Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
UNDERSTANDING HEALTHY SOIL AND ORGANIC
GARDENING
ORGANIC GARDENING
At Peterson Garden Project, we are proponents of organic gardening and teach only this method. If your
garden isn't organic, it isn't the end of the world (and we'll still love you), but I would encourage you
to consider organic methods for your garden if your situation allows.
So what exactly is organic gardening? It's a practice that supports the long-term health of soil,
plants, ecosystems, and people. It means working with nature, conserving garden resources, and pro-
moting biodiversity, or variety, in all forms of life—plants, animals, and microorganisms. The more
variety and the healthier the ecosystem, the greater the garden's chances of success.
Organic gardening means you do not use any synthetic chemicals or fertilizers. You also use non-
toxic prevention methods with pests and diseases. Using chemical pesticides kills all bugs—good and
bad. An organic garden works to encourage beneficial insects, which in turn prey on the bad bugs.
Chemicals in the garden prevent this from happening. There is also an ongoing concern about the long-
term effects on humans from exposure to chemicals.
Good soil is the foundation of a healthy garden, and the care of the soil is the most important job
for an organic gardener. If this is your first year with your new food garden, you will most likely be in
good shape with healthy, fresh soil. But, moving forward, it is important for your gardeners to know
that the less they tinker with the soil, the more fertile it will be. Millions of organisms, such as earth-
worms, fungi, algae, and microscopic bacteria are at work in healthy soil, creating, storing, and dis-
tributing essential nutrients. Your gardeners can protect and help nurture these creatures by minimiz-
ing soil disturbances. Many gardeners, especially in the spring, get excited and want to turn the soil.
Avoid this—especially in raised beds—as it can disrupt the complex, balanced ecosystem that's already
in place, resulting in soil degradation. Also, discourage your gardeners from walking on the soil, which
will compact and collapse air pockets needed to move water and oxygen to plants.
COMPOST
To build and maintain healthy soil after your first year, you'll need to add organic matter on a regular
basis. Compost is organic matter also known as black gold, made up of vegetable scraps, yard waste,
and manure that has decomposed over a period of weeks or months, breaking down into a crumbly soil-
like texture. Adding compost to the soil replenishes nutrients, improves the soil's ability to hold air and
