No Chemicals? No Problem! Organic Gardening for Beginners
Natural compost from a worm bin is a wonderful alternative to either expensive organic fertilizer or cheap chemical varieties. With about as much space as a trash bin, a little online research and half of a Saturday, a worm bin can take fruit rinds and carrot tops and turn them into rich, nutrient-filled compost. Saving the Earth by repurposing the table scraps and reducing waste is a wonderful side effect, but saving money on the high-yield produce is well worth the initial investment.
Organic gardening isn't as much about what is done as it is about what is avoided. The seeds have to be organic, purchased or arranged through a seed trade, having been harvested naturally from plants that were not modified or treated with chemicals. Chemical pesticides and herbicides are abandoned in exchange for careful planning and maintenance. Nature has a solution, and there are plants that can be grown together so that they repel each other's natural enemy. As long as the garden is manageably sized, a little effort goes a long way to making chemicals completely unnecessary.
"You are what you eat"--it's as true now as ever. Inexpensively feeding large numbers of people with the help of genetic modification and chemical treatments sounds good, but science is still weighing the benefits against the possible hazards. Too many people choose ignorance and apathy over effort, eating whatever is on sale and trying not to ask too many questions. That's no way to live. With some research and effort, high-quality, nutrient-rich, chemical-free vegetables can be not only affordable but fulfilling in more ways than one.
Everyone loves fresh vegetables. With the new information available about genetically modified foods and the dangers of possible pesticide exposure, the fastest-growing word in the grocery store is "organic," but buying organic produce can be nearly double the price of the non-organic variety. There are minimum qualifications necessary for a grower to be considered "organic," but like any other industry there are gray areas that make even the organic growers suspect. Rather than mortgage the house or hire an investigator to ensure the highest quality produce, personally seeing the process through from seeds to salad is affordable and rewarding.
The first thing a person needs to plant an organic garden is a place to put it. Starting with something small and manageable and choosing to grow from there is usually the best course of action. Even with pots or flower boxes on a patio a small organic garden is possible. Simple wooden frames made of six-inch-wide boards can be embedded into the ground and filled with fertilizer or compost, preventing loss from runoff, separating various areas of the garden from one another and raising the planting beds to give the seedlings the best possible chance.
Natural compost from a worm bin is a wonderful alternative to either expensive organic fertilizer or cheap chemical varieties. With about as much space as a trash bin, a little online research and half of a Saturday, a worm bin can take fruit rinds and carrot tops and turn them into rich, nutrient-filled compost. Saving the Earth by repurposing the table scraps and reducing waste is a wonderful side effect, but saving money on the high-yield produce is well worth the initial investment.
Organic gardening isn't as much about what is done as it is about what is avoided. The seeds have to be organic, purchased or arranged through a seed trade, having been harvested naturally from plants that were not modified or treated with chemicals. Chemical pesticides and herbicides are abandoned in exchange for careful planning and maintenance. Nature has a solution, and there are plants that can be grown together so that they repel each other's natural enemy. As long as the garden is manageably sized, a little effort goes a long way to making chemicals completely unnecessary.
"You are what you eat"--it's as true now as ever. Inexpensively feeding large numbers of people with the help of genetic modification and chemical treatments sounds good, but science is still weighing the benefits against the possible hazards. Too many people choose ignorance and apathy over effort, eating whatever is on sale and trying not to ask too many questions. That's no way to live. With some research and effort, high-quality, nutrient-rich, chemical-free vegetables can be not only affordable but fulfilling in more ways than one.
Everyone loves fresh vegetables. With the new information available about genetically modified foods and the dangers of possible pesticide exposure, the fastest-growing word in the grocery store is "organic," but buying organic produce can be nearly double the price of the non-organic variety. There are minimum qualifications necessary for a grower to be considered "organic," but like any other industry there are gray areas that make even the organic growers suspect. Rather than mortgage the house or hire an investigator to ensure the highest quality produce, personally seeing the process through from seeds to salad is affordable and rewarding.
The first thing a person needs to plant an organic garden is a place to put it. Starting with something small and manageable and choosing to grow from there is usually the best course of action. Even with pots or flower boxes on a patio a small organic garden is possible. Simple wooden frames made of six-inch-wide boards can be embedded into the ground and filled with fertilizer or compost, preventing loss from runoff, separating various areas of the garden from one another and raising the planting beds to give the seedlings the best possible chance.
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