Great Green Home Additions: Organic Gardens

Make your green home even more eco-friendly by planting an organic garden. Growing organic fruits and vegetables benefits both you and the environment as you replace manufactured pesticides and fertilizers with inexpensive natural products.

Compost Bin

Every garden requires healthy and nutrient-rich soil in order to thrive. Your first step for a healthy garden is to a compost pile or worm bin. The compost pile will transform food scraps and yard waste into an organic fertilizer and soil additive. Compost piles are easy to construct and maintain.

1. An average compost container is at least 3 feet deep and about 5 feet long and wide. Buy or construct a container and place it near your garden.
2. Coat the container with a thick barrier to prevent leakage. Black plastic pond liner works well.
3. Fill your compost bin with all your organic waste: food scraps, grass clippings, manure and yard waste. Do not, however, add dog or cat manure.
4. Add worms, snails or other decomposers to your compost bin to speed up the process.
5. Fold and mix your compost bin at least once a month to ensure oxygen circulation.

Note that a compost bin requires several months before it is suitable for use in the garden, but don't worry: there are several organic alternatives you can use in the meantime. Once a you establish a functioning compost bin, you will have an inexpensive and sustainable way to fertilize your garden.

Gardening Mix

To begin your garden, you can either purchase an organic gardening mix at your local nursery or make your own. Generally, the following recipe is acceptable for most plants:

• One part compost
• One part humus
• One part sand
• One part top soil

Cover your garden plot with least 6 inches of the mix. Then you are ready to sewi seeds or plant seedlings.

Organic Fertilizers

Fertilizer should be added every other time you water your garden—about once a week, depending on weather. The following are great organic fertilizers:

• Worm Castings: Worm castings have a neutral pH and are suitable for all plants. Your local nursery will tell you how much to use depending on the size of your garden and which plants you are growing.
• Compost: A thin layer of compost can be added to your topsoil every other time you water.
• Coffee grounds: Used coffee grounds are an excellent natural fertilizer and can be added directly to your plants or compost bin.

Pests

There are numerous organic pesticides to control this inevitable problem. Know which type of pest you are dealing with before you select any type of organic pesticide.

• Neem Oil -works against leaf-chewing pests.
• Insecticidal Soap - suitable for use against soft-bodied pests, including aphids and spider mites.
• Rotenone - available in powder or liquid form and used as a broad-spectrum insecticide.
• Diatomaceous Earth - a dry, powdery substance derived from the shells of marine organisms used to detour and kill crawling pests, such as pill bugs, ants and cockroaches.

Organic gardening yields vigorous crops and contributes to an overall healthy environment. By implementing organic practices in your garden, you can ensure that your plants are naturally healthy and strong.