You could go to the park for a picnic, to the movies and out to eat or

go to a special event like a circus or entertainment park. Sometimes,

the fun you have afterwards is enough incentive to get the family

involved.

Make Memories

Finding the time to get your family together is hard enough these

days. The few times you do, should be remembered and kept close to

your heart, because someday, those days won’t be as readily

available.

Make the most of it, and plan to take pictures or videos. Start a

scrapbook and display your organic gardening photos. Place the date

on the cover of the album or scrapbook. This way, years from now, at

a special family event those books can be brought out and the whole

gang can look back on those fun days you had together. Who knows,

maybe some of your children will be inspired to do the same traditions

in their own families.

Organic gardening is one of the best ways to bring a family together.

Get the whole family involved if you can, because the rewards of

planting their own garden can bring everyone closer. This will also help

make the experience a more pleasant one. Gardening should never

been seen as a chore.


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Conclusion

Although this book touches more on vegetable gardening, keep in

mind that there’s a lot more to organic gardening then just vegetables.

You have a whole world of options to branch into and still enjoy the

naturalness that organic gardening brings to you.

You can also grow fruits in an organic fashion, but most fruits will take

years before you actually get a good edible crop. Although, it still can

be done using organic gardening means. Nature itself has given you

the techniques to grow and enjoy vegetables as well as fruits without

causing any harm to you or to any other animals.

What if you want an organic garden, but don’t want plant vegetables

or even fruit. You can still plant an organic ornamental garden that’s

just for your pleasure. These kinds of gardens allow you to safely grow

visually pleasing flowers that still does not harm your environment in

any way. The care of these ornamental type plants is much like what

you do in vegetable gardening. The difference is that you’re growing

these plants for ornamental purpose and not for consumption.

By following the recommendations for planting these ornamental

plants, you can have yourself a relaxing botanical space in your

backyard. They will need pretty much the same care as the

vegetables, because they can be easily destroyed with diseases and

insects. Mix a variety of species for these plants that will work together

so you can confuse pests and use the natural pesticides and fungicides

to ensure good health for your ornamental plants.


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Should your plants start to get diseased areas, simply trim away the

affected areas to prevent the spread of that disease. Give these plants

a lot of tender loving care and they will respond in kind. Keep their

roots growing strong and avoid walking through your flowerbeds, as

this will cause the soil to become compacted, which can damage those

roots.

You want your botanical space to be around a long time, with time and

patience, and you will have yourself a nice organic ornamental garden

experience.

Your lawn can also benefit from organic techniques. Everyone is

looking to have a healthy lawn that’s free from those harmful

chemicals. Chemicals from pesticides and herbicides have a way of

leaking into the ground and getting into the water that humans as well

as pets drink.

Insects and disease can destroy a lawn and it will cost you more to fix

the areas that are dying out. Sometimes the chemicals themselves can

add to the problem too. Rest assured you could still have a green lawn

without sacrificing its health or breaking the bank for a long time to

come.

Organic gardening gives you that solution. You can use natural means

to repel the nasty pests and disease and achieve a healthy, green

grass lawn. The key is to getting the lawn’s soil up to snuff. This could

take a few years to accomplish, but it will be worth it in the end.


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Organic gardening gives you techniques such as:

Learning to mow your grass to the proper length to avoid being

too short

Mow your lawn at specific intervals to avoid getting too long

where there will be an abundance of grass clippings

Watering techniques that allow for a good soaking, but done less

often

Creating natural grass fertilizer by using only a small amount of

grass clippings spread evenly

Aerating techniques that bring nutrients and allows for good

organic soil breakdown

You can also get into habitat gardening, which is one that attracts

nature’s friends. These would be butterflies, bees, and even birds.

Organic gardening gives you that by eliminating the chemicals that

succeed in driving them away. Bring in plants that attract those

friends. Be careful not to plant ones that bring in damaging pests

though. If you do, you will need plants that will help keep those pests

away. Some of them include:

Marigold

Basil

Catnip

Rosemary

Citronella Grass

These are only a few of the ones that can repel bugs, but encourage

nature’s friends to come and share your space. Organic gardening

helps you do that by eliminating those chemicals and using some

techniques that nature already has to give you.


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You also don’t have to be limited to large garden spaces. You can still

use organic gardening techniques in smaller spaces. Some people have

pot gardens in their home and small box gardens they have on their

decks or hanging outside their windows. Granted, you won’t be able to

plant anything you want, because of the limited space, but you can

choose a few things to plant and still enjoy the organic gardening

experience.

Take control of your surroundings. Enjoy what nature has to offer and

make the environment a nicer place to live in while keeping you in a

healthier state.

Documents

The Gardener's Guide To Organic Gardening