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What is organic gardening?

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Many gardeners end up asking themselves…”what is organic gardening exactly?” as they start their gardens. What makes a garden organic, and what would disqualify a garden from being organic? Fortunately, there are a few key guidelines that organic gardening follows which you can use to distinguish it from conventional gardening.

Organic gardening uses naturally-derived, minimally-processed supplies instead of synthetically-produced chemicals and other potential environmental contaminants. Organic gardening treats garden soil as a thriving ecosystem to be nurtured, while conventional gardening views soil as an inert growing medium. While both methods can grow plants, organic gardening is generally viewed as more sustainable.

Read on to learn all about organic gardening!

What is organic gardening?

The term organic gardening is used to differentiate it from conventional gardening. To most gardeners, the main difference between organic gardening and conventional gardening is that organic gardening relies on natural systems and materials while conventional gardening requires man-made synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Organic gardening respects the complex relationships between living organisms in the soil and among the plants, while conventional gardening views the soil and ecosystem as a sterile medium in which to produce food for humans.

Plants in an organic garden are considered in the context of the entire ecosystem surrounding them. All aspects of the garden are connected through a complex system of inputs and outputs. Everything has a purpose and an important role in the ecosystem.

In organic gardening, garden soil provides not only a growing medium but also a thriving, biodiverse ecosystem of life that supports the plants in the garden. The plants that grow in the soil provide food and habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and other garden critters. Some of these critters work to pollinate plants, producing food for humans to eat. Everything works together to create a balanced ecosystem that enriches and supports the garden.

Learn how organic gardening is different than conventional gardening, including how organic gardening uses different fertilizers and pest control methods | home for the harvest

Where did organic gardening come from?

Organic gardening is based on emulating nature. Before synthetic chemicals and pesticides were created, all backyard gardens would have been “organic” by today’s standards. It’s only since the introduction of man-made chemicals that a distinction must be made between organic gardening and conventional gardening.

The term “organic” was popularized by J.I. Rodale in the mid-twentieth century to describe growing methods that avoided the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Rodale was a publisher, inventor, and avid reader who turned his focus toward natural methods of growing food as a way of promoting a healthy lifestyle. Although organic gardening didn’t catch on immediately, it is now certainly returning to the mainstream.

Here is a definition of “organic” from the book Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening:

“ORGANIC: Materials that are derived directly from plants or animals. Organic gardening uses plant and animal by-products to maintain soil and plant health and doesn’t rely on synthetically made fertilizers or pesticides. In chemistry, “organic describes compounds that contain carbon; this definition is sometimes used to characterize petroleum-based products as environmentally benign.”

Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden, by Deborah L. Martin
Learn how organic gardening is different than conventional gardening, including how organic gardening uses different fertilizers and pest control methods | home for the harvest

Why it’s so important to choose organic gardening?

There are countless reasons to choose organic gardening over conventional gardening. Here are a few of the most important reasons that gardeners choose to go organic:

  • Grow healthy food that is free of synthetic chemicals (and avoid chemical residue);
  • Support pollinators by providing safe sources of food and shelter for them;
  • Learn about and emulate nature’s processes rather than upsetting the balance of the ecosystem;
  • Keep pesticides and fertilizers out of your home (brought in with air, dirt, flowers, or veggies);
  • Reduce pollution by eliminating pesticide and fertilizer transfer off your property;
  • Create habitat for local critters by growing native plants;
  • Support healthy soil biodiversity rather than contaminating the soil with chemicals;
  • Motivate photosynthesis and reduce the carbon dioxide in the environment.
Learn how organic gardening is different than conventional gardening, including how organic gardening uses different fertilizers and pest control methods | home for the harvest

How does organic gardening work?

There are lots of questions that come up when deciding to create an organic garden instead of a conventional garden. How do you control pests without pesticides? How do you feed crops without fertilizer? With all of the different gardening products for sale, it can be hard to figure out what is safe for organic gardening and what isn’t.

A good part of the success of an organic garden depends on observing and emulating nature. Plants are able to grow in nature without anyone fertilizing them, pruning them, or watering them. The system does all of this on its own, creating a vibrant ecosystem with no one tending to it. Having a successful organic garden depends on learning from and mimicking nature.

Fortunately, the field of organic gardening is not new, and there are lots of great resources to create a healthy organic garden. Focusing on soil health, choosing organic methods of feeding plants, and managing pests in a holistic manner can all help create a thriving garden.

Learn how organic gardening is different than conventional gardening, including how organic gardening uses different fertilizers and pest control methods | home for the harvest

What is organic gardening? It all begins with the soil

Organic methods of growing food were originally created to preserve the biodiversity of agricultural soil. Organic gardening works with the natural life in soil rather than considering it a sterile medium in which to install plants. There are countless important micro-organisms that live in the upper soil horizons, which are encouraged and supported by organic gardening methods.

Organic gardening uses methods such as crop rotation, nutrient replacement (green manure, compost), and no-till methods to support healthy soil. These methods do not disturb the soil matrix or the micro-organisms that call the soil home.

Free garden planner printable - includes crop selection, garden layout mapping, and making a planting schedule | home for the harvest

Planning an organic garden

Planning an organic garden is a key part of growing a successful garden. Organic gardeners tend to choose plants suited to the climate and other environmental conditions rather than trying to force plants that just don’t suit the climate. Choosing the right plant for the right place will lead to success far faster than forcing a certain plant to grow somewhere that it won’t naturally grow.

Organic gardening focuses on mimicking nature, not overriding it. There are also advanced methods of garden planning which use organic gardening, such as permaculture, which takes the process of mimicking nature to the next level.

If you’re planning your garden and would like to do so organically, check out this article about how to start a garden which includes a free printable garden planner for you to use!

