I have finally taken the plunge and started my own organic garden (in a very small way but with great plans for expansion as my knowledge expands). Getting to that point proved tremendously difficult and caused a real internal battle for me. I knew I wanted to save money, do my bit for the environment, save my family from the pesticide ridden, tasteless, mass produced excuses for vegetables and feel the tremendous pride derived from growing ones own food. However, I was severely lacking in confidence and ever making lame excuses for not biting the bullet.

For some people, gardening is a passion while for others garden it is an enjoyable and rewarding hobby. Increasingly, people are turning to gardening as a way to feed their families. We think Shirley MacClaine’s character in “Steel Magnolias” said it best. “Because that’s what Southern women do – we wear funny hats and grow things in the dirt.” You don’t have to be from the South or be a woman, or even wear a funny hat to enjoy gardening (although I’m sure it helps). They say the thrill of seeing your first red, ripe tomato or watching your first stalk of corn reach from the ground can be an earth-shattering experience (ok, less bad puns and hyperbole!).

Gardening is also a great way to provide healthy food for you and your loved ones. When you buy (plastic, tasteless) produce from the store, it just isn’t the same as presenting a salad to your family that came exclusively from your garden worked by your own two hands (this is what I’m looking forward to albeit my 4 year old will probably baulk at my offerings). Many people choose to garden so they can have control over what type of food they eat without fear of chemicals or preservatives. More often than not, commercially grown produce is cultivated in greenhouses with the use of pesticides and chemicals to enhance their growth.

Any quick study on these types of artificial applications can be unnerving for the most stout hearted. The side effects of chemical pesticides on the human body can, overtime, truly take its toll. So, many people are jumping on the “organic bandwagon” as a way to minimize the risks to themselves and their loved ones that often comes with commercially prepared foods. You don’t have to be a health nut to embrace organic gardening – I’m a prime example of that. But, just imagine the wonderful way you’ll feel knowing that you are serving foods that were grown all naturally without the risks that come from applying chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

They say it’s easier than you think. If you’ve been gardening for years or are just beginning to grow your own food, organic gardening can provide you with peace of mind and pride in your produce. Don’t have any clues how to start? Neither do I so, let’s begin this journey of learning and dirty fingernails together. Let’s explore the advantages of organic gardening as well as the best way to begin an all-natural garden. Let’s delve deep into the world of mulching, weed control, and composting. Soon we’ll be regaling our friends with ideas on all-natural pest controls and ways to make sure the garden thrives – without chemicals! Watch this space for our continued journey into “Organic Gardening for Beginners”!

It’s easy,very inexpensive and they taste better too so lets get started!

STEP 1: Which tomatoes should I grow? If you have a long growing season then you would want to go with an indeterminate variety which grows all summer long. If your growing season is short then you would go with a determinate variety which produces its fruit quickly (in as little as 85 days or less) and ripens all at once.

Step 2: Now that I have bought my seeds what do I do with them? Six to eight weeks for the end of winter I line up little paper cups filled with peat moss and put one seed in each cup. I then place them in a sunny window sill and water almost daily as peat tends to dry out quickly. Make sure not to over water or let the seed/roots sit in excessive water as this will kill them.

As your seedlings grow transplant them into larger and larger containers, each time burying them up to the first set of leaves. The plant will send out roots from the buried stem and will develop a stronger root system by the time they are ready to be planted outdoors. Once your seedlings have taken off and the threat of frosts are over move your plants outdoors for a few hours each afternoon to get them acclimated, or hardened off, before actually planting them in the garden.

Will any soil work? Tomatoes need a rich, well-drained soil ideally full of organic matter, so get started on that compost pile early.

How much sun do they need? Tomatoes require full sun which translates into no less than 6 to 8 hours a day. Plants will be weak and unhealthy with anything less.

STEP 3: Okay it’s time to transplant. Transplanting is an important step and if you do it carefully, you can look forward to an abundant crop of healthy mouth watering tomatoes.

Once your tomato plants have been hardened, or acclimated to outdoor conditions, and night-time temperatures continually exceed 50 degrees, it’s time to set your plants out into your garden or patio containers.

