Healthy gardens like the one Thomas Jefferson established at Monticello are often the results of organic gardening practices. Photo courtesy Monticello/Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc.
By Gretchen Hanson and Paul Carter
The premise of organic gardening is that we should treat the land with the respect of guests not overlords. It was doing fine before we arrived and will carry on long after our relationship to the soil is of a rather more permanent nature. Organic methods are especially important when it comes to vegetable gardening, because no one wants to ingest poisonous chemicals with their carrots, peas, and tomatoes.
To garden organically, we must first recognize that nature thrives when it is in balance and that we will get the best results from our gardens by mirroring the processes we observe in nature rather than relying upon a quick fix armory of chemicals.
Silver Queen Corn. Photo courtesy W. Atlee Burpee & Co.
It is foolish to believe that chemical additions to the soil are not without unwanted consequence—pesticides don’t just take out the bad guys leaving the helpful little bugs still standing. By eliminating those hated aphids with a pesticide, you may find that ladybugs and butterflies in your garden are only a memory.
So what can we do if we want to garden organically? The rules of organic gardening might simply be considered “good gardening techniques.” It may seem obvious, but healthy plants cannot grow in unhealthy soil. If the soil lacks nutrients and organic matter, plants may be sickly and, consequently, more prone to disease and insect attack. Improving soil health will help create stronger, more disease resistant plants and remove the temptation to resort to chemicals.
Adding organic material, such as compost, manure, or leaf mould, will greatly improve the quality of the soil. It will encourage the proliferation of the beneficial bacteria and other micro-organisms which help create and sustain a nutrient-rich environment where plants will flourish. While conventional fertilizers promise immediate results, they are short-lived and do nothing to enrich the long-term quality of the soil or to encourage the soil-living creatures so fundamental to organic gardening. Unlike fertilizers, which quickly wash away and are only sustainable with continual feedings, organic matter is broken down slowly, providing a stable, sustained food source for plants. The addition of organic materials will also improve the texture of the soil, bettering not only drainage in heavy clay soils but also water and nutrient retention in dry soils.
The simplest source of organic material is compost, which can be made year-round with little more than garden clippings and vegetable waste.
The simplest source of organic material is compost. Compost can be made year-round with little more than garden clippings and vegetable waste from the kitchen. The key to good composting is a varied and well-mixed combination of materials. Always avoid thick layers of any one material—if the compost heap is too wet and compacted, the result will be sludgy; if it is too dry, the composting processes will be very slow. If your compost heap seems too wet, try adding dry materials like crumbled newspaper, old envelopes, or cardboard. The resulting composted material should smell and feel like rich garden soil and will be an amazing source of nutrients for your garden. And it won’t cost you a penny.
Regular watering is also vital—any plant deprived of water will become stressed and far more vulnerable to attack. Proper watering is important in all stages of a plant’s growing cycle, as drought in the early part of the season will often result in poor flower or fruit development later on.
Weed control is another challenge facing the organic gardener. Weeds are vital in attracting native pest-controlling insects and wildlife, however, they will need to be controlled where they become invasive, competing with your plants for space and nutrients. Weeds will grow wherever there is bare ground, so keep the soil as covered as possible with some form of synthetic landscaping fabric or loose mulch. This will suppress weed growth, help maintain moisture, even out soil temperature, and, in the case of a bark or wood chip mulch, add to the nutrient value and general quality of the soil. Hoeing and manual weeding are also effective methods of weed control.
Diseases and pests can also be controlled organically by simply following good gardening techniques. Healthy soil, regularly replenished with composted material, and plants chosen to best suit the climatic and soil conditions of the growing space are the best starting points. Healthy plants are far more tolerant to pests and diseases, so if you aren’t starting your veggies from seed, buy plants that have been well cared for by the garden center or retailer. Look for plants that are not pot-bound, dried-out, or showing obvious signs of disease or infestation. And once the plants are in your garden, help prevent the spread of infestation between seasons or plants by removing and destroying any plant material showing obvious signs of pests or disease.
Earthworms aid in the composting process by helping transform organic waste into nutrient rich soil.
Introducing or encouraging natural predators such as ladybugs and praying mantis will also make for effective pest control. Avoiding pesticides and providing food sources for predator bugs will encourage these creatures to make your garden their home. Leaving areas of undisturbed land, perhaps with a stone or wood pile, will provide homes and over-wintering sites for natural predators. Companion planting is another method of attracting predatory insects to a site where they can be most helpful. Since most vegetables are susceptible to aphid attack, they can be planted alongside French Marigolds, which attract hoverflies, whose larvae are a natural predator of aphids.
Barriers and traps are also good methods for dealing with garden pests of any size. Walls and fences discourage larger garden visitors like deer or rabbits, while insect mesh can prevent flying insects like carrot rust fly and cabbage whitefly from reaching your crops. Sticky traps and pheromone lures are also useful, especially in a greenhouse environment. Slugs and snails can be discouraged from rampaging through precious crops by constructing physical barriers of coarse materials such as gravel or grit, which they find unattractive and will tend to avoid. A more confrontational approach is to sink bowls of milk or beer into the ground—the scent lures them into the bowls, where they will drown.
Organic gardening techniques offer a healthy and responsible alternative to conventional chemical methods, and their rewards are far more satisfying. Organic gardeners are making a commitment not only to the environment but also to their health and the well-being of their loved ones. By removing our reliance upon chemical methods, we are reconnecting with nature and helping to preserve the natural wonders we have been gifted.
Gretchen Hanson is the owner and President of Garland’s Garden Center & Florist, 1109 Ingleside Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland. For more information on organic gardening visit Garland’s or call 410-747-5151.
Other Contacts:
Back Porch ComposTumbler: compostumbler.com or 888-820-5114
Gardens Alive!: GardensAlive.com or 513-354-1482
Gardener’s Supply Company: gardeners.com or 888-833-1412
Mantis Garden Tools: mantisgardentools.com or 800-366-6268
Monticello: monticello.org or 434-984-9822
W. Atlee Burpee & Co.: burpee.com or 800-333-5808
