A Basic Organic Growing Plan

Organic food may not always look as appealing as that produced with chemicals, pesticides and fungicides. That juicy, shiny apple in the supermarket or fresh food market is very enticing, but that's usually because it's been coated with wax or artificial colouring. Often the best looking fruit will be soft and dry inside.

If you have a vegetable garden but are not inclined to use pesticides or fertilizers, left to its own devices, your garden will not flourish. But if you want to start an organic garden you'll need to learn some of the basics of the art of producing organic fruit and vegetables at home.

Organic Fruit

To get the right mind-set you'll need to be vigilant about recycling material that will turn into good compost, and then begin to take note of the garden dynamics, what the garden needs, what works and what doesn't, and how mistakes can be corrected.

Decomposing organic material is the basis of organic gardening. The soil must be cared for to the point where it retains moisture and is fertile enough to feed plants and help them to resist disease.

The simplest garden plan

It's a good idea before you start to work out just how much effort you are intending to put into your garden, and then begin to plan. Start by working out the size and shapes of your intended plants, which plants will grow tallest, where heavy growth will block the air and sunlight, what plants will need light from a certain direction.

Some gardeners like to work in a living jungle; others prefer regular rows with lots of space between the plants. Closer planting is also closer to nature. Imagine a rainforest where plants spring up under the protection of taller species, filling every available niche.

If you are new to gardening and want to see results without too much preparation, this simple method seems specially designed for the lazy gardener.

1. Mow the ground first to cut down grass or weeds.

2. Add a thick layer of mulch, at least 100cm (approx. 3ft) wide.

3. Add a sprinkling of dry chicken manure or blood and bone fertilizer.

4. Water it all in.

5. Make a space in the mulch just large enough to plant the seedlings.

6. Feed the seedlings with liquid manure for about three weeks.

7. Pull out small weeds as they appear.

Plants may seem slow to take off, but eventually they catch up with those planted using more conventional methods.

Nothing could be easier than this method if you have space and can get a good quantity of mulch. I like sugar cane mulch, but there are many other suitable varieties available.

A Basic Organic Growing Plan

Janet Hall likes to promote organic gardening as a way of life. She believes that anyone can grow a good supply of food even with limited space. Visit her site to get started building your own organic garden, or take the mini-course at Organic Garden Guide to learn more and discover many great resources.

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