Organic gardening can be a little intimidating to someone who has never tried it before. Organic gardening is simply gardening without the use of man-made chemicals, growing food similar to the way nature intended. Here are five baby steps you can take to start down the path of organic gardening so your beginner's thumb can get a little greener and your veggies can be a little healthier.
- Start Making a Compost Pile
Composting is the first step to healthy, organic soil. Compost is a mixture of organic waste that is collected in a container and left to decompose over time. It's an easy way to produce an organic fertilizer for the soil in your garden. You can create your own compost pile using materials already found in your backyard like leaves, grass clippings, weeds, and wood chips.
- Choose the Right Plants
If you're new to organic gardening, give yourself a leg up by choosing plants that aren't predisposed to diseases. Do a little research and pick out hardy plants that flourish and thrive in your specific location. If you choose plants that resist disease, you will be less inclined to use chemical fertilizers or pesticides because you won't have to worry as much about protecting them.
- Build Raised Beds
This by itself can cut down on the use of pesticides and weed killers you have to use. Using boards or pallets, you can easily make a small raised bed in your backyard. Line the bottom of the beds with about 4 layers of old newspaper and you won't have to do much weeding at all. Prevention is a key part of organic gardening. It's easier to prevent weeds than trying to kill them without dangerous chemicals.
- Feed Organic
Your plants love food just as much as you do. You can give them extra nutrients without feeding chemicals to them. You can use eggshells, banana peels, coffee grounds, or you can make your own organic liquid fertilizer by making grass "tea." All you have to do is fill a bucket with grass clippings, fill it with water and let it sit for about three days. Make sure to stir it once or twice a day. Once it's ready, strain the grass clippings out, add another bucket of water, and use it to fertilize your garden the natural way.
- Get Rid Of Pests
There are lots of ways to get rid of garden pests naturally. You can create your own organic pesticide, grow plants that deter pests on their own, or even use chickens to help rid your lawn of pests. The easiest homemade pesticide to make is made up of a mixture of warm water and organic liquid dish soap. Just mix up a tablespoon of soap with a quart of water, mix until it's foamy, pour it in a spray bottle, and mist your plants once a day. It keeps bugs at bay and rinses off easily.
