Organic Gardening Tips and Benefits

Organic gardening has a lot to do with using only vegetable fertilizers and animal fertilizers instead of synthetics. Organic gardening also means the use of natural pest control rather than industrial insecticides. This actually means using beneficial insects and natural substances to help guard against garden pests instead of using sprays that contain chemicals to spray our gardens. These chemicals not only harm humans and pets but also the plants we are trying to grow.

Organic growing emphasizes on enhancing the natural health of our soil, selecting the proper plants that are best suited to our area and working along side nature to create a healthy productive garden. You are probably wondering how you are going to nourish your plants without using chemical fertilizers. Instead of those chemicals you will be using organic material to nourish your plants. Nature has a way of feeding the soil by the decaying organic matter from animals and plants that have died and that soil in turn provides food for living plants. You can use manure, decaying leaves and you can make your own compost. Some of your kitchen scraps and rotten fruit can be used in the garden instead of throwing it away.

Using some natural substances and beneficial insects will protect your plants. There are organic pesticides that can be purchased on-line and at most garden centers but you may want to try some of the natural substances first. Some of the natural items that can be used for pest control are a mixture of diluted soap and water which can be sprayed on the infested areas. If you have a problem with weeds they can be sprayed with concentrated vinegar on a day which is very sunny and I am sure you will conquer them. You can also conjure up a garlic spray by using 1 garlic bulb crushed, 1 quart of water, 1 medium onion finely chopped, 1 tablespoon each of cayenne pepper and liquid dish soap. Add the garlic, water, onion and cayenne pepper together and let it steep for about an hour and then add the liquid soap. You are now ready to spray. This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week.

Some of you may end up with grass snakes, do not chase them away they will eat garden pests. You can also purchase one of the friendliest insects around on-line and who will protect your garden from aphids and that is the lady bug.

Organic gardening is not only a perfect way to save some money on your grocery food bill but eating produce that is organically grown is better for your health. Sometimes the fruits and vegetables that are labeled "organic" at a grocery market may not be organic; when you grow your own you actually know for sure what you are getting. We have know for years that fruits and vegetables are good for our health and we want to make sure that any pesticides or fertilizers that are used on them do not contain any chemicals or have coatings on them. For instance store bought apples have a coating on them and the only way to get rid of that is to peel the apple before eating; the only problem is the skin contains a good portion of the vitamins and nutrients that our body needs.

I am sure you have noticed that the organic produce that is found in the markets costs more than regular produce. This really seems kind of strange because you would think that organic farming would save money for the farmers because they do not have to purchase all those chemical products. Why should you have to pay more money for produce that is grown naturally? Being able to eat healthier food along with saving money is a perfect reason to begin organic gardening for your family. Organic growing is fairly simple to accomplish, it will save you money and time. You will not only save money on pesticides or fertilizers by using your own organic mixtures and compost but also turning to Mother Nature by using some her beneficial insects.

In order to grow healthy produce you need to have good conditions for growing. Most vegetables will need full sun for at least six hours every day. If your soil is poor you will need to amend it by adding plenty of organic material such as compost. Remember to choose your plants sensibly, look for the varieties that are disease resistant, the will do much better; feed them only with organic material if it is needed; mulch well to reduce weeds and retain moisture; water wisely by using soaker hoses or a drip system and make sure they have plenty of air flow, this will help prevent some fungal diseases. Using some of these tips just might give you some advantages on organic gardening.