Organic gardening FAQ
Everyone has gardening questions from time to time. If you have questions about beginning a garden, or are having issues with an existing organic garden, you're likely to find the answer here.
Q: The term organic gardening gets thrown around a lot. Could you give me a concrete definition?
A: Depending on who you talk to, you may hear different things about what organic gardening is. Here is a basic definition of this type of gardening: Organic gardening is the art of incorporating the entire landscape design and surrounding environment into gardening. In doing so, the health, texture and production of the soil should improve. Organic gardening does not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or fungicides, but rather a variety of organic methods to get rid of pests and keep soil healthy.
Q: I want to plant an organic garden, but I'm not sure about the soil in my backyard. How do I know if it's safe for planting?
A: To find out what's in your soil, you'll need to conduct a soil test, which will let you know if it is suitable for planting or if it has been contaminated with pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. First, try the ribbon test. Take a soil sample and roll it back and forth in your hand. If it sticks together, it probably has a high clay content. If it falls apart, it may contain a lot of sand. Neither of these types of soil is ideal, which means that you'll have to add organic material, such as compost or mulch, to create ideal planting conditions.
You should also conduct a pH test on the soil. A pH testing kit, available at many hardware stores and nurseries, can assist in this process. Most vegetables and herbs grow well in soil that has a pH of 6 or 7.
Q: How do I make my own organic pesticides and fungicides?
A: There are many effective recipes that you can make at home. Garlic, hot peppers, and onions work great for killing many types of insects. They can be crushed and mixed with water, than applied to plants. Canola oil or vegetable oil, mixed with water, is also great for killing harmful insects. Mixtures of rubbing alcohol and water or apple cider vinegar and water also prove effective against pests. Corn meal can be added to soil tops to eliminate fungus and prevent weeds.
Q: Are all types of animal manure safe for my organic garden?
A: Most organic gardeners prefer to use manure that comes from vegetarian animals, such as horses and cows. Meat eaters, such as pigs and chickens, can produce manure that contains diseases or unwanted bacteria. To be on the safe side, choose manure that is well aged and that comes from an animal with a vegetarian diet.
Q: What kinds of items can I put in my compost?
A: You'd be surprised at all of the stuff that is beneficial to your compost! Before you take the trash out, try adding these items to your home compost: pet hair, post-it notes (and basically anything made of paper), popcorn, lint, matches, rotten fruit, coffee grounds, grapefruit rinds, pasta, jell-o, felt, Q-tips, moldy cheese, glue, soy milk, fingernails and toenails, olive pits, stale cookies, cakes or cereals, fish bones and feathers.
Q: Help! Aphids are eating up my plants! What can I do?
A: Aphid clusters can be sprayed with a mixture of insecticidal soap and water. You can also introduce a large population of lady bugs and green lacewings into your garden, which should eat them up in no time.