TIPS

Organic farming tips for beginners

You have decided that you want to start an organic garden. Great! Organic gardening is good for you and your family because it involves connecting with your food, eating healthy food, and healthful family activity, not to mention the benefits to your pocketbook.

 There are a few things that you should consider before you get started.

1. Find out what will grow in your area. You may want to grow citrus fruit and bananas, but if you live too far above the equator, you will find it difficult to succeed without some serious alterations. Plan your organic garden realistically with plants that grow well in your area. Find your region, and check out your plants and seed to be certain that they will grow well where you live.

2. Determine the amount of light available for growing. If your garden space is walled in by high buildings, or tall trees, you may need to consider plants that love shade, or need only a few hours of sunlight per day to thrive. Attempting to grow sun-loving plants in the shade can be frustrating.

3. Decide how much space you will need for growing your organic garden, and how much space you actually have. Unless you have several acres available, growing a significant amount of most cereal grains will be out of the question. If grains are a must, consider corn grown in small blocks of space and shade loving crops between rows. There are ways to win the space war using containers and vertical gardening,   so doesn’t let lack of space keep you from starting your garden.

Consider these ideas before you begin, draw up a plan including what plants you will use in what positions in your garden, get the supplies you need, and get started. There are very few problems you can’t overcome with the proper information and a little creativity.

Organic farming tips on pest prevention

Pest prevention for organic farms is really a matter of keeping your plants healthy. This is accomplished by taking a few steps that most organic farmers do instinctively. These tips for pest prevention in organic farms can serve as a reminder for those who have been involved in organic farming for a while, and as a checklist if you are new to the craft.

1. Choose the right varieties. Choosing a variety of plant that is resistant to your local pests is a great first step in avoiding pest problems down the line. The right plants will favor insects which pollinate, and those that eat other insects. Talk to other gardeners and even your local county extension agent to learn what works and what doesn’t in your area.          

2. Group for water and sunlight. Some plants need more sunshine than others, some need wet conditions, some need dry. Grouping your plantings according to their elemental needs will go a long way toward keeping them healthy, and free of pests.

3. Water properly. Properly balanced watering according to the needs of the plant will strengthen plants, while under watering weakens plants and makes insect attacks inevitable. Over watering can cause the same problems, and create a few new pest problems in the process.

4. Plant at the proper times If a plant is trying to grow in opposition to what it’s genetics are telling it to do, it will be weak and pest prone. Try to match your plantings with your season.

5. Improve soil structure Organic gardeners automatically have a head start on pest control, since organic gardening tends to have some aspects of pest prevention built-in to the process, due in large part to the emphasis on good soil structure. Loose, well aerated soil, with plenty of organic matter creates a healthy environment for plant roots

 6. Balance soil fertility Good fertility leads to healthy plants, and healthy plants are less susceptible to pests. Overly lush, over fertilized plants are easy targets for garden predators, and under fertilized plants are weak and susceptible to unwanted insects.