Do you use a lot of herbs and spices whenever you are cooking? If you do, perhaps instead of buying these from the grocery, you can get this for free by making your own organic herb garden. In fact, it is so easy to do that even kids can get into it.

So what kind of herbs should you plant? Since they are going to be used for cooking, why not go for herbs that are either Italian or Thai. These herbs are called culinary herbs. Other examples that you can plant for cooking later on include basil, bay leaves, chives, dill, marjoram, oregano and parsley.

Chances are you would like to start from the very beginning which means you have to buy herb seeds. These are sold in packs and it is best to read the instructions before opening them.

Some organic herb seeds can be sown directly to the soil while others have to be raised in seedbeds. Best of all, you do not have to worry that much about pests because they are not that frequent when compared to planting fruits or vegetables.

One herb plant that you should avoid mixing with others is mint because it acts just like a weed and has the tendency to kill the rest. But since you need it, it is best to grow it in a pot so it does not harm your other crops.

Organic herb gardening is not different to organic farming because similar techniques are used to make them grow. The first step is to find the right location that offers adequate sunlight and drainage. Also, check on the soil conditions because what you have in your backyard may not be suitable for it.

When the soil is ready for planting, the rest of the work is easy since you just have to monitor their progress daily. You should also use compost bins so you produce your own organic fertilizer that can be applied to the garden.

Aside from making an organic herb garden outdoors, you can also do the same indoors so it is much closer to the kitchen. Instead of planting these on the ground, you will have to buy organic containers. These can be made from clay, plastic or wood. The important thing is that it provides excellent drainage and good air circulation.

When you use pots for your organic herbs, do not use soil but a mixture of peat, perlite and vermiculite. They need to be watered regularly so make sure it is moist and not damp. Since they also need sufficient sunlight, you can place these outdoors and then bring them back in when it is too cold or put these in the western or southern windows of the home.

Regardless if your herbs are grown indoor or outdoor, you still have to deal with pests and weeds. You can pick them off by hand or get other insects to do your dirty work. Mulch is another solution and you should apply at least 3 to 4 inches or 8 to 10 cm in order for it to be effective.

Herb gardening is a lot of fun since it can be used for other things aside from culinary like for cosmetic, craft, household or medicinal purposes. But if you are into cooking, then organic herb gardening is good for the kitchen.

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Organic Gardening is perfect for you and perfect for the environment. With the world’s problem now with global warming, one must wonder and suggest ways of helping find answers to such. Big or small, everybody can have their share in the solution.

Organic farming may be one because it is like recycling what is already available in the environment to be able to produce the greens. The gardener is helping the environment by growing plants and more so, by helping in diminishing waste in a natural way.

Synthetic is Out
With organic gardening, one must rely only on his/her ability and on whatever nature has for them to be able to come up with the crops. This requires more work, patience and long hours and trial and error procedures on the part of the farmers but once they see the results, they won’t feel bad at all.

With organic farming, the gardeners depend on the environment to supplement their crops. For example, composting fallen leaves, clipped grass, animal manures and other resources would create fertilizers. In making compost, one may opt to do it by oneself, periodically checking on the compost to see if it needs more water to it, or more materials should be added on it. Or they may just pile up what others may consider as trash and let nature, the microorganisms, earthworms and the soil itself do the composting naturally.

The latter is easier to do but takes longer period of time and the result will not be as good as the compost done the way that was first discussed. A good compost will serve as the plant’s fertilizer and likewise a pesticide. If you opt to do the latter, make sure to use only the decomposed materials from the pile so as to come up with better use of such with your crops.

Choose Your Plants
In organic gardening, it is best to know first the condition of the environment that you are in. Study the soil and weather before choosing the right produce fit for your site. This way, it will not be as hard maintaining the crops.

Gardening Systems
There are certain terms in organic gardening that has evolved through time because this is being done since the early years.

Rudolf Steiner quoted Biodynamic farming. While a no-till approach for small time production of grains was invented by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese writer and at the same time, a farmer. This he also called the Natural Farming. Other gardening techniques for small scale production are the French Intensive, Biointensive and Small Plot Intensive kinds of farming.

The abovementioned are formal organic farming systems that have specific requirements and techniques.

Gardening Tools
To complete your gardening set-up, you would have to have tools. Now don’t be swept by the oh-so-many fancy gardening tools that are available in the market. Some are just to fancy as to having a real use with what you really need to do.

