Organic Gardening
April 15th, 2010 by Becky
Now that Spring is here and the tulips have bloomed it is the time to start thinking about gardening. Have you considered starting a garden? It is a daunting task to consider, but really a garden is rather enjoyable project.
I only started gardening last year.? I decided to dive right in and found a community garden plot in our neighborhood. Our community that we live in is known to have high lead levels due to the number of houses that are over 100 years old and the lead paint that was used on the exterior of the houses has leached heavily into the soil.? So the community garden was a great option for us because it had all new soil and we did not have to worry about lead or other contaminants.? A community garden may not be an option for you, but if you have even a small amount of space, a container garden may be just the right thing, just make sure you get enough sun (South facing areas are the best).
So why do I care about gardening and think it is worth the effort to go get some pots and seeds or plants:
- It costs less than buying veggies or herbs at the store
- Whatever you grow will taste better because you put the effort into growing it
- You will end up eating more veggies
- It feels great when you can say, ?I grew that!?
So if you are going to garden in the yard or in pots or on your window ledge, it really is easy for everyone. For your first year, don?t be surprised if some things don?t grow, pick plants that are hardy and will grow.
- Zucchini
- Lettuce
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Tomatoes
Start small, choose a few things to grow.? After a month, if they are still alive and you think you can handle the time to water a few more plants, then get more!
When it comes caring for a garden, it really does not take much time.? Everyday it takes a? few minutes to water the plants. If it rains, then you get the day off.
Every week or so it is good to check the plants that are growing and see if there are any pests eating your plant. Pests are where organic gardening comes in. You can use harmful pesticides in your garden, but then you will end up eating the pesticides that have coated your beautiful veggies. Instead of using pesticides there are plenty of safe, effective, pest management solutions available. When you do find a pest on your plant, make sure it is truly a pest. There are plenty of bugs that help with the growth and elimination of harmful bugs on plants. So if you think your plants are being eaten by a pest, look it up online. There are plenty of resources available online to help solve your garden problems, without using a toxic expensive pesticide.
Enjoy your veggies and herbs!