Organic Gardening Guru|Tips For Those Growing Their Own Food Organically
Mar
08
asked:
As summer approaches it is wonderful to be able to relax and enjoy the garden, but there is also a lot to be done in the organic vegetable garden at this time of year.
Weeding
Late spring and early summer is the peak growing time for most plants, including weeds. Being natural wild plants they will grow strong healthy roots very quickly. Don’t let them get the upper hand or they will steal the precious water and nutrients that your growing vegetables need. Hoe twice a week for optimum weed control.
If you get to know your weeds, you may find that you can add some of them to your salad bowl instead of throwing them straight into the compost. For a few dollars you can buy a book of edible wild plants native to your state or country that will help you identify them. Perhaps you will even decide to let some of your tastiest weeds live and seed.
Sowing And Planting Out
Depending on your climate you may still be sowing carrots, cabbage and broccoli for later harvests. Plant out any remaining zucchini, pumpkins, squash and beans.
As summer approaches it is wonderful to be able to relax and enjoy the garden, but there is also a lot to be done in the organic vegetable garden at this time of year.
Weeding
Late spring and early summer is the peak growing time for most plants, including weeds. Being natural wild plants they will grow strong healthy roots very quickly. Don’t let them get the upper hand or they will steal the precious water and nutrients that your growing vegetables need. Hoe twice a week for optimum weed control.
If you get to know your weeds, you may find that you can add some of them to your salad bowl instead of throwing them straight into the compost. For a few dollars you can buy a book of edible wild plants native to your state or country that will help you identify them. Perhaps you will even decide to let some of your tastiest weeds live and seed.
Sowing And Planting Out
Depending on your climate you may still be sowing carrots, cabbage and broccoli for later harvests. Plant out any remaining zucchini, pumpkins, squash and beans.
Dec
04
asked:
If you love gardening, you may want to consider getting into organic market gardening on a commercial basis. This can be a way to earn a little money from your hobby, or it can become a full scale business. How far you want to go depends entirely on you. Leave your options as open as you can: your goals are very likely to change and widen as your small gardening business develops.
In the beginning you will be influenced by how much land you have, or how much start up capital you can invest to buy or rent land. However, this does not have to restrict you in the longer term. You could go into business with others, perhaps finding a partner who has land but does not have your organic gardening knowledge and skills.
Most market gardeners produce food crops but you may want to include some flowering plants for either outdoor or indoor cultivation. You can also sell organic seeds from your plants. Always be open to more ways like these of increasing your output and your business without extra investment of time or money.
There are a few factors that you will need to consider when you are moving from producing food for your family and friends to selling it commercially.
Is It Organic Under Your Local Laws?
The legal requirements for organic certification and labelling are complex and vary in different jurisdictions. Take advice from your local farmers’ association or better business bureau on the laws as they apply to you.
You may find that you cannot use the term ‘organic’ without a history of soil analysis going back several years, or because of pesticide use on nearby land. In this situation, do not give up. You can find another way to describe your products until you can get certified. Something like ‘Grown without pesticides’ can be a good description for semi-organic food.
If you love gardening, you may want to consider getting into organic market gardening on a commercial basis. This can be a way to earn a little money from your hobby, or it can become a full scale business. How far you want to go depends entirely on you. Leave your options as open as you can: your goals are very likely to change and widen as your small gardening business develops.
In the beginning you will be influenced by how much land you have, or how much start up capital you can invest to buy or rent land. However, this does not have to restrict you in the longer term. You could go into business with others, perhaps finding a partner who has land but does not have your organic gardening knowledge and skills.
Most market gardeners produce food crops but you may want to include some flowering plants for either outdoor or indoor cultivation. You can also sell organic seeds from your plants. Always be open to more ways like these of increasing your output and your business without extra investment of time or money.
There are a few factors that you will need to consider when you are moving from producing food for your family and friends to selling it commercially.
Is It Organic Under Your Local Laws?
The legal requirements for organic certification and labelling are complex and vary in different jurisdictions. Take advice from your local farmers’ association or better business bureau on the laws as they apply to you.
You may find that you cannot use the term ‘organic’ without a history of soil analysis going back several years, or because of pesticide use on nearby land. In this situation, do not give up. You can find another way to describe your products until you can get certified. Something like ‘Grown without pesticides’ can be a good description for semi-organic food.
Nov
14
asked:
Organic herbicides can be used in organic gardening and farming to weaken or kill unwanted plants, otherwise known as weeds.
Selective herbicides are used to manage weeds that are either growing in between rows of crops, or to kill moss and weeds in lawns. Non-selective herbicides are used in areas where no plants are wanted, such as a gravel path. They may also be used to destroy remains of plants after a crop has finished.
Most organic herbicides are non-selective, i.e. they destroy all plants, without leaving residues in the soil that would prevent another crop from being grown in the next season. Generally they will also not harm the worms, beneficial bacteria and fungi that are a vital part of the life of the soil. Many non-organic weed killers will harm these forms of life and therefore weaken the growing power of the land.
Although technically speaking an organic herbicide could be any weed killer that includes carbon, which is almost all of them, these days the term has come to mean herbicides that are approved for use on organic land. This can vary in different jurisdictions so if organic certification is important to you (for example if you are selling your produce as organic) you will need to check with the appropriate state agency.
Organic herbicides can be used in organic gardening and farming to weaken or kill unwanted plants, otherwise known as weeds.
Selective herbicides are used to manage weeds that are either growing in between rows of crops, or to kill moss and weeds in lawns. Non-selective herbicides are used in areas where no plants are wanted, such as a gravel path. They may also be used to destroy remains of plants after a crop has finished.
Most organic herbicides are non-selective, i.e. they destroy all plants, without leaving residues in the soil that would prevent another crop from being grown in the next season. Generally they will also not harm the worms, beneficial bacteria and fungi that are a vital part of the life of the soil. Many non-organic weed killers will harm these forms of life and therefore weaken the growing power of the land.
Although technically speaking an organic herbicide could be any weed killer that includes carbon, which is almost all of them, these days the term has come to mean herbicides that are approved for use on organic land. This can vary in different jurisdictions so if organic certification is important to you (for example if you are selling your produce as organic) you will need to check with the appropriate state agency.