After planting your tomato plants its a good idea to place organic mulch around them. mulch helps keep the soil most and helps keep fruit off the ground, preventing rotting. The advantages to Mulching is that the soil retains moisture requiring less waterings. Also, the mulch acts as a slow release fertilizer and helps keep the weeds down.

STEP 4: It’s a good idea to prune your plants by pinching off the small leaves which appear in the crotch above a larger stem. Don’t pinch off too many large leaves or the sun will burn developing fruit. Pinching back the top of the plant after it reaches the top of your stake or cage encourages more flowering and fruit.

How often should I water them? Your plants should be deep watered 2 to 3 times a week or more depending of your soil type. If the plant is seen wilting in the middle of the day, ignore it. They will perk right back up by late afternoon. If the plants look droopy in the morning, they need water.

All that hard work gardening is getting ready to pay off and depending on what type of tomato plants you chose more than likely you will have an over abundance of ripe tomatoes.

When the fruits have ripened, pick them by bending back the fruit at the notch on the stem. They can be eaten straight from the plant, or can be stored for up to a week in the fridge.

Tomatoes store well in a cool, dry location. Do not put them in the refrigerator. While they last longer in the refrigerator, they will lose their flavor and texture. To slow down ripening keep them out of direct sunlight.

Good luck and happy gardening!

Organic Gardening Articles: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com/

Weeds can become a nuisance, if ignored and not properly controlled. The Organic Control Method can produce a weed-free garden to avoid the side effects of herbicide poisoning.

Weeds aggressively grows in lawns, gardens and natural areas. These unwanted plants block sunlight and get the important nutrients needed by growing plants. Determining the two weed life cycles such as annual or perennial is important in exhibiting control methods.

One of the best methods is the Organic Weed Control. This method is cheaper and simpler to manage. Mulching and the use of gardening tools are good practices for getting rid of weeds.

Mulch

Garden mulch is a protective layer on top of the soil that suppresses weeds. It is used for protection from threading, compaction and erosion. This method can act as an aid to plant culture. It conditions and retains warmth in the soil. The best time to mulch is during autumn and spring.

Mulch can be categorized in three methods:

1. Sheet Mulch – This is the best method of suppressing perennial weeds. It is easy to cut into shape, relocate, plant and store. Sheet mulch can avoid damages onto vegetables and roots of fruits. It can also improve the use of its top covering of bark or chippings.

Types of Mulch can be identified as:

• Geotextile – This is a woven or non woven permeable sheet and needle punch made from polypropylene and polyester. This can be used as a barrier between the soil and loose mulch in order to diminish perennial weeds.

• Black (White) Plastic Sheet – These are black plastic sheets (400-600 gauge of silage sheeting) that warms the soil. It keeps its moist.

• Fibre Sheets – This is a bio-degradable bonded wood developed for garden applications such as tree and flower seeded mats.

• Newspapers – These are whole 8 sheet thick papers that go together with weed-tops, including straws that hold and compost in order to suppress weeds on vegetable plots. This becomes a paper mash that can be forked and added as organic matter for the soil.

• Cardboard – A brown cardboard is more effective when it breaks down and encourages earthworms. This material allows air flow and even penetrates water.

2. Ornamental mulch – This enhances the landscape along pathways and the entire yard. It blends with house colors and decors. Using permeable barrier membranes, wood chip and gravel, this will prevent the sinkage of the soil.

3. Organic Mulch – This is widely used mulch meant for fruit bushes and flowers. It conditions and feeds the soil. It also protects it against drought in the summer and even improves drainage. Some of its properties are as follows:

• Easy to apply with a reasonable price.
• Freely drains and permits good aeration.
• Not too low Nitrogen content.
• Water will not become saturated.

Organic mulch can act as a leaf mold It can be used as a base for composting seeds. By gathering fall leaves inside a bag and leaving it to rot will eventually help add nutrients to the soil. Pine needles and lawn cuttings can retain soil moisture. For “no dig gardening”, farmyard manure is best applied in roses, pumpkins and cucumber among others, especially during the spring or late winter seasons. Other types used include straw, hay, weeds, green tops, and garden composts.

