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Plant an Organic Garden for Delicious, Healthy Vegetables

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Written by Sarah Duke

Sunday, 25 May 2008

by SarahDuke

Many people know about the benefits of eating organic fruit and vegetables. However, not many people regularly eat organic food. The biggest disincentive is usually the price. Organic veggies are invariably a lot more expensive at the local supermarket.

The refreshing news is that anyone with a modest vegetable plot can cultivate fresh organic vegetables. And they can achieve this at a much lower cost than buying them in a grocery store!

Nevertheless, some people avoid growing their own vegetables because they are running short on space, time and the know-how to tend a successful veggie patch. However, organic gardening isn't as difficult as many people think.

Are you wondering what an organic garden is? Most gardeners describe organic gardening as simply avoiding the use of anything chemical or artificial as fertilizer and insect control. They instead use natural materials and methods to maintain the health of the soil and the food, as well as their own.

Why is organic gardening such a good thing? Organic gardeners will tell you that the quality of the vegetable is nutritionally superior to anything you can get in the supermarket because the soils are kept nutrient-rich with natural materials. Not depleted and artificially fertilized. And the flavor is amazing.

With an organic garden, you will have the peace of mind of knowing that your food is truly free of harmful chemical toxins. There is also the added satisfaction of doing the work, and harvesting your own crop. Just think of the fresh air you'll enjoy, as well as the healthy benefits of exercising while you take care of your garden.

One important method used in organic gardening is mulching. This involves regularly incorporating old organic matter into the soil, which helps it retain more moisture, suppresses weeds, and reduces the fluctuation of temperature. Soil that has been mulched is also less likely to form a hard crust. Many gardeners have also discovered that they have fewer problems with plant disease when they mulch.

The biggest reason to grow your own organic vegetables is avoiding the use of commercial pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals. This helps you keep your soil healthy, not just for one growing season, but for many, and it makes sure that you can feed yourself and your family pesticide free foods that are better for your health.

While avoiding synthetic chemicals, many organic gardeners approve of and use sprays and other preparations containing naturally occurring materials. Other pest control methods include the use of mechanical devices such as traps. Another favorite is to encourage other animals into the garden which like to eat the pests.

You never know, if the prices of organic produce remain high and concerns about food safety grow you might be able to convert that backyard vegetable patch into an income earner as well. For those less entrepreneurial, there is the opportunity to work on projects, such as neighborhood food growing, in order to benefit the whole community.

At the very least, home grown, organic vegetables definitely taste better.

About the Author:

Sarah Duke is publisher of The Vegetable Patch at http://www.vegetablegardensite.com, where you'll find lots of information for starting a vegetable garden.

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