ORGANIC GARDENING

Organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Organic gardening is based on a system that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides, fertilizers, and growth stimulants. Simply, organic gardening is gardening without synthetic chemicals. The benefits include healthier products which contain higher levels of nutrients and may taste better. Organic gardening reduces health risks from exposure to chemicals that have been linked to several diseases and helps to eliminate pollution of water resources, build healthy soils and respect the balance of a healthy ecosystem.

Add these to your gardener’s toolkit if you are contemplating a switch to organic gardening:

GARLIC – Fresh garlic combined with mineral oil and liquid dish soap is an effective pest control product, however this combination is not selective and will also affect beneficial insects so be careful where and when you apply it. While garlic is safe for humans, when combined with oil & soap, the mixture can cause leaf injury on sensitive plants. Always test the lower leaves of plants first to make sure they aren't affected. Add 3oz of finely chopped garlic to 2 tsp mineral oil and let sit 24 hrs, then add 1 pint of water and 1/4oz liquid dish soap to form a concentrate. Strain into a glass jar for storage. To use: combine 1-2 Tbs with 1 pint of water in a spray bottle.

 

MILK – Milk is an excellent fungal control for powdery mildew on a variety of different plants and black spot on roses in the heat of summer. Any type of milk can be used from whole milk to powder, however, the low fat gives off less odor. Mix 1 part milk to 9 parts water and apply every 5-7 days for at least 3 applications.

 

BEER – Slugs are attracted to the chemicals given off by the fermentation process. To create a slug trap, put 1-2 inches of beer in small plastic containers throughout your garden since the range is only a few feet. The rims should be at least 1” above the soil surface to eliminate drowning ground beetles which are important slug controllers. You will need to empty and replace these every other night!

NEWSPAPER – Weeds are hard to control organically without pulling each one out! Boiling water can be poured on small clusters, but in larger areas the best way is to smother weeds using sheet mulching with newspaper printed with soy-based inks which will degrade naturally and over time add carbon to the soil. Place the newspaper at least 4-6 sheets thick over your weeds and to look better, it may be covered with compost or bark mulch which is free of weed seeds. This is most effective in the fall since it takes at least a month to kill most weeds. In spring, the weeds are dead, the mulch has degraded and the soil is great to work with.

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,
the world and all who live in it”
Psalm 24:1