The use of the right gardening tools will satisfy the implementation of organic weed control methods. This will help gardeners maintain and remove weeds with no hassle. Fork tools can also remove underground stems of perennial weeds, without slicing the roots of plants or even damaging crops. While garden claws act as a cultivator of small gardens in order to loosen weeds, the claw can easily use top dressings or fertilizers for repetitive action. For tap roots and disturbed weeds, you can use a Dutch hoe, spade and shovel.

For successful usage of the organic control method, one must aim for a 100% soil coverage and clear off open ground. Regular inspection or an immediate spotting of weeds while young is necessary. Regular mowing is also sufficient. Nothing is safer than using organic method for removing weeds.

Organic Gardening Articles: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com/

Our contemporary lifestyle, crammed schedules and crushing workloads tend to make gardening a threatened pastime. Especially if you have a long commute to and from work, you’ll start whining if your precious time is consumed by running around trying to maintain your garden. Pruning land mowers, pulling out weeds, tilling and fertilizing, trimming grass and sweating away can really sound nightmarish, if you don’t have a proper gardening plan. Done right, gardening isn’t really such a strenuous work and the results you get are worth the efforts. A few restful hours soaking in the beauty of a lovely garden can really lift your spirits and rejuvenate you when you’re stressed out. Not mentioning the joy you get when folks compliment you on its possession. So how do you get about creating your corner of sanctuary in a low maintenance manner? Here are some tips to get you going:

Analysis: The first thing you should do is to logically analyze your existing property. Which area catches your fancy and also requires less care? Which area has a higher weeding problem? Which area is more difficult to mow? You don’t want to run out of breath mowing uphill! Is there any area that requires too much care already? You may need to compromise a bit if your favorite areas require more maintenance than expected. So take notes on your examination and write down the garden activities that you prefer the least, and the ones you enjoy doing the most. We all have our own choices.

Goals: Next comes the goal. What exactly is your goal? Are you planning to have a vegetable garden to provide pesticide-free food for yourself and your family? Or are you planning to have a flower garden just to relax and add to the charm? Or you want both? Perhaps your goal is to increase the value of your property? Perhaps you want to create more privacy by blocking the view with thick plants? Or you want to beam with pride when your friends and neighbors applaud on your skills? Make a note of all your gardening goals.

Planning: Once you’re ready with your goals, you now have to plan it out. Be as realistic as possible, don’t go by emotions and don’t be adamant. Run your imagination and formulate your ideas by drawing it out on paper. Make compromises willingly, not grudgingly. Berry gardens are great but you may make do with some flowery trees. Ditto for a vegetable garden to a salad garden. There are several plants that hardly need any care. You can have a wild flower garden to replace a shade garden. Understand the limitations of your property, your budget and your time. We all have our own dreams, so save them in a little corner of your heart – you never know when they will come true in future!

Tips: First of all, you need to accept that gardening takes its own sweet time. If you try to hurry things up, you will not have anything done at all. Worse, you may end up creating more problems for yourself. So take things slowly, take up one area / job at a time and don’t be over enthusiastic.

Next, begin with plants that are suited to your climate, soil, temperature and moisture in which you are planning to grow them. Else you will end up wasting your time.

Formal hedges can be converted into naturally shaped informally pruned hedges, which require very less maintenance.

If you plan to have a lawn, exclude areas which has too many slopes, surface root interference, and where there are many trees or plants, where trimming around the trunks is difficult. Avoid the fence and low hanging trees where you need to stoop a lot. Also avoid shady areas.

Leaves and grass clippings can be transformed into compost and used as mulch. They can also be burnt but this pollutes the air and is also against the law in some places. Remember to shred the leaves first – this will speed up the compost process.

