In this era of global warming on our planet, increased pollution and fast food, many people no longer trust the fresh products that are offered, as many try to exercise some control over what they eat.
Likewise, chemicals that have been used for so long in gardens are no longer accepted as the only means of channeling nature’s vicissitudes.
One of the main ways to improve our environment (and our health) is to be organic. ”
Why organic gardening?
Organic gardening is one that uses only natural materials and does not use artificial fertilizers or chemicals.
Try to work with nature instead of against it.
Advantage
Organically grown foods taste better than those grown with artificial fertilizers.
Costs: organic material can be created by returning all waste back to the earth, which is an inexpensive process compared to inorganics, which tend to be much more expensive in the long run.
The same is true with chemical sprays. If an orchard is created where parasites do not prove a problem, you save a lot on the cost of chemicals.
Another advantage is that when adding organic material to the Earth, it gets better and better, and ultimately, the release of chemicals impoverishes the soil.
The fruit sizes of an organic garden are generally larger and of higher quality.
Tips for planning an organic garden
The first step when planning a garden is to make a list of what you want from it, imagine what you can achieve within the space and time available.
After determining priorities, it is time to locate or organize the space available in the garden.
Some areas will be sunnier, others will have better land or soil, some places will be much more humid, and so on.
To cultivate a good garden you must look for the best position in relation to the sun and air.
If weeds grow better in one part than in another, it could mean that the land is better there. Observe areas that have sun all day or just part of the day.
Caring for the Earth
The soil is the most important part of your garden, the composition of the soil varies, so be aware of this variation.
Sandy soils are very light and friable and drain easily.
The clay is formed by fine particles that come together creating the characteristic viscosity of the clay. The clay drains very slowly, so the clay soils create a humid and slippery environment in which few plants are comfortable. Sticky, dry soil is also very difficult to work with.
Between these two types, clayey and sandy soils can be improved simply by adding fertile vegetation cover.
A soil can be acidic or alkaline. The relative acidity / alkalinity of the soil pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14, where 7 is neutral.
For the best organic garden soil, it should be on the acidic side of the neutral point, at point 6.5. Below that, the soil is very acidic and will not allow some minerals that plants need.
But clayey, sandy, alkaline or acidic soils can be modified.
Another consideration of the soil structure is its profile. generally, in a garden, the topsoil contains the best soil. The layer below is known as groundwater. And below that is the real underground.
It is essential to keep these layers in place.
Identification of earth layers
Superficial layer: it is the darkest and richest part of the garden profile. It is where plants grow mainly and also where most worms, bacteria and insects reside, many of them beneficial for plant growth.
Finally, we must consider the area of hardness that can occur between the different layers of the soil. This is a correctable problem if it is not known in advance. If it is not correct, it can compromise the digging depth.
Soil analysis
To find out if your garden soil is clayey or sandy, place a sample of it in a jar of water and shake it, let the different components settle in layers and any organic material will float to the top.
For its ability to retain or lose water, dig a hole in the depth of a shovel and fill it with water. Let it drain and refill the hole. If that water disappears quickly, it means that the soil also drains well. On the other hand, if you are still there after a few hours or even days, it is clear that it is blocked at the opposite end.
If it disappears regularly in about half an hour, its use and capacity are correct.
There are several natural indicators of acidity or alkalinity of your soil. For example, if ferns are rowing in your garden or rhododendrons, it means that the soil is acidic.
Improve the land
After analyzing the soil, only then will it be possible to see what can be done to improve it.
On light soils, like sandy, it is better to add decomposed organic matter, this will help retain moisture and also provide nutrients for plants.
Clay soils are more problematic to deal with, especially as they are hard and difficult to work with. To improve it, stones should be placed (gravel), as it improves drainage, separates the soil and facilitates the work.
You can also add burnt weeds with ashes, organic matter in the form of manure or poultry manure also help to transform the soil into a lighter medium. The worms will constantly break it and mix with the soil, they will cover most of the new layer so that the original soil becomes fertile and usable again.
Sewerage
Drainage is an important part of improving soil. In the wetland you can add gravel, but if it is a serious problem with stagnant water after each shower, you must install a suitable drainage system.
This is done by digging ditches in the form of drain pipes.
Cover with small stones or simply fill ditches with covered gravel.
An alternative is to use water to create a lake and install water drain pipes.
Gardening is not just planting seeds and then sitting and waiting for the harvest. Between these two events, weeds try to colonize the bare soil and plantation-eating bugs look for these succulent plants.
The gardener’s job is to prevent this from happening.
For some, weeding and weeding can be very relaxing and, not to mention, therapeutic. When weed control or soil balance is lost, gardening becomes a battle.
The secret is “small and frequent”. If time allows, dedicate an hour a day.
Another obstacle will be nature, which tends to hinder the gardener with occasional bad weather.
You can take steps to minimize its effect:
Wind
It creates several problems. First, the wind can easily knock down the entire garden bed.
Windbreaks are something to consider when building any garden, although it may not be essential if you live in an urban area where buildings protect from the wind, but in rural areas it can be vital.
The best windbreaks are those that allow air to pass. Although a wall or fence looks solid and looks the best against strong winds, they actually cause a lot of turbulence that can be as devastating as the wind itself.
A row of trees allows the wind to pass naturally.
A much quicker solution is to build a fence to allow the wind to pass through it. It can be made of wood or bamboo.
A modern alternative is the use of screens, sold especially for this purpose. this type of wind protection must be firmly anchored to the ground and needs to be renewed or replaced from time to time.
A hedge creates a perfect barrier, reducing the speed of the wind, causing it to infiltrate in a moderate flow.
Cold
The cold is not bad in winter. It helps to break and kill the insects that have appeared. But when spring starts and you start planting, frost can be a killer or at least an obstacle.
The gaps can be covered with metal or fabric, place a fence or hedge at an angle across the slope above the frost hole so that cold air is deflected to one side and gone elsewhere. A row of shrubs or an upward curve also deflects the frost from the cold air.
It is always advisable to have a flower garden close to a vegetable field. In some cases, it may even help to mix the two.
An alternative preferred by many organic gardeners is to create a series of raised beds, each with one or more types of vegetables, planted in blocks instead of in rows.
Some plants grow best in containers or trays to plant later.
It is best to plant on cold days, preferably if there is a possibility of light rain. Moisture and cold help the plant to survive.