The Starting Point of Organic Gardening
Organic gardening is gardening that takes place without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. Those who choose to participate in organic gardening are helping out the environment because they are using materials on their plants that come from living things. Examples of these include compost and manure.
But organic gardening is not just about refraining from using dangerous chemicals on your lawn and garden. Organic gardeners think of the role that their plants play in relation to nature and the entire ecosystem. Organic gardeners consider nature as a whole, as well as the soil, the water supply, people, animals and even the insects that inhabit the ground. An organic gardener seeks to create balance and harmony in the soil.
For this reason, if you wish to garden organically, you must pay close attention to the soil you use. It is the foundation for your plants after all. As often as possible, add locally available resources to your soil in order for the soil to be replenished. This, in turn, supports the soil in yielding healthier and stronger plants.
This is also where things such as compost come in. The raw ingredients of organic matter are something that you encounter every day in your yard and home, especially in your kitchen. The building blocks for compost, which can enrich the quality of your lawn, include common substances like vegetable scraps, leaves from the yard and decaying plant waste, such as grass clippings. To you these items may be useless, but to your garden they are a rich source of nourishment.
Another important aspect of growing a beautiful and healthy organic garden is to pick plants that are well suited to the soil and the climate of your area. If you live in an area where it gets cold more often than not, then you want to steer clear of plants that prefer the toasty temperatures of a tropical locale.
If you select plants that are well suited to your climate, soil and weather conditions, then they will not have to work as hard to adapt. This means that they will require less of your attention.