Organic Gardening Articles: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com/

Ruth Stout, who passed on in 2006 at a grand old age, left behind a rich legacy for gardeners.  Ruth’s study highlighted aspects found in the world of nature, like the presence of a layer of mulch, as well as leaving the ground unbroken (in effect, letting the inhabitants of the soil do the \”turning\”  - earthworms, microbes, and such).  rnrnThrough her observation of various natural settings, followed by strategic implementation of these features, gardening was shown to become more productive, while reducing the work load.  rnrnApplication of organic plant waste material directly onto the soil to a depth of an inch or more generates the following results:rnrnThe bottom layer of mulch will gradually rot into the soil, providing a constant supply of nutrients, while eliminating the need for maintaining a compost pile.rnrn- Moisture retention due to the mulch layer means reduced need for watering  - saving on both resources and labor.Mulch effectively prevents weeds from growing, thus reducing another laborious chore.rnrn- Because of greater nutrient levels, plants can be positioned twice as densely as normally recommended.Even so, those plants will actually produce more than non-mulched plants.  In real terms the combination of denser spacing and higher production means a fourfold increase overall.rnrnIn addition, leaving the soil unbroken saves the laborious task of turning the soil, while the soil’s compactness allows the \”wicking\” action of moisture and nutrients to flow.rnrnI have had the pleasure of proving these results in my own garden, as have countless other practitioners of mulch gardening.  rnrnGardeners and farmers are advised to study the finer points of the system before implementation. See the links below, which expand on this system of applying nature-wisdom for increased productivity while saving on resources and labor.

Josef Graf is the coordinator of Insight21 and Earth Vision - doorways for the 21st Century.

Article Source: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com

Not only do you wait for that great harvest of tomatoes but you may have deer waiting to share your harvest with you. When this is the case you will want to prevent these deer from eating not only your tomato plants but anything that is in your garden. You will not be successful in preventing that deer from coming into your garden and eating dinner unless you have the right products to stop them. There are several products on the market that may interest you with a variety of deer repellents and even deer fencing you will be able to shop and make the best choice in keeping deer out of your tomatoes and your garden.

When trying to keep the deer away from your property you want a safe and effective method to keep the deer away. You will be able to find a product that will not only keep the deer away from your garden but is safe and easy to use. There are many different sprays on the market that will allow you to create a safe zone for your garden. Spraying these products around the perimeter of your garden will keep the deer from having your tomatoes for dinner. When you are using spray products most are safe for humans, other animals, and plants so you will be able to keep your garden and family safe. These sprays are designed to scare the deer away through taste and smell. With bitter tastes and smells that tell the deer predator’s are near by the deer are sure to leave your garden alone.

There are also concentrate mixtures and granular products that can be just as safe and just as effective. You can find one that will allow you to keep the deer away yet let the dogs and children play safely on your property. Some of these products deter more than one animal from coming on your property so make sure the product you choose is exactly what you need. Another thing to be concerned about when you are choosing a product to keep the deer away is the amount of times you will have to reapply the product. This may cut into your time and your budget so checking the frequency of application is important to make sure you get the most effectiveness out of the product.

There are also fences available that will deter deer away from your garden. These fences can provide safe and effective protection against the deer entering your property or certain space. They are easy to use and can be a great benefit in also keeping out other large animals. You can see that you have many options when it comes to deterring deer away from your garden. Whether you need the protection of a fence or a liquid fence you can find what you are looking for. When you want to create a safe perimeter around your property you can with the variety of products that are available. When you find the right product for your deer problem you will be able to enjoy your harvest of tomatoes and vegetables without sharing.

Michael Brown
http://www.critteroff.com
http://www.critteroff.com/deer-repellent

Article Source: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com

If you have ever lived in or driven through one of Canada’s many rural, agriculturally supported towns, it is likely that you have come across the manifestation of a co-operative in some form. The most visible signs of a co-operative, particularly to the traveler, are stores (often including gas stations) that are simply called “Co-op”. If you have ever wondered what this means, read on!

The idea of the Co-operative

You have probably heard the old axiom “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”. People tend to throw ideas like that around as if it were something new, but in fact the tendency for wealth to become concentrated in the hands of a few has always been around. When people insist on working as individuals, they cannot help but water down their potential earning power.

The idea of any co-operative is to start an organization whereby individuals retain power and an equal share of the proceeds of their labour, without the intervention of costly middlemen. There are several different types of co-operatives, but all have the same basic structure.

All are based on democracy and equality; all participating members have the right to a vote and an opinion.

They are legal entities (registered and recognized by governments, with charters much like a business).

Members do not receive dividends on co-operative stock, but rather receive profits (patronage).

