So you want to learn how to grow organic produce! Wonderful decision! But first, what exactly does it mean to grow an organic garden? Well simply put, organic gardening means that no artificial chemicals are used in your garden. Only plant and animal matter are used to fertilize your plants, and to control weeds and pests.
Why does it matter what kinds of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides you use in your garden? Well, for one, if you use chemical sprays, they are just no good for your health! All the chemicals you spray on your produce end up building up in your body, and can cause all sorts of health issues. Secondly, chemical agents lower the nutritional content of your produce. By killing off microbes in the soil, which would normally break down matter in the soil and nourish your plants, chemical agents prevent proper absorption of nutrients, thus yielding produce which has much lower nutritional value. The bottom line is – let’s just not use any kinds of harmful chemicals in our vegetable garden!
So, how can we get started learning to grow organic? It’s really not as hard as you think! For this article, let’s focus on preparing your garden, as this is the most important step. If you skip this vital stage, you will most likely end up extremely disappointed with the results you achieve. So let’s take some time to plan our organic garden the right way.
First, choose where you are going to plant your organic garden. You want a small plot of land (about 4’ X 8’ to start with), because if you start too big, you will quickly become overwhelmed and want to give up. The plot should be in full sun, ideally 8-10 hours of sunlight daily. It should also have very good drainage, so you don’t run the risk of washing out your garden in case of heavy rainfall.
Next, you want to begin preparing the soil. Get a good, heavy garden spade with a sharp (rather than rounded) point, and dig into the ground. Turn over all the soil, and remove any rocks, etc. from the soil. Now take a heavy garden fork (find one with wide spacing between the prongs) and break up any clods of soil that are left in your garden. Once you have finished this process, you can now add your compost (that either you have made, or that you purchased at a nursery), and mix it into the soil well. Once you have finished turning all the soil, do not walk on it again!
The final step in preparing to grow organic is to choose what to plant. This, of course, will vary depending on your region as well as the time of year. Do some research to find out what kinds of plants prosper in your area. Then plan out where you will plant each thing in your garden. Lay it out on paper – it really helps!
Learning to grow organic produce will be well worth the time and effort you invest in it. Prepare carefully, and you won’t be disappointed!
