Go Green with an Organic Garden

Jul 29
08:03

2010

Steve Kander

Steve Kander

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How to your own organic fertilizer.

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Have you considered growing an organic garden? If you’re like many homeowners,Go Green with an Organic Garden  Articles you have concerns about the chemicals you use daily. Preserving our plants and protecting are bodies can be as simple as growing an organic garden. With so many effective organic fertilizers and pesticides, you can easily protect your plants, the environment and yourself.

 

Bad Chemical Fertilizers

What are the problems with chemical fertilizers? Most chemical fertilizers provide a rapid release of nutrients that’s short-lived. Your plants will experience a growth spurt, then the nutrients fizzle out. This uneven growth can lower the yield and quality of your harvest. The chemicals in the fertilizer can leach deep into the soil when there’s a hard rain, thus making them inaccessible to the plant’s roots and possibly polluting the groundwater. Chemical fertilizers broadcast a salty environment, which is damaging to soil. In addition, chemical fertilizers can be harmful to the soil’s microorganisms, such as earthworms.

 

Why We Love Organic Fertilizers

Organic fertilizers improve your soil by allowing it to retain nutrients and moisture better. Organic fertilizers are added to the soil. As microorganisms break them down, the nutrients are released which feed your plants. Since this decomposition occurs slowly, your garden is nourished slowly and steadily. You never have to worry about overfertilizing your plants and burning them, which often occurs with chemical fertilizers. Plus, organic fertilizers ensure the long-term fertility of your soil by stimulating the growth of microorganisms. Since organic fertilizers are all-natural, they are safer to use around your children, pets, and family. Going organic is the natural solution.

 

Making your own Organic Fertilizer

Of all the recipes that I’ve tried, this is the organic fertilizer mix that works best for my garden. Since the basic composition of soil varies from region to region, some experimentation might be necessary for you to find the combination that works best. These ingredients can be bought at your local farm supply and feed store. If kept dry, the organic fertilizer you mix today should be good for a few years. Want a great organic fertilizer for your lawn without the trouble of making you own? Ringer Lawn Restore is the perfect choice. It feeds your turf the appropriate mix of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, releasing nutrients only when the conditions are right.

 

 

Organic Fertilizer Mix

4 parts seed meal

1 part dolomite lime

½ part kelp meal

½ part bone meal

½ part rock phosphate or high-phosphate guano

 

Make Your Own Organic Compost

Recycle your grass clippings and yard debris to make your own compost. With an organic compost starter, you can be composting in no time, thanks to the specifically designed microorganisms that rapidly and efficiently start the process of decomposition.

 

Fertilizing with Your Organic Fertilizer

Knowing when to apply an organic fertilizer will depend on where you live and how early spring has sprung. Three weeks prior to planting your garden is the best time to add organic fertilizer, manure and compost to your soil. Your local lawn and garden store can advise you when the time is right.

 

Let’s consider a garden that’s 100 square foot. You will want to add from ¼” to ½” of compost or manure plus 5 quarts of organic fertilizer mix. Then till the soil to distribute the additives evenly. This involves digging down the length of the shovel, lifting, and turning the dirt over. This loosens the soil and prepares the area for planting. After your garden is in the ground, you can add small amounts of organic fertilizer every few weeks to the individual plants as needed.

 

Controlling Pests in Your Organic Garden

With organic fertilizer and compost, your garden is off to an excellent “green” start. You’ve come too far to resort to a chemical pesticide, so be prepared to defend against bugs with an organic insect killer. These products break down naturally into elements that are beneficial to plants and the environment. Look for an organic tomato and vegetable insect killer that’s all-natural with no synthetic or man-made chemicals. Be sure to check for the Organic Materials Review Institute-listed®(OMRI) and USDA-approved National Organic Program seals, because these are the only products approved for organic gardening. The most effective insect killers have the ingredients Pyrethrins and potassium, and kills a variety of insects, including caterpillars, aphids, bean beetles, tomato hornworms, asparagus beetles, and leaf hoppers.

 

You deserve a bountiful garden free from chemical pesticides. With the right organic fertilizers and pesticides, you can enjoy the true tastes of your produce. Good luck and happy gardening!