The farm co-operative

A farm co-operative is a co-op that is owned by farmers. Usually these farmers produce certain type of product in common (they may farm chickens, grow fruit or wheat, and so on). The different families involved will agree to a certain type of crop and then the co-operative will use its number power to find a market for the goods and sell them.

Often, farm co-operatives find that the ability to work together greatly increases their buying power. Thus, new land acquisitions and mergers are made. One of the most important aspects of the farm co-op is the local store, in which not only is produce sold, but also the co-operative may expand to include the sale of farming necessities with the profit returning to the co-operative.

The idea of the co-operative has allowed many individuals, and farmers in particular, to overcome the specific burdens when it comes to turning a profit on an individual farm. Farm co-operatives have allowed individual farmers to grow and even thrive when more independently minded peers have been forced to shut down.

An online greenhouse supplier is a very convenient way to order your supplies when you are overloaded with your daily chores.

Article Source: http://www.organicgardenarticles.com

Have you ever wondered why organic lawn care is talked about so much at garden centers and lawn care product stores? Or have you wondered why you would want to use organic fertilizer instead of the standard man-made fertilizer?

I wondered that for many years as well, until I started researching the benefits of organic lawn care. Now that I have done my own researched and talked to many different people in the lawn care industry, I will always use organic products on my lawn. And I will do so not only because it is better for the environment, but because in the long-run it is much better for my lawn and will make it so I actually
don’t have to do as much yard work.

Many people think that if they pay someone $400 a year to spread fertilizer and weed killer on their yard that their yard should look great. However, if they do not pay attention to the quality of their soil then they will never have the yard they dream about, and the grass will literally be greener on the other side (i.e. the neighbors yard you always envy).

The soil is the base of your lawn and developing good soil could very well be the most import aspect of a good lawn care system. This is because the roots, or the most important part of your grass, live there. If you do not have healthy roots, then you will not have healthy grass; and, if you do not have healthy soil, then you will not have healthy roots.

Cultivating and developing healthy soil can be a difficult process, but it can be accomplished if you work at it over time. Even though you will have to work hard to develop healthy soil, you won’t have to work as hard after you get there. Good watering habits, good mowing techniques, and good organic lawn care products will help you greatly in both developing your soil and then maintaining your soil afterwards.

Good watering habits and good mowing techniques are what I call obvious factors in a good lawn care program, everyone understands that you need to water and mow your lawn properly in order to have a healthy lawn. However, many people do not understand why using organic products on your lawn is much better than using man made fertilizers and other man made lawn care products.

To explain, remember that while your lawn needs the ingredients found in all fertilizers, that is not all your lawn needs to be healthy. Your lawn also needs microbial macrobial life. Worm and other critters are great for your lawn in producing much needs nutrients for your soil. However, man-made chemical fertilizers usually will deter them, while the organic fertilizer will attract them (no you will not have tons of bugs crawling over your lawn, they will be in your soil where you can’t see them).

Man made fertilizers usually contain a lot of salt, which microbial life does not like at all. While these unnatural fertilizers will make the blades of grass turn green quickly, it will do nothing to cultivate your soil and will actually hurt your soil over time. An organic lawn care program will do the exact opposite for the soil. It will help you cultivate and develop the soil, while also feeding the grass.

In the long-run, using organic products on your lawn will give you the lawn you want and you won’t have to pay the $400 a year for someone to come out and take care of it for you.

