How to Grow Organic Food & Herbs
- 1). Designate an area within the garden or close by for building a compost heap or installing a compost bin. Continually add shredded organic yard and garden waste to the heap along with kitchen scraps. Do not add meat or non-organic waste to the heap.
- 2). Prepare the soil for planting two to three weeks before adding seedlings or seeds. Turn the soil, digging down approximately 4 inches. Dig in approximately 2 inches of organic compost and rake the surface smooth. Lightly water the soil every morning, but do not "flood" it. Check for areas with slow drainage and add enough compost to loosen the soil so it drains properly.
- 3). Avoid grouping plants to reduce the risk of spreading disease. For example, place cucumber plants throughout the garden. If one cucumber plant contracts mosaic virus, you can control the spread of the disease.
- 4). Use companion planting to aid in pest and disease control. Place onion chive plantings near tomato plants to prevent aphids. Use thyme to control whitefly; plant this herb near tomatoes, cucumbers and squash. Use rosemary and lemon balm to attract beneficial insects for pollination and pest control. Rosemary, for example, attracts ladybugs, a predatory insect that devours aphids.
- 5). Study companion planting methods to properly arrange your garden according the food plants and herbs you wish to grow.
- 6). Plant organic seeds and organically grown seedlings in your garden according to your plan. The soil should contain all the nutrients necessary for your seeds to germinate and your seedlings to take root.
- 7). Water the garden according to need. In early spring, for example, less water is required. As the plants mature and the weather warms, adjust the watering to maintain soil and plant health.
- 8). Add a side dressing of finished compost from your compost bin to the vegetable plants as they begin to flower. Spread approximately one-half to 1-inch layer of compost 1 to 2 inches from the plant base, ringing each plant with compost. the ompost around each plant. Lightly dig the compost into the surface, disturbing the soil as little as possible.
- 9). Inspect plants every morning and evening for pests or signs of disease. If necessary, use natural based pesticides and fungicides for pest and disease control. To maintain an organic garden, any product used must be non-toxic to humans and contain no synthetic chemicals. Pesticides should target only pests, not beneficial insects such as bees, wasps or ladybugs.
- 10
Hand-pull weeds and use organic mulch for weed control in the soil. Continue to add finished compost to the soil each growing season, and rotate plants to avoid nutrient depletion.
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