10 Reasons to Start Growing Organic Vegetables in your Garden

Posted on 19. Jun, 2009 by Tracey in How to Grow Veg

What is meant by the term Organic?
Organic is a vegetable, seed, garden, plant, allotment or farming method that has had no man-made chemicals applied to the land or to the plant by form of spray, pellet or chemical residue from a water course.

Man-made chemicals include:

Some types of fertilizer,
Pesticides,
Fungicides,
Wood preservatives,
Treated wood,
Slug pellets,
Weed killer and
Deck or patio cleaner.

10 Reasons to Grow Your Own Vegetables the Organic Way

1. Its good to know where your vegetables have come from.

When you start growing your vegetables organically you will know they are free of pesticides and that they are fresh and have not taken weeks or months to be flown to a supermarket. Organic Vegetables taste better and are more healthy. You can even pick and eat vegetables in the garden, as there will be no chemical residues to wash off.

2. Be safe in the knowledge that your garden is environmentally and animal friendly with no toxic chemicals.

If you have pets or children around at least you’ll have piece of mind that they will not be picking up slug pellets (even the so called organic ones) which are toxic to cats, dogs and hedgehogs. Hedgehogs need to be welcomed into your garden as they are very good slug and snail eaters. There are more organic solutions to control slugs and snails here.

3. Make or Buy your own Compost Bin to make your own soil improver

Making your own compost not only recycles your vegetable peelings, grass cuttings, newspapers and old plant material but it also puts lots of nutrients and organic matter back into your vegetable plot or garden. This will continually improve the soil your vegetables or plants are growing in and make your vegetables grow bigger and better. Please see my Guide to Building Your Own Compost Bin.

4. Use Organic Fertilizers to improve your soil whilst your compost is being made.

If you are only just starting your compost bin and still need to improve your soil, there are organic fertilizers on the market which are animal, plant or mineral based. For all round nutrient based fertilizers use pelleted chicken manure or seaweed. As with all fertilizers its best to wear gloves whilst applying it. Other organic fertilizers include: Bonemeal which helps root growth, Dolomitic Limestone is used to raise the soil PH. Potash contains potassium and helps with deficiencies, Seaweed Meal helps with the humus build up within the soil. Fertilizers are best applied at least 2 weeks before sowing.

5. Learn about beneficial insects and wildlife so they can be the pest control in your garden

Lets be honest slugs and snails are the annoyance of anyone’s garden or vegetable plot but a few simple solutions could help to eradicate some or all of them. Hedgehogs love slugs and snails and so do frogs and birds. If you welcome wildlife into your garden by providing them with a home, shelter and food, they can do the pest control for you. Ladybirds and lacewings should also be encouraged if your garden has aphid or green/black fly problems.

6. Use organic seed whenever possible

Try to choose varieties which are recommended for great taste or are resistant to disease. There is a large range of organic seeds in the Organic Garden Catalogue.

7. Be Water Wise in the garden

Try to only water the vegetable plot when rain is not forecasted or buy a water butt or tank and harvest water from a down pipe on the house, shed or garage guttering. Rainwater is good for vegetables as it makes them put on a spurt of growth so by recycling rainwater in the garden, you are not only saving money but giving your vegetables the boost they need to keep growing.

8. Reduce weeds by planting thickly and mulching.

Weedkillers contain toxic chemicals which can get into the soil and water courses so to prevent using them in the garden try planting flowers or vegetables close together wherever possible. Weeds need soil, space, water and sunlight to get growing so take away the sunlight by mulching with grass cuttings, wet newspaper or compost or covering the area over to prevent them from growing.

9. Use Eco friendly wood and natural preservatives.

FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) wood comes from sustainable sources and is therefore eco-friendly. Check for the FSC logo on compost bins or garden furntiture before you buy. Treat wood with a non toxic wood preservative like Procol Fencote from the Organic Gardening Catalogue or source a natural oil or resin paint.

10. Try Crop Rotation and Green Manure in your vegetable garden.

If you are not growing your vegetables in plots of types, it may be worth considering for example Brassicas (cabbage, kale, broccoli), Roots (carrots, spring onions, parsnips, beetroot), Beans and Peas and Onions. Potatoes are a good crop to plant on soil that needs to be broken up for planting in the future. Rotating your vegetable crops each year helps improve disease resistance and it reconditions the soil. If you have a bare patch in your vegetable plot try growing a green manure to fertilise your soil and stop weeds growing.

If you have any organic growing tips you would like to share, please leave a comment below.

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