Organic gardening is growing and marketing health foods that have not been treated with commercial chemicals. Only natural fertilizers and pest repellents are used to qualify for the higher, health food prices.
The primary equipment for health food growing is to not use the chemical fertilizers or toxic pesticides.  Natural and organically grown foods command higher prices because they cannot easily be mass-produced and generally require more TLC.
Not only are natural foods more expensive, they are mandatory for people who cannot tolerate many of the chemicals commonly used by the majority of growers today. There are also many people today who feel very strongly about chemicals and are willing to pay extra for all natural products.
The organic grower screens pests from the garden, uses insect repelling plants (like marigolds) and natural enemy insects (praying mantis, ladybugs) and natural, nontoxic pesticides to reduce crop damage.
Some organic growers confine their operation to green houses or shade houses, where control is easier.
Natural foods include fresh fruit and vegetables, dried, frozen or canned foods, as well as seeds, powders and juices.
They can be sold through health stores, directly from your garden roadside stands, or to markets in the area. It is also important to note that processed natural foods are equally as much in demand.
When advertising your organically grown produce, be sure to emphasize the “all natural” aspects, which is one of your best selling points.
Setting up to grow health foods is very much like readying a normal garden, except that you take special care to avoid the use of “forbidden” chemicals.
Fertilizers are restricted to barnyard products and natural plant leftovers which can be combined into an excellent (and low cost) garden fertilizer.
In the natural food garden business, you will soon develop a routine to make your own compost almost exclusively from waste products, plant trimmings, and fruit hulls. All plant parts that are not otherwise used (or diseased) are recycled into compost, along with other materials that you have on hand or can buy inexpensively.
The degree of isolation needed for an organic garden depends on its location. If you live in a hot area, consider a shade cloth enclosure to screen insects as well as the direct rays of a hot sun.
Greenhouse enclosures are often used in the more temperate areas where frost is a consideration.
If your garden is in a relatively insect free and not down wind from fields that are sprayed with commercial chemicals, you may need no special considerations other than some of the accepted insect deterring techniques.
Perhaps the most needed assistance for your organic garden will be compost, which is sometimes called (ironically) artificial fertilizer.    The purpose is to fertilize and simultaneously, add humus (decayed animal and plant matter) to your growing medium.
Depending on the needs of your soil, it may be necessary to add specifics to attain the desired composition.
If you cannot test it yourself, take several small samples from different locations in your garden and have them analyzed.
State universities and some large (especially, chain) nurseries will often provide this service at little or no charge. Call your county agriculture agent to find other sources of soil analysis (and remedial actions that may be unique to your area).
In a commercial operation, you will undoubtedly want to generate at least some of your own compost. You should have at least two compost piles so you can be using one while the other is “working.”
One way to build an inexpensive compost box is to make an enclosure of wood and chicken wire, some 3 feet wide, 15 feet long and perhaps 4 feet high.
Use metal or treated for the four corners and re-enforcing posts every 3-4 feet on the sides. There should be no bottom (just bare soil).
Add the compost materials: dry leaves, grass clippings, cotton hulls, straw, fruit peelings, sawdust, vegetables, and manure (clean sacked is fine) in one foot layers.
Kitchen scraps are usually avoided because they give off odors and attract flies, as are any diseased plant parts. Mix in a shovel full of regular garden soil here and there, along with some hybrid earthworms if available.
Between layers, sprinkle well with some 8-8-8 or 5-10-5 commercial fertilizer (about a pound per square foot of compost surface).
This small amount of commercial chemical doesn’t count as a directly applied chemical. It acts as a catalyst to speed the decomposing action.
Keep the compost pile moist and use a fork to turn and stir the material every few days to help foster decomposition. Add more clippings as the pile shrinks (decomposes).
When restarting a compost pile always leave a couple inches of the old compost on the ground to act as “starter”. Depending on the weather and how well you take care of your compost pile, it should be “ready” in 6 to 8 weeks. Of course, if you use heavier products, such as wood that has gone through a compost machine, it will take a little longer.
Tip: If you can’t afford a compost machine, put leaves and other small clippings into a clean metal garbage can and insert your weed-eater. This won’t work with larger pieces, but does fine with the light material.
Another idea is to mount a barrel so it can be turned daily. Have one made with a door and good latch so it can be turned without its contents falling out. The barrel can either be mounted on rollers or have axles welded on each end and fit into receptacles on a sturdy stand.
Organic gardeners learn which insects and garden denizens are helpers and which are “bad news”. Some may look bad but do a lot of good.
Examples are garden snakes that eat mice and insects, spiders and eat insects, wasps that each roach eggs and lay their eggs in insects, dragon flies, and ground beetles and caterpillars.  Other beneficial creatures may be more easily recognized: praying mantis (insects and aphids), ladybugs (aphids, scales, spider mites), bees (pollination), lizards (large quantities of insects), frogs, toads (ditto), pirate bugs (mites, eggs and larvae of other insects), birds (worms, bugs), dragonflies (flies, mosquitoes, etc.).
There are also “organic” pesticides that are used, but one must be very careful not to step over the line to toxic chemicals and lose their “organically grown” label!
As you learn more and more about organic gardening, you will discover many other tricks that work in your area. Some are iron clad rules; others may be debatable, but in the final analysis, what works for you is best for you! Some organic gardeners NEVER plant anything in the same row twice, to reduce the possibility of pests and disease.
For example: Tomatoes are especially sensitive to nematodes (root insects) as well as tomato worms. A crop of tomatoes may be followed by onions of cereal (not regular winter) rye for a winter green fertilizer (turned) under in the spring).
The latter is reputed to kill nematodes which become tangled in the thick rye roots. Many organic gardeners routinely place marigolds and other insect repelling plants between rows and/or 5 castor beans to help repel flies and moles.
By subscribing to a good organic gardening magazine, and trial and error in your particular locale, you will soon become an expert for the products you raise.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/getting-started-in-the-business-of-organic-gardening-534436.html