But to start with your organic experience, you might want to try having some or all of the following. A folding saw with a rubber handle is recommended as long as its blade is replaceable. A Moth-Blocker will be most beneficial, on the other hand, for crops like that cauliflower and broccoli because this will hinder the moths from laying its eggs on the produce. A Row Cover or Shade Fabric can be bought or can be done at home if you know how to do such. This will provide the needed shade for your plants. Of course, you have to invest on a good digging tool because you will need this a lot, just like a hat, which you should also have to protect yourself from the sun’s rays.

With everything ready and with the proper information that you are now equipped with, organic gardening is perfect so you may want to start with it as soon as possible. Mother Nature will surely thank you for doing so.

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Organic gardening isn’t just for people who have backyards. This is because you can also do it when you live either in an apartment or a condo with the help of organic gardening containers.

Organic gardening containers have advantages despite their limitations. They may serve as décor when this is placed in the balcony or patio, it can easily be brought indoors during the winter and you will not encounter that many problems normally found in the garden like weeds, insects or soil borne diseases.

When you decide to buy organic gardening containers, you should also use premium potting mix instead of soil since it is much lighter and provides excellent draining for whatever you are growing. Chances are you will also be using nutrients so make sure you follow the directions since too much organic fertilizer will burn the roots.

Organic gardening container plants require more water than those you plant. This should be given in small amounts half an hour after initial watering so you avoid drowning your crops. It is best to hang them instead of putting them on the ground and if there are no holes, go ahead and make a few. Since it gets pretty hot during the summer, you can add mulch which really helps prevent it from drying out.

What plants or herbs work well with organic gardening containers? Some examples of these are capsicum, carrots, bush beans, eggplant, lettuce, onions, peas, radishes, spinach and tomatoes. Strawberries will also grow well here so if you want to know more ask someone at the local gardening shop or do your own research online.

Plants inside organic gardening containers need sunlight. Ideally, this should be about six hours everyday preferably in the morning rather than the later afternoon. If the area where you plan to put them is quite windy, it is best to group these together with the tallest along the walls to give cover for the others.

What is the ideal organic gardening container? Fortunately, it can be made of clay, plastic or wood. The important thing is that it can drain the water because your plants will die if it is unable to. Since they come in different sizes, you have to know the right one to get from the store.

Your basis should be the average root depth as well as the diameter of the plant. If your plant has 6 inch deep roots and grows about 10 inches wide, the ideal organic gardening container should be 8 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches wide. There must always be a small room for allowance because it is possible that whatever you are growing will grow to be bigger than you anticipated so better to be safe than sorry.

Should there bugs like hookworms around your plant, bring them to the sink and wash the leaves. If there are slugs, sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the soil so you can get rid of them.

If there aphids on your plant, get some other insects to kill them by buying a pack of ladybugs so they will eat it without causing any collateral damage to your produce.

You could say that organic garden containers are an innovation to gardening. This is because you can do it almost anywhere like in a condo or an apartment so that you no longer have to buy organic fruits or vegetables from store when you can just get it from the balcony or the window.

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More and more people are getting into natural means of growing crops because of the benefits that organic gardening brings. Experts agree that the most basic premise that people—who are planning to do organic gardening—need to understand about the process of how it replenishes the use of natural resources. Meaning, when one does organic gardening, he or she should understand how important it is to use natural components such as composting plants and other fruits peels to feed the soil where the crop will be planted.

How can organic gardening improve lives

People cannot always be outdoors to feel and see the beauty of nature. Being inside the comforts of home doesn’t mean that people can no longer enjoy the feel of nature for they can always indulge and reap the benefits of organic gardening. Contrary to common perception that crops from organic gardens are not good, there are so many benefits of organic gardening. Although it can be a tedious task to start with, all you need to do is to set your mind into something enjoyable and healthy, then, you can start reaping the benefits of organic gardening.

The following are just some of the benefits of organic gardening:

1. It leads you back to basics. Nature always provides the feeling of health and calmness. The trees, the plants, the flowers, and other elements of nature exude the air of serenity and relaxation. But, due to the dawning of modern age, most people neglect how can nature give ultimate satisfaction and tranquility. But, if you want to back to basics, you can always create your own organic garden in the comforts of your own space.

2. Healthier supply of food. Creating an organic garden might mean that you would have to go down and dirty just to grow fruits and vegetables. Putting aside the energy spent on these tasks, you can realize that at the end of the season, you can harvest fresh produce that most people cannot find in leading stores. Not pondering much on the effort you will exert in planting seedlings would also make you realize you are investing on something that could provide you enough supply of fresh, healthy and sumptuous supply of food.

3. An amazing alternative to save money. One of the great benefits of organic gardening is that it can be a great alternative for you to save money. Aside from being an amazing alternative for a feel of great outdoors, organic gardening can also help you save by getting the best crops for free and having a healthy environment.

