Tag: the gardeners rake

by Ron C George Organic vegetable gardening is something more farmers are getting into because it is cost effective and they are able to produce almost the same yield of crops. You must first understand the organic vegetable gardening principles before you can do this in your own garden. The use of fertilizers, nutrients or pesticides is forbidden in organic vegetable gardening. The two things you will use to make it all work are sunlight and water, so nature is your partner here. The ideal area and adequate drainage must be provided since we don’t produce these ourselves. Leftover food, chipped bark, garden compost, leaf molds and manure should be mixed together using a compost heap and spread throughout your garden so you are not solely relying on sunlight and water to make the crops grow. Manure is sold in stores so you don’t have to scoop this from the toilet, so don’t feel queasy. Also chickens wondering the garden are great so you may wish to invest in a couple. Some people use dead animals or meat products but these should not be put straight into the soil. Yet, left for a couple of weeks in the bin, maggots will soon appear and then it can be put into the garden as fertilizer. Because it digs deep into the ground and aerates the soil, the earthworm is another helpful creature as this brings various minerals to the surface and also provides better drainage. This long pink colored creature also leaves a cast behind that experts say is five times as rich in nitrogen phosphorous and potassium. Any gardening store or garden center will have this available for you to purchase. Unwanted guests including army worms, crickets, gypsy moth caterpillars, slugs and squash bugs, these make organic gardening a challenge. Despite the fact that at one time people used fertilizer to kill them, the toad, which is known to eat almost every type of insect, is the best weapon in an organic setting. Caterpillars and spiders are not on the toad’s menu so if they are lurking in the garden you should get a bird. A toad or a bird may come in to your home as long as you set the ideal environment for them so you don’t have to buy one from the pet store. To make your garden more inviting for these protective creatures will not take much, just a bird house and a small pond. Other insect killers which you can get to do the job include the preying mantis and the ladybug because they mark their territory and eat anything that dares enter their domain. Your vegetables can also be protected by plants: Despite all the flowers and creatures that nature has to offer, the best way to keep the soil fertile is through crop rotation. The same kind of vegetable should be planted and harvested in a season, with an alternative vegetable being planted in between. As the principles behind organic gardening are very simple, all that is required to harvest the vegetables you have planted weeks ago is practice.