About the Author:
Louanne welcomes you to visit  http://www.EZ-Gardening-Tips.com  for a large data base of extremely helpful gardening articles and gardening resources.

Organic gardening is a skill that most people should learn. In these dire times, pesticides and chemicals have poisons the very ground that crops are grown in, learning to grow your own food at home is probably one of the wisest decisions that anyone could make. However, before making the leap into the organic gardening arena, there are a few supplies that you need to get before you can begin to grow your own food. Here are a few tips on what you need before planting season begins.

If you are a regular gardener, or an organic gardener, most of the needed supplies needed are relatively the same. Everyone needs a hoe, pail, shovel, and a hose to get water to your crops. Themain difference is that most organic gardeners will not be at the local hardware store purchasing weed killer or other pesticides or herbicides in order to take care of their garden quickly and easily.

Most organic gardeners know that by using these types of products, you can affect your food in a detrimental way and you can end up eating many of these poisons which become part of the food you are ingesting. You have to ask yourself if you would actually drink the poison that you are spraying on the plants. If not, then why would you want to eat it alter when it has become part of the plant you are about to eat!? The answer is that you wouldn’t and that by taking a time out, looking at a game plan, and deciding what to do way in advance, you are ensuring your success with your crops now and in the future.

You will also notice an overall shrinkage to the crops and the yields will be lower. Of course, if you are an organic gardener, you will be subject to the same things that all other gardeners will face. You must simply take care of them in a different way which will allow you to create a better tasting, and better for you, line up on your kitchen table.

Typically, an organic gardener, or any gardener for that matter, you will need some kind of a shovel with a spading fork by which to dig into the soil to begin to prepare it for planting. A pair of gloves is also necessary so that you can begin to take the weeds and the rocks out to of your soil, sometimes even with the help of a hoe or a pry bar to dig up even the toughest stones invented in your ground.

Once your soil is ready, and you have properly prepared additional product for your soil such as compost or worm castings, it is time to mix your soil with the organic fertilizers and do so in about a month in advance. This will allow the compost to break down further and will allow a proper mixing of the compost with the soil to make it even more healthy for the seeds to grow in.

Organic gardening supplies can be purchased at virtually any store. The supplies you will need as far as tools are basically the same as those needed by conventional gardeners. What you will need that is different are the composting additions that are typically bypassed by ordinary gardeners that will use pesticides and chemicals to protect their crops from on coming pests.

One might wonder why there are so many pests in the world. Most every insect or plant has some sort of purpose which has to do with the natural equilibrium of the area where they are located. If these insects are killed off, this causes an imbalance that cannot be replaced except over time.

This is why using strategies that are involved in the organic field, you will need to find an organic gardening supply store that can help you get all of the tools that you will need in order to make your endeavor a success.

Timing is everything, therefore get your supply list going for your organic gardening needs. Planning too late will lead to a lack of preparedness for event that may arise that will literally kill your crops overnight. So be forewarned and take the time a few months in advance so you are ready for any organic gardening problem, no matter what it is or when it arises.

If you have not created one yet, you will need to box in an area for your composting pile or even an area for your works so that you can create your own worm castings. By doing these things in advance, you will be prepared as you begin to get ready to plant your organic garden. Organic gardening supply tips can also be found by consulting local neighbors that also grow organically.