4. It serves as a great hobby or past time. For older people, one of the amazing benefits of organic gardening is that it can buy some time off to people who want lesser stress in life. Since it has something to do with nature, organic gardening can indeed be a leisure activity not just for the elder but for the younger ones as well.

But, before going into the hobby of organic gardening, it is a must for you to know where to begin and how to begin. Organic gardening should start from a detailed planning. The first thing to consider is to determine the appropriate location for the type of garden you would want to have. If you plan to have a garden with ornamental plants, then it should be located in an area where the plants can be safe from harmful elements. Likewise, if you plan to have a vegetable garden, make sure that the location you have chosen would provide the crops enough exposure to the sun and sufficient water supply.

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Weeds are the bane of any gardener, but they can be especially bothersome to organic gardeners. Many gardeners choose to use weed killer to get rid of weeds, but you can’t do that in an organic garden. So what can you do?

Well, you’ll need to identify your most troublesome weed, and then deal with it in the way that best gets rid of that particular type of weed. We’re going to look at a few of the most common weeds, and how to get rid of those weeds.

Dandelion is one of the worst offenders. Although some people choose to grow dandelions for their greens, most gardeners just want to get rid of them. To get rid of dandelions, you need to dig out the entire taproot.

You should always pull them up with a hoe before they flower. And you can spread corn gluten over the areas you wish to remain free from dandelions in the early spring. This will help keep a lot of the seedlings from growing.

Crabgrass is a major pest in many yards and gardens. It is very tough to pull up, and it is especially hard to get rid of. You must pull up the entire plant, including all of its roots. You can suppress further growth by spreading down corn gluten in the early spring. You can also mulch to prevent the seeds from germinating.

Poison ivy is a horrible plant. It can cause terrible rashes even with very mild exposure. You should always wear gloves when handling this plant, and don’t ever let it touch any part of your skin.

You must cut the plant at the base, then let it dry out completely. Bury the vines, or throw them away in the trash. Never, ever burn poison ivy, because the smoke can be fatal! Do not compost poison ivy.

Lamb’s quarters is an edible wild green. Some people grow these for food, but most people think of them as common weeds. They can be difficult to get rid of. You can hoe or pull up the plants when you see them. Then you should mulch heavily to suppress the seedlings.

Ragweed is a plant that many people want to get rid of. It’s a very common allergen, and its pollen is a major cause of hay fever. You can hoe up seedlings, and use a mower to mow down full-sized plants. You can use mulch to cover the areas where it grows. You can compost ragweed if it hasn’t yet gone to seed.

Purslane is an edible plant. You can remove individual plants by hoeing. If you pull the plants, they can reroot themselves if you leave them lying on top of the soil. The seeds of this plant can mature after the plant has been pulled, so don’t compost them. You can mulch to prevent these from growing.

Prickly lettuce is an annoying little plant. It can cause itching and burning if it comes in contact with skin, so always wear gloves when you handle it. You can pull or hoe plants, or cut the taproot below the soil.

You might wish to leave it alone, as it can attract beneficial insects, but it can carry lettuce diseases. Be sure to keep it away from your lettuce patches. Cocklebur is poisonous to livestock, so you should be sure to keep it away from your animals. You can hoe or pull plants beneath the soil line. You can compost it if it hasn’t yet gone to seed.

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The following is a list of additional soil amendments to layer on or dig into your soils.

Hay and straw: Hay and straw are generally inexpensive sources of organic material. They are relatively low in nutrients but will give soil a big boost in humus. They are available directly from farms or from any source that serves livestock owners. Hay usually carries seeds of weed plants that mature earlier than the grasses in the field where it was cut.

A hay mulch is also a favorite habitat for rodents and slugs. If you have been having mouse or slug problems, think twice about using hay, or refine your techniques to minimize damage. Straw generally carries few weed seeds, since most of these seeds were removed in the same process that separated the grain seed from the straw. Straw mulch also holds up better over a growing season than a hay mulch.

Peat moss: Peat mosses, including sphagnum peat moss, are remains of aquatic plants that have been deposited in locations not favorable for their quick breakdown due to high water tables and/or extended periods of cold temperatures. The pH of peat moss is acidic, ranging from 3.0 to 4.5.

The nitrogen content is low and the water-absorbing capacity is very high. Peat moss is a useful soil amendment around acid-loving plants such as azaleas, pine hemlock, and spruce. Peat humus or sedge peat, also known as reed peat or humus, can be used in the same manner as peat moss. Sedge peat or peat humus is dark brown to black and is relatively high in nitrogen (2.0 to 3.5%). It has a lower water-absorbing capacity than peat moss, and it will break down more quickly in the soil.

