There is a lot of interest in organic gardening or gardening without the use of synthetic fertilizer or pesticides.
To be successful an organic gardener has to do much more than just think about pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
Organic gardening is a philosophy that supports the entire plant growth system, from the soil to the plant. Organic gardeners focus on building the soil in order for plants to perform their best.
Using organic matter improves the soil; soil with increased organic matter leads to improved soil structure and tilth as well as water retention and even nutrient release.
Soil structure is the binding together of soil particles into aggregates or clumps of varying sizes and shapes, leading to improved drainage and oxygen space for roots.
Soil tilth is the physical condition of the soil in relation to plant growth and is related to the ease of tilling, how easily seedlings germinate and how easily roots can penetrate the soil.
By adding organic matter, you are also providing nutrients to the plants.
As organic matter breaks down each growing season, it needs to be replaced. Therefore, you can’t simply add organic matter one time and be done with it.
Whether you are an organic gardener or not, adding organic matter to our soil is most beneficial and it’s a good thing to do.
Organic gardeners tend to accept a little bit of pest damage.
Keep in mind that this type of gardening is labor intensive, which is one of the reasons organic produce is a little more costly. You have to weed by hand (no chemicals) and sometimes even hand-pick insects as a control strategy.
I fit into the category of using pesticides only when I have to and then sometimes it boils down to the question, “Is it convenient and does it fit into my schedule?”
My strategy is to constantly improve the soil. Then, if I do have a pest problem, I ask the question, “So what? What happens if I don’t do anything?”
If the answer is a few holes in the leaf or an aesthetic problem in the landscape, I don’t usually do anything.
On the other hand, if it’s my vegetable garden and the pests are going to get more to eat than me, I need to take action.
I then decide if there is an alternative method that I can use and avoid pesticides. If there is not an alternative, and I need to use pesticides, I use the product with the lowest toxicity and follow the label instructions to the “T.”
About the Author