Organic gardening has become increasingly popular over the last several years. Whether we know it or not, many of us already practice forms of organic gardening, we just don't give it any thought. Organic gardening is the practice of growing fruits and vegetables, using only things found in nature. Absolutely no man-made chemicals are used. Although we usually do not think of it, Organic Gardening concepts also apply to the world of flowers, trees, shrubs, and even your lawn. It is gardening without harmful and artificial chemicals, or other products not naturally found in nature. Commonly today, chemicals and non-natural products are used for fertilizing, and for control of insects, disease, and weeds.

Some early plans to consider… Consider the size of your family and the amount of produce to be canned, frozen, stored or sold, as well as that used fresh. Don't underestimate the work involved in organic gardening. Select a plot of good, well-drained soil near a water supply. It should be close to the home for convenience, but should not be shaded by tall buildings or trees. Enclosing the garden spot with a fence is usually profitable, and many gardeners find it helpful to draw out on paper the location of each row and the crop or succession of crops to be planted.

A perfect gardener cant produce perfect plants without the proper tools. You will need a rake, shovel and a few other items. Many go to great lengths in their organic gardening to provide natural produce, but do not think of the possible substances their water source may be delivering to their plants. A polyurethane garden hose is often an overlooked tool in organic gardening to provide a safe water supply. Check out the ’10 essentials for every gardener for a detailed look at the most important tools for you and your garden!

Since organic fertilizer and soil conditioning materials are slow working in general, they should be mixed into the soil at least three weeks ahead of planting and the soil thoroughly prepared for the seed or transplants. Clumps of unrotted organic materials not only interfere with the seeding operation, but also may result in nutrient deficiency and possible soil-borne diseases problems such as "damping-off" of young seedlings. Where animal manures are available, they are probably the best source of fertilizer and organic matter for organic gardening. Use manure which has been aged for at least 30 days, or composted. Manures vary greatly in their content of fertilizing nutrients. The composition varies according to type, age, and condition of animal; the kind of feed used; the age and degree of rotting of the manure; the moisture content of the manure; and the kind and amount of litter or bedding mixed in the manure. Animal manures also provide most of the micronutrients needed. Some manure products are composted, re-hydrated or mixed with plant litter to enhance their fertility.

In irrigating the garden, it is advisable to thoroughly wet the soil once a week unless sufficient rain falls. Thus, the soil will be moistened throughout the root zone. Light sprinklings every day merely tend to wet the surface and encourage shallow root growth. Drip or trickle irrigation is encouraged as a method for conserving water. Use of organic gardening materials as soil conditioners and fertilizers tends to improve the ability of the soil to retain moisture. Also, good garden mulch will conserve soil moisture.

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