Sawdust: Use sawdust as a mulch or soil amendment only after it has aged. Some types of sawdust contain natural chemicals that can act as herbicides. If you put fresh sawdust on or in your soil, it may temporarily sterilize the soil. Fresh sawdust also needs nitrogen to break down, so it robs nitrogen from your plants, unless extra nitrogen is mixed in with it. Aged sawdust is very low in nitrogen.

If you apply it to nitrogen-demanding crops such as vegetables or annual flowers, mix it with some manure or compost to supply nitrogen. If the compost has aged for 2 years or more and has turned black, you do not need to add nitrogen when you apply it.

Wood chips: Bark and wood chips are often used as mulches. They work well to keep down weeds in established ornamental beds or plantings of perennial herbs. Like sawdust, these materials contain much more carbon than nitrogen. As soil icroorganisms slowly digest these mulches, their populations swell. However, the microbes also need nitrogen to build their cells, so they may tie up soil nitrogen that plants need for optimum growth.

Avoid this problem by spreading 1 inch of compost or well-aged manure before laying down wood chips or bark. Observe the plants carefully in succeeding seasons; you may need to water with a nitrogen-rich solution of manure tea or fish emulsion if the plants show signs of deficiency.

Locally available materials: You may find natural materials or manufacturing by-products in your area that serve as valuable soil amendments and mulches. Gardeners who live near the ocean may be able to collect seaweed.

Rinse it well before adding it to your garden or compost pile. Other possible materials include cheese whey, nut shells, mushroom soil, and ground corn cobs. If you’re getting an agricultural by-product, be sure to ask whether the source crops were treated with pesticides. The by-products could contain residues of these chemicals.

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Below is a list of soil amendments that you can choose from to layer on or dig into your soils. Factors to consider in selecting soil amendments and mulches are the availability, cost, ease of handling, and pH range of the materials.

Compost: Finished compost is an excellent soil amendment. You can make it yourself or buy it commercially. Finished compost is well on its way to becoming stable humus. When mixed into the soil, it resists compaction and drains quickly, yet still retains an enormous amount of water. Compost will retain ten times its weight in water. It also serves as fodder for the “micro-herd,” the soil microorganisms that break organic material down into nutrients in a form readily taken up by plant roots.

Shredded leaves: If you don’t have enough compost to feed all the soil in your yard and garden, chopped leaves are a good second choice. They are cheap, readily available, and easy to use. Remember to chop or shred the leaves before using them as a mulch or soil amendment. Whole leaves blow away easily when dry, and after wetting can form a crusted mat that keeps almost all moisture from seeping through to the soil underneath. If you incorporate whole leaves into the soil, they will take much longer to decay than chopped leaves. If you don’t have a shredder, you can shred your leaves with a lawn mower. Run the mower repeatedly over a pile of leaves, criss-crossing the leaves until only small pieces remain. Most leaves are acidic, but will not add enough acidity to significantly affect soil pH. Pine needles are even more acidic, and may reduce soil pH.

Grass clippings: Grass clippings are a good organic mulch for flower and vegetable beds. Leaving grass clippings on the lawn not only builds the humus content of the lawn soil, but also adds nitrogen, reducing lawn fertilizing needs by as much as 30%. If you mow frequently, the clippings will fall down among the grass plants and never show. The only times you should rake off grass clippings are if your lawn has a thatch accumulation problem, or if you have mown very tall grass. Dense clumps of long clippings could shade out portions of the turf. If you do rake off lawn clippings, use them as mulch or add them to the compost pile. The
nitrogen content of grass clippings is high, and almost immediately available.

However, they will not last more than a few weeks as a mulch. Grass-clipping mulches work well around nitrogen-loving vegetable crops like spinach and lettuce. Because you can adjust the depth of this mulch so easily, you can spread a thin layer around plants while they are still quite young. Leave a little open space around each plant, because fresh grass clippings can give off enough heat as they rapidly decompose to burn vegetable and flower transplants. You may use grass clippings to help fertilize your lawn or to mulch your vegetables. If you’re selective in your use of lawn clippings, you might be able to pull off both.

Aged manure: Aged manure is a great soil amendment. It adds material well on its way to becoming humus and is a significant source of nutrients. Unfortunately, animal manure is not readily available to most home gardeners. If you can get manure, add it to soil only after it
has aged for at least six months.

