Organic Vegetable Gardening

Organic vegetable gardening. What better way to end the day than going out to your own vegetable garden and picking vine ripened tomatoes, fresh cucumbers and squash for your evening meal?

What is Organic Gardening?

Basically, organic vegetable gardening is simply a system of gardening that uses only sustainable, ecologically sound gardening techniques. It resist the use of all artificial agricultural chemicals, including pesticides used to control insects, disease, weeds and nematodes. It means that instead of going to your local garden center and getting a spray that zaps all living insects on your plant (both good and bad), you will buy some beneficial insects such as ladybugs, praying namtid, or green lacewing that will devour the bad guys. Since bugs attack unhealthy plants (survival of the fittest applies in the plant world too) organic gardening also means that you will help your plants be healthy by improving the soil by adding lots of good organic matter like compost or well-rotted manure. Every time you dig a hole, add organic matter to the soil and use it to topdress vegetable crops.

Why Garden Organically?

What better way to end the day than going out to your own organic vegetable garden and picking vine ripened tomatoes, fresh cucumbers and squash for your evening meal. Not only do fresh home-grown vegetables taste better, you can also save money, have fun, and reduce your environmental footprint to boot!

Vine ripened fruits and vegetables are more nutritious because much of the beneficial substance called phytonutrients (found in the colored vegetables) are produced at the end of the growing cycle. Fruits and vegetables that are picked early for shipping across the country, lack this vital ingredient.

Tips For Growing An Organic Vegetable Garden

• Pick a site that has at least 8 hours of sun a day
• Only plant the vegetables that you like to eat
• Grow more in less space with wide row planting
• Visit your local Cooperative Extension office to learn what planting schedule works for your area and what vegetables are easiest to grow.
• Learn when the last spring and first fall frosts are so you will know what vegetables to grow when.
• Buy hybrid seeds and plants which have been breed to resist pest and disease
• Use companion planting to deter pest
• Test soil before planting
• Use fish-emulsion as a natural fertilizer
• Use natural repellents such as scarecrows, garlic and hot pepper products, plastic clips which contain concentrated garlic oil, human hair, blood meal sprinkled right on plants, deodorant soap tied to stakes and place around garden among target plants, homemade insecticidal soaps and sprays.
• Erect fences to keep deer and rabbits out
• Do not put out japanese beetle traps, they only attract more to your garden!

Great Resources we have used

Below is a list of some books we have used that have really helped us with our organic vegetable garden.

The book The Vegetable Gardener's Bible, is an excellent resource. The author Edward Smith uses the acronym W-O-R-D for his gardening system which stands for "wide rows, organic methods, raised beds, and deep soil". This is a must for your reference library. We couldn't do without it.











This is another book I use as a reference tool entitled Square Foot Gardening. With this book, the author Mel Bartholomew, teaches you how to garden using his now famous square foot gardening method which uses bottomless boxes placed above ground with step-by-step directions on how to build your own boxes. With this method you learn how to garden without getting rid of your existing soil (no Ph soil testing), no fertilizer needed, learn the recipe for "Mel's Mix" (the perfect growing mix), and new seed saving techniques.

You will be well on your way to a great garden with either, or both, of these two books.


MORE RESOURCES

Like instant gratification? Get your organic vegetable gardening information instantly with this e-book entitled Organic Food Gardening Beginner's Manual. You will learn how to slash your food bill in half by growing your own veggies. Plus, tips on effective watering, why mulching is a must, how to create "no-dig" veggie patches, how to make your own compost including what you should never put into your compost pile, plus so much more. Click here to check it out.

Love Tomatoes? Learn how to grow them faster and better with this e-book entitled Organic Tomato Magic. You will learn that the fruit needs sunlight, rather than the leaves. Most people make this mistake which causes tomatoes to be sour. You will also learn that your plant needs airflow to be healthy. Click here to check it out.





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