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When we say organic we are talking about a method of working with nature and natural products to improve the environment we live in. It is a philosophy of giving back to Mother Nature rather than taking away. Organic gardening may sound like a new way of doing things, but it is simply going back to the way our pre-industrial ancestors grew food and nurtured plants – using natural fertilizers, reclaiming waste materials, and recycling nutrients into the soil.
The two major soil pollutants in this country are artificially produced fertilizers and pesticides. An organic gardener works to build up healthy soil so that plants will become stronger and more resistant to pests and diseases. In the long run, gardeners will not have to apply more chemicals, pesticides and herbicides to keep their plants and gardens alive, since the soil they grow in will be a lot healthier. What source of fertilizer does a gardener use? Their own kitchen scraps, of course!
Compost and the Environment
Find an organic gardener, and her compost bin won’t be too far away. Compost is the primary fertilizer for your organic garden, and provides most, if not all, the nutrients needed to grow healthy, bountiful plants.
Compost is created by layering and turning organic matter in an enclosed but ventilated space. Soil microbes and earthworms will thrive and break down this material into a rich, dark soil you then add and mix into your garden. By doing this, you are recycling nutrients by using your kitchen scraps and other organic waste, such as dryer lint, grass clippings, coffee filters and even your hair! This not only reduces landfill space by throwing out less garbage, you have a free and constant source of rich and healthy organic fertilizer.
Organic Gardening Equals a Healthy Environment
As an organic gardener, you will likely spend more of your time outdoors than most people. This isn’t because organic gardening methods are more time-consuming, but because you will become more attune with nature and want to spend more time outdoors! Even in the middle of a city, your garden will be visited by more birds, butterflies and honeybees, all necessary components of a healthy garden. All of these wondrous things are to be seen in the joy of a natural, chemical-free garden.
An organic gardener is still faced with the same problems as any other gardener – pests, plant disease and weeds. However, the conventional ways of doing things are always short-term solutions and harm the environment. For instance, did you know that most of the bugs in your garden are good ones? By using broad-spectrum pesticides, you also kill the insects that would otherwise help control the pests. Most ant species forage for weed seeds and attack pests like tent caterpillars, while centipedes prey on slugs and snails. Ladybugs eat aphids, and dragonflies prey on mosquitoes. Most plant diseases are caused by poor soil conditions, which takes us back to the main process of organic gardening – improving the health of your soil!
Thankfully, the damage done to your soil can be reversed. It will take some time, but with a green philosophy, we realize that the soil is a complex system of life, minerals, energy and elements. Any one of these things out of balance damages our soil. Compost and other natural nutrients renews the soil, allowing plants to grow stronger and healthier.
Organic Gardening Indoors
If you do not have a yard, you can still grow delicious food and herbs indoors. Hydroponics is one great method, and you can practice this environmentally-friendly, low-energy method in small spaces. Plants actually do not need soil to grow – they only need the nutrients in the soil. Using small amounts of water, plants can grow in environmentally-friends mediums such as coir (coconut fibres) and perlite (a type volcanic rock). An obvious advantage to growing food indoors is the lack of diseases or pests.
Aeroponic gardening is another way to grow plants indoors. Plant roots are suspended in the air and constantly misted with a solution of nutrients. It is a more advanced technique, however, closed aerogarden systems are available for small vegetables and herbs. They are compact enough to sit on a kitchen counter, and many systems come with their own grow light.
Whether gardening indoors or outdoors, part of your green philosophy is knowing to give back to nature rather than always taking away. Compost recycles and renews your soil, and indoor gardening allows you to still participate in sustainable living by relying less on vegetables and herbs grown and transported from thousands of miles away. Organic gardening means a healthier home and garden, growing your own nutritious food, and reclaiming much of your waste by converting it to rich soil – who could ask for anything more?