Go Organic!
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"Humankind has not woven the web of life. we are but one strand within it. Anything we do to the web we do to ourselves, all things are bound together, all things connect."
-Chief Seattle
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Having gardened organically for over 20 years, I know no other way to garden. It all started when I was 15 years old and checked out Rachel Carson's book from the library -- Silent Spring. Up until that point I was totally oblivious about the environment. The impact Carson's book had on my life made me read everything I could get my hands on about organic gardening. When I dug my first garden it was organic.
After years of trial and error in the garden, my own backyard research, and reading organic resource material helped me learn a few valuable lessons. The most basic and important part of organic gardening is building a healthy soil. Building healthy soil builds healthy plants. A healthy plant means fewer problems with diseases and pests.
Inviting beneficial insects to live in your garden helps balance out the pests. Although it can take a few years of planning and planting, it works in the long run. Your organic garden becomes a small ecosystem that eventually requires less intervention on your part to keep the pests from taking over.
Planting the right plant in the right place, another important lesson, also helps in the organic garden. I have not totally learned this lesson -- occasionally I buy a plant that I did not research ahead of time because the tag description promises 6 months of beautiful flowers. Once I take the plants home, I look it up the plants up in my resource books and realize I can not give it what it needs to grow into a healthy specimen. Every time I make the mistake of planting the wrong plant I wind up with problems - pests, diseases, or the plant simply does not thrive..
The organic garden is no place for wimps. Plant only strong, healthy plants in a healthy environment and the organic garden succeeds. Although never totally problem free, leaving wimps out of the organic plan diminishes pests and diseases. Fortunately, for nearly every problem there is an organic solution and prevention the key to success. Remember to relax! A bug bite on a leaf is not the end of the world or even of the plant itself. Identify the pest and monitor your organic garden for problems. A good example is: Every spring my roses get aphids on the new growth. I pick off as many as I can, but usually within a week the beneficial insects sweep in and take care of the problem. A few of the rose flowers look unsightly but the rest look fine. I used to spray an insecticidal soap on the aphids but now I let the beneficial insects do the dirty work.
Organic gardening is a process of learning about your soils, plants, pests, beneficial insects and achieving a balance in the garden. Future articles will talk about the pros and cons of using organic methods versus the -icides. After awhile of gardening without pesticides you will learn how to help your garden achieve a balance where it will thrive and be a healthy place. A place where you and your children can safely garden and play.
Debra Teachout-Teashon
June 1999
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