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Organic Gardening or
How to Have a Successful Homestead Garden
Organic gardening means not using chemicals to help your plants grow. In other words, not putting poisons on your plants when the bugs come to attack so you'll have safe, natural food.
Sounds like a great plan. After all, who wants food from a vegetable garden that's been sprayed with poison?
Thou Shalt Not
When I first started organic gardening, I viewed this as a "thou shalt not" approach to gardening. Thou shalt not use pesticides. Thou shalt not use synthetic fertilizers. Got it.
So I did not, and each year, my garden was a dismal failure. I could barely get the weeds to grow, let alone the carrots, beans and peas I wanted to produce.
I'd plant squash and watch in horror as the leaves would wilt and tiny white bugs would devour everything in sight. And then I'd declare war and get out the Sevin Dust. Sprinkled it on everything. Killed most of the bugs.
Except now I was worried about the poison soaking into my skin and slowly killing me.
And the end result? Forget it. Try, meager, dismal, disappointing.
And then I discovered a new approach.
Two Great Links
Want to see an awesome example of self-reliance at its best? Check out this great site! Visit Our Simple Life.
Find a wealth of gardening advice and information at Beautiful Home Gardens.
Strengthening From the Inside Out
I realized that with organic gardening, you need to look at your garden the way you look at the human body. Fill it with nothing but junk food, give it absolutely no nutrition, and your body will soon be prone to all sorts of nasty illnesses.
But if you're careful about what you put into your body, the change is dramatic. The best way to ward off cancer is to eat tons of fresh fruit and vegetables every day.
Likewise, the best way to protect your garden from insects and disease is to provide your plants with the best possible food. Provide your garden with the best possible growing environment, and your plants will be better equipped to ward off insects and disease.
Hard to believe, but true. Bugs will attack the sickly plants first. So will disease.
So what's the trick?
Preparation, Preparation, Preparation
It's all about preparation. The turning point for me came when I got the itch one fall to work in the garden. Although it is not the best time for growing most things, it is ideal for working outside, since the weather is cooler.
That's when I built the first compost pile to improve my organic gardening and also began digging my raised beds. The result was astounding. I had potatoes for the first time in my life. Real potatoes. And green beans. And turnips and squash. A few half-hour sessions in the fall made all the difference.
The location of your garden is also crucial for successful and abundant organic gardening.
Also, in his book, Vegetable Gardener's Bible Ed Smith suggests an acrostic to remember the four most important elements of a successful garden. W-O-R-D, standing for "Wide Rows," "Organically Grown", "Raised Beds," and "Deep" loose soil.
What Else Do You Need?
You should also mulch your plants to protect them and hold in moisture.
Also, provide a natural pest control by planting flowers that attract the beneficial insects that will control the bad ones.
More Homestead Gardening Links
What Cottage Gardening can teach us.
Healing herbs you can plant in your homestead garden.
Purchase bulk seeds for cost savings and self reliant preparation.
Tips on starting seeds inside.
Great vegetables for beginning gardeners.
How to choose the best garden location.
Put in raised beds for a stronger, healthier garden.
Or better still, try these easier raised beds without digging.
How to make your own compost.
Mulching tips to strengthen and protect your plants.
Organic pest control tips
Tips on dealing with poison ivy
Tips on organic container gardening
Find the right garden container
Self sufficient gardening
Tips on composting with worms
How to build and use a cold frame.
More Great Links
For more great gardening tips, check out The Garden Guy. Ron Cusano has been passionate about organic gardening since the 60's, and has a forum where gardeners can gather online to share information.
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