Homemade compost is a wonderful organic garden mulch | home for the harvest

Organic plant food options for your garden

When nutrient-rich materials are removed from the garden for humans to eat or to put into the compost, these nutrients must be replenished for future crops. Nutrients can be replenished by adding organic matter back into the garden.

Feeding your plants organically is possible by using organic soil amendments rather than synthetically-produced chemicals. One of the best organic plant foods is homemade compost, made from composted shredded fall leaves and other kitchen and garden trimmings. Keep the organic matter your yard produces on-site, and compost it into yummy plant food for your garden! Compost can be applied directly to your garden as a mulch or even made into “compost tea” to provide a boost of nutrients.

Other options for feeding your organic garden include cover cropping, growing nitrogen-accumulating plants, or purchasing organic plant food. Cover cropping, or green manure, involves planting a healthy cover crop during the off-season which is then tilled into the soil to add back nutrients.

Purchasing organic plant food usually means looking for the OMRI-approved label. OMRI (the Organic Materials Review Institute) is an independent organization that reviews products to create a list of products that are approved for use in organic growing. Look for the OMRI-approved label on any plant food you purchase.

More Reading: The Ultimate Guide To Organic Fertilizer

Learn how organic gardening is different than conventional gardening, including how organic gardening uses different fertilizers and pest control methods | home for the harvest

Basics: Organic pest control

In organic gardening, pests are controlled by the simplest method possible. For instance, aphids are simply sprayed off with a sharp stream of water. If the aphids continue to return, a simple spray can be made from kitchen ingredients to keep them under control.

The significant presence of a pest in a garden usually means that the ecosystem is not in balance. In organic gardens, gardeners expect to observe some pests here and there throughout the year, but not in quantities large enough to harm plants. Additionally, healthy plants that have not been stressed by chemical fertilizers or pesticides are more able to withstand and defend against pest attacks.

Organic gardening encourages beneficial insects and critters, including pollinators and pest predators. Pest predators like birds, spiders, and bats can keep pest levels under control without the use of harmful chemicals.

What you can do about pests in your organic garden?

Anyone wondering about what is organic gardening will likely have questions about organic methods of pest control. Non-chemical methods of pest control are used in organic gardening, including floating row covers and sticky traps to keep out flying pests and plant stem collars to deter ground pests.

If insects must be sprayed, there are many recipes for homemade pesticide sprays with ingredients like vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and castile soap which can safer for use around the garden than some of the chemical sprays available. If you do purchase a pest-control product, look for the OMRI-approved label to indicate it is safe for organic use.

Organic gardeners are also careful to safely dispose of pests. Pests can be sprayed off of plants with sharp streams of water. Infected plants can be hot composted or incinerated. Crops can be rotated to different areas of the garden each year.

Organic gardens also generally include some sort of interplanting. By mixing crops up together, pests cannot easily jump from plant to plant and destroy all of one crop. Mixing crops together can confuse pests and make it less likely for them to find and destroy a crop.

Learn how organic gardening is different than conventional gardening, including how organic gardening uses different fertilizers and pest control methods | home for the harvest

Starting your own organic garden

Organic gardening is not difficult…it simply requires the observation and emulation of what’s already happening in nature. Learning to garden organically teaches a mindful appreciation of the ecosystem that’s already developing in the backyard, while also providing a consistent source of healthy food.

Choosing organic gardening over conventional gardening is a great way to connect with nature while also taking up a productive hobby.

Organic gardening is a way of growing plants and vegetables without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). To learn more about organic gardening, click here!

FAQ’s about organic gardening

What is the best soil for organic gardening?

The best soil for organic gardening is soil that is rich in nutrients, has good drainage, and a balanced pH level. Ideally, organic gardeners should use soil that is free of synthetic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, as these can harm beneficial microorganisms and reduce soil fertility over time

Is it cheaper to grow organic versus non organic?

The cost of growing organic versus non-organic depends on various factors, including the size of the garden, the types of plants being grown, and the availability of organic materials and resources.
In general, starting an organic garden may have some initial costs, such as purchasing organic soil amendments or compost, as well as organic seeds or seedlings. However, over time, organic gardening can be more cost-effective than non-organic gardening because it relies on natural materials that can be easily sourced or created at home.

What do I need for an organic garden?

To start an organic garden, there are a few key things you’ll need. Here’s a basic list to get you started:
Location: Find a sunny spot with good soil drainage for your garden. Consider the amount of sunlight and shade, as well as the water source.
Soil: Healthy soil is essential for organic gardening. Consider using organic soil amendments and compost to improve soil fertility and structure.
Plants: Choose organic seedlings or seeds for your garden. Look for varieties that are adapted to your region and growing conditions.
Water: Adequate water is essential for plant growth. Consider installing a drip irrigation system or using a watering can to conserve water and prevent over-watering.
Tools: Basic gardening tools such as a shovel, rake, hoe, and pruning shears will be needed to maintain your garden.
Pest and Disease Control: Use natural methods to control pests and diseases, such as handpicking pests, applying insecticidal soap, and rotating crops.
Compost: Creating your own compost is an excellent way to recycle organic waste and create nutrient-rich soil for your garden.
Patience: Organic gardening takes time and effort, so be patient and enjoy the process of watching your plants grow and thrive.
With these basic items, you can start your organic garden and enjoy the many benefits of growing your own food in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way.

Resources

References

Organic Gardening

Learn more about what growing organic means and how to implement it into your garden! To learn more, click below!

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Mary Jane Duford
Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford is a Master Gardener and founder of the gardening website Home for the Harvest. She has been featured by Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Mother Earth News, and the National Garden Bureau. Mary Jane lives with her family in the Okanagan Valley.