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Organic gardening refers to gardening techniques that do not use chemical pesticides, fertilizers or other additives. Instead, organic gardening relies on plant-derived means to control pests and amend the soil for optimum production. Instead of using fertilizer with chemical additives, for example, someone interested in organic gardening would use compost or manure from organically raised animals to improve the condition of their soil. The main difference between organic gardening and more conventional methods is in pest control. While conventional gardeners use all manner of pesticides to control insects, grubs and other undesirables in the garden, organic gardeners use natural methods.
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WHATIS ORGANIC GARDENING?
Organicgardeningreferstogardeningtechniquesthatdonot usechemicalpesticides, fertilizersorotheradditives. Instead, organicgardeningreliesonplant-derivedmeanstocontrolpests andamendthesoilforoptimumproduction. Insteadofusing fertilizerwithchemicaladditives, forexample, someone interestedinorganicgardeningwouldusecompostormanure fromorganicallyraisedanimalstoimprovetheconditionoftheir soil. Themaindifferencebetweenorganicgardeningandmore conventionalmethodsisinpestcontrol. Whileconventional gardenersuseallmannerofpesticidestocontrolinsects, grubs andotherundesirablesinthegarden, organicgardenersuse naturalmethods.
Cayennepepper, garlicandonion concoctionsareoftenusedinorganic gardeningtowardoffunwantedpests. Pyrethrum, aninsecticidemadefrom compoundsfoundinanAfrican chrysanthemum, iseffectiveat controllingaphidsandmites. Insecticidalsoap, orevenjustplainold soapandwatersprayedonplants, can alsocontrolbugs. Someorganic gardenersprefertoremovepestsby handfromthegarden, ortouse beneficialinsectssuchasladybugsand greenlacewings, toeatthosebugsthat aren’twelcomeinthegarden.
Somepeoplechooseorganicgardeningbecausetheydon’tliketheideaofSomepeoplechooseorganicgardeningbecausetheydon’tliketheideaof addingpotentiallyunhealthychemicalstotheplanet. Othersprefer organicmethodsbecausetheywishtoprotectchildrenorpetsfrom pesticides, orbecausetheywantthefreedomofbeingabletosafelyeat producestraightfromthegarden. Organicgardeningmethodssupportthe planetbyimprovingsoil, whichcanhelpplantstogrowhealthierand producemorefruit. Addingorganicmattertothesoilmakesthewhole gardenpatchhealthier, asopposedtoaddingchemicalfertilizerto individualplants, whichcanburntheplantsifnotappliedcarefully.
S i m p l y s p r e a d i n g a n i n c h o r t w o o f c o m p o s t o r w e l l - r o t t e d a n i m a l m a n u r e o n t o y o u r g a r d e n p a t c h a n d d i g g i n g i t i n t o t h e d i r t i s a l l t h e f e r t i l i z i n g y o u w i l l n e e d t o d o f o r o r g a n i c g a r d e n i n g . Y o u c a n a l s o u s e l i q u i d f e r t i l i z e r m a d e o f k e l p t o g i v e p l a n t s a n e x t r a b o o s t o f n u t r i e n t s i f n e e d e d .
Anotherhallmarkoforganic gardeningiscompanion planting. Plantingcertain plantstogethercanbe beneficial. Theclassic exampleofcompanion plantingisthe “three sisters,” corn, squashand beans, whichwere traditionallyplanted togetherbytheIroquois. The nitrogenfromthebeans improvesthesoilforthe corn, whichservesasapole forthebeanstogrowon. Thesquashgrowslowtothe ground, providingshadefor therootsoftheotherplants, holdinginwaterand preventingweeds.
ArticleSource: www.wisegeek.com ImageSource: pipmagazine.com.au
