How To Start An Organic Garden

If you’re like me, a lifetime of processed foods and endless grocery store runs are things to be avoided, then organic gardening is a perfect solution.

Eating organic is healthier and keeps nasty pesticides out of our bodies. It’s also more environmentally friendly in decreasing toxic chemical levels. The only disadvantage is that buying organic fruit and vegetables can be a costly affair. To stay on budget and still maintain a wonderfully healthy lifestyle, learn how to start an organic garden and begin growing nature’s treats for yourself.

It may be intimidating at first, but starting in small easy steps is the key to developing an amazing organic garden in your own home. Growing just one or two plants is a simple way to begin. Start by mapping out what produce you’d like to begin growing.

Choosing Crops to Start an Organic Garden

These crops are all fairly straightforward for beginners to start with and non-genetically modified seeds can be purchased online or even at your local farmer’s market:

• Tomatoes
• Onions
• Beetroots
• Strawberries
• Mint
• Green beans
• Lettuce
• Pea shoots
• Zucchini
• Squash

Utilize the USDA’s plant hardiness zones map for your area of the country to determine the best crops for your region.

Prepping The Soil

Once you’ve plotted out your first plants, the next step lies in arranging the soil. Once you’ve decided on an area in your garden or even some windowsill pots, you’ll need to properly condition the soil you’d like to use. This ensures that your plants receive optimum nutrients and are kept bacteria and microbe free. Some types of manure and compost work best for this.

You can also ensure that you’re working with great soil by getting in testing or using a home testing kit. Your local agricultural extension office may also be able to assist with this by testing the pH balance and mineral level of your soil. Combining leaf and grass pieces with manure and compost can help to balance out and condition your dirt.

Make sure your earth is properly aerated. Using a garden tiller improves your soil and promotes good root development, contributing to the overall nutrient intake of your plants.

Planting Begins

Knowing the right time to plant grass and how to arrange crops is crucial for the success of your organic garden. Harvesting plants like vegetables should be compiled compactly in raised beds. This technique reduces water wastage and the work needed to weed, it also contributes to healthier soil. Maintaining an area around each grouping also better circulates air for the plants to take in. Tomatoes, beans, and zucchini all grow nicely with this method.

Water Your Plants

Maintaining the right balance of water and moisture in your crops is important. Watering plants in the morning protects them from dehydration later and ensures that the water reaches their roots. Watering when it’s dark outside can contribute to fungal growth without the right amount of sunlight and is best to be avoided.

Watering your crops once or twice a week helps to encourage deep root penetration which results in increased growth.

Weeding And Waiting

Weeding can be a hard and annoying process, but it’s crucial for cultivating growth. Keeping your organic garden pesticide-free necessitates weeding done by hand, but you can reduce some of the work by pouring mulch onto your soil. This will seep down into the ground and help protect your garden from excessive weeds.

Make fun work out of weeding by getting your family involved. Eager children can make fast work of tough weeds by making it a fun competition.

Enjoy The Harvest

Seeing the first glimpse of fresh fruits and vegetables popping through your garden can be an extremely rewarding experience. All the work and waiting pays off when you can enjoy a nice meal of organic produce.

Picking herbs is best to do right before they flower to obtain the best flavor. Gathering them in the morning time is a good idea as the dew has just dried and washing them in the kitchen sink can be avoided as it reduces their taste.

Many gardeners recommend cutting produce off with sharp scissors or a knife instead of clawing them out with your hands, as this will help defend the plant tissue from destruction.

Don’t forget that your freshly picked crops can also be frozen to be enjoyed later throughout the year.

It’s Time to Start…

Taking the time to follow these easy steps can help you create a crisp, abundant organic garden that reduces your food bills and keeps your family healthy and happy for years to come.

Evidently, starting an organic garden is no mean feat and requires the dedication of the mind, body, and soul. However, it is achievable if you only make use of the above actionable tips. Did you find this information helpful? Why not leave your worthy comment or better yet, share it so the entire world can be informed.

About The Guest Blogger

Laura is the founder of HumidGarden.com. She loves nature especially when it comes to flowers and different kinds of plants. HumidGarden is created to provide aspiring and inspiring thoughts about gardening for gardeners and anyone who has the intention of keeping a garden. You can find Laura on Twitter at @LauraSkyonfly