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Sustainable Organic Gardening begins with building of the soil. If plants do not get all of their vital nutrients, they weaken. One way to get increased plant productivity is to purchase organic soil amendments and conditioners.

When the plants are healthy, they store longer, taste better, are more resistant to insect attacks, and grow a lot more. Their resistance is heightened to the drought, heat, disease, and the cold. When using the best soil, the plant is sure to get all of its necessary nutrients by organically getting rid its deficiencies. By using chemical fertilizers the planter is adding unwanted nitrates to the soil. When using chemical fertilizers, chemical residues are also being added to the food. Adding chemical fertilizers and additives will in the long-run damage the ability of the soil to produce what the plants need to fight against insect attacks, disease, and stress.

The growing of plants with chemical fertilizers and building the soil naturally to support healthy plant life is called organic gardening. One of the main causes of unhealthy plants and the disease in plants is the depletion in soil of organic nutrients. If you add pesticides and chemical fertilizers together, the planter will get infertile soil, insect attacks, and stressed out plants. When the planter puts together organic fertilizers and microbial activity, he or she will get resistance to insect attacks, soil fertility, and healthy plants. Healthy, organic gardens are able to produce strong plant that can withstand harsh conditions. Consistent habits and traits are needed to make good soil, are also needed to build fertility in our daily lives.

The growth in the garden proves to oneself that you can use these tools to expand our gardens, the garden of our self, and the garden in our front and back yards. Adding organic soil amendments and conditioners can revive the life of your dying soil without having to add any unwanted chemicals. Potassium, Phosphorus, Nitrogen, along with trace minerals, makes up the nutrients in soil. The soil’s pH can be acidic, alkaline, or neutral.

The mineral content in the part of the soil called the subsoil determines the pH. The symbol for the logarithm of the reciprocal of Hydrogen ion concentration in gram atoms per liter is called pH. For a better understanding of pH, lets use this example, .00001 or 10-5 gram atoms of hydrogen ions in one liter of solution is a pH of 5. A pH range of 1 to 6.5 is acidic soil. The pH range for alkaline sol is 7.5 to 10. Neutral soil’s pH is 7. In order to increase the alkalinity in acidic soil, add dolomite (lime), which is also known as oyster shell lime. If you want to decrease the pH in alkaline soil add gypsum or soil sulfur.

In the spring when the soils are getting warmer and the microorganisms are more active. You can add these amendments to the soil. The majority of plants grows the best in the pH range of 6, but will withstand a pH of 5.5 to 7. Here are the organic nutrients in organic soil building:

NITROGEN – this element stimulates the plants and increases green growth; it has proteins, and is a food source for many compost piles (green vegetable matter and grass clippings). Some sources of nitrogen are fishmeal, fish emulsion, blood meal, alfalfa meal, and cottonseed meal.

PHOSPHORUS – it stimulates the growth of roots and the maturation of seeds and fruits. Some sources of phosphorus are bone meal or soft rock phosphate. The way to tell if there is, a deficiency is by brittle roots, skinny stems, late fruit set, purple leaves, and late maturity.

POTASSIUM – this promotes the vitality of the plant and disease resistance in the plant. Some sources are sulfate of potash, Sul Po Mag, wood ashes, or Greensand, or better known as Glauconite. Some signs of deficiency are poor root growth and the yellowing of lower leaves.

CALCIUM – it is important for the integrity of the cell wall, leaf growth, and root development. When there are deformed branches and leaves, weak stems and roots, there are low levels of calcium in the plant. Gypsum, which is a good source of calcium, also lowers the alkalinity of the soil.

MAGNESIUM – this is essential for green leaf development and chlorophyll. A sign of a magnesium deficiency is light green leaves with visible veins. If you add dolomite lime to make the pH level rise in an acidic soil, it will correct the deficiency. If you have alkaline soil, you can add magnesium sulfate.

SULPHUR – is a stimulant for microbial life in soil and used to lower the level of pH in alkaline soil. Do not use this very often. One good source of sulphur is soil sulphur or calcium sulfate, also known as Gypsum.

TRACE MINERALS – it is found in kelp meal, algae meal, seaweed meal, and compost. These provide copper, iron, sulphur, zinc, and boron.

OXYGEN – this is one of the most important parts of fertility in soil. Oxygen allows root growth and helps produce microbial activity. Compost, peat moss, humus, and aged manure mixed into the soil help increase air in the soil making plants better able to get the nutrients they need to grow. The soil should never be walked on and be loose to the touch. Mixing wet soil too early in the growing season can hurt or destroy the soil’s structure, but pushing all the air out of it.

Have you taken our Organic Gardening Free Course at Online Gardening Courses yet?

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