A Guide To Organic Gardening

The practice of organic gardening continues to increase in popularity. Organic gardening is a method of growing and cultivating plants that does not use synthetic fertilizers or insecticides. Organic gardening strives to find balance in the ecosystem of soil, light, and air; and the plants that are grown in them. Standard gardening uses artificial pesticides to control insects and synthetic fertilizers to create a larger yield. Organic gardening provides methods of pest control and plant production that are natural and do not harm the environment. This method of gardening preserves the natural garden while producing plants and vegetables for enjoyment.

Organic Soil Management

• Types of Organic Soil: An article about the kinds of organic fertilizers that are chemical free and will enrich the soil.

• Organic Vegetable Gardening Soil Management: Principles of soil management and healthy soil in organic gardening.

• Organic Soil Amendments: Methods of improving soil and ideas for organic amendments.

• Soil Management: Instruction about textures and structures of soil and how to nourish soil organically.

• Soil Management and Soil Quality for Organic Crops: A discussion of the assessment of soil and how to provide for its health in a natural method.

Composting

• Composting: A great guide to composting, including fact sheets, and information on composting for kids.

• Creative Organic Gardening: Methods of composting for sustainable organic gardening.

• The Organic Gardening Guru: How to build a compost pile and apply it to an organic garden.

• Organic Gardener’s Composting: An extensive explanation about the basics of compost, how to make a compost bin, and its application to soil.

• Compost Ingredients – Information on the ingredients needed for putting together an organic compost bin

Plant Requirements

• Light Requirements: An explanation of the light requirements needed for various plants.

• In Search of Green Life: Seven requirements for growing plants.

• Organic Container Gardening: Kinds of plants and their requirements for growth in containers.

• Organic Gardening: Plant Support: Tips on providing the best environment for plant growth in organic gardening.

• Plant Talk: An overview of organic gardening with an introduction to pest control.

Organic Fertilizer

• Organic Fertilizers: An explanation of various natural fertilizers for use in organic gardening.

• Organic Vs. Synthetic Fertilizers: An explanation of the differences between natural and artificial fertilizers and their benefits.

• Organic Garden Fertilizers: An introduction to the use of organic fertilizers with examples of different kinds.

• Organic Fertilizers: A helpful chart with various kinds of natural fertilizers as well as methods for growing natural fertilizer.

• Identifying Organic Fertilizers: What to look for and how to choose the right organic fertilizer.

Organic Pest Control

• Effective Pest Control Without Chemical Pesticides: Methods of naturally reducing destruction from animals and insects without applying pesticide.

• Organic Pest Control: A chart of natural methods of pest control listed by which animal or insect each will effect.

• Pest Control: An article about controlling pests in the organic garden.

• Controlling Pests Ecologically: The problem of synthetic pesticides and solutions for natural pest control.

• National Wildlife Federation: A discussion of reducing pesticides and ideas for natural solutions.

• Organic Pesticides: An explanation of natural pesticides and beneficial insects.

• Some Pesticides Permitted in Organic Gardening: A list of acceptable pesticides for use in the organic garden.

Good Plants and Flowers for Organic Gardening

• Golden West College Organic Garden: An example of one school’s organic garden project, with photos and explanations of each plant.

• Planning for Planting: A method of how to plan an organic garden, what plants to choose, and how to maintain growth.

• Growing Healthy Food, People, and Communities: A list of pollinator plants for an organic vegetable garden.

• Companion Planting: A list of plants to grow together to produce the best yield in organic gardening.