Growing vegetable and fruit organically is not allowable using any chemical supplements. It must be entirely organic from the planting process, periodical maintenance up to the harvest period. Using organic fertilizer is also friendly environment. There are two kind of organic fertilizers, animal fertilizer and compost.
There are several types of organic fertilizers available in the market, such as fish emulsions, seaweed extracts, bone meal, kelp extract, corn meal, etc.
You can purchase them in a liquid or pelletized form. Some require being sprayed on, powdering the foliage, or spreading pellets around the base of the plant. These may come in different forms, e.g. liquid, powder, granular or pelleted organic fertilizers. The liquid organic fertilizer is basically applied via foliage spray while the powder form can be applied like tea. The liquid version gives your plants an instant feeding, while the pelleted is more of a slow release or longer lasting version.
Organic based pelleted fertilizers contain only a minor amount of chemicals and is mostly natural. The low chemical structure makes it ideal for a great nutrient-source for plants and for the soil. I usually use kelp meal and fish emulsion, which are both bi-products of the sea. This way I get a liquid and a pellet. Using both versions during the growing season has its advantages.
One of the best sources of organic fertilizers is Yardiac. Don’t put that nasty chemical laden fertilizer on your garden even if you think you will save a penny or two. Stick with the organic fertilizers.
Chicken manure is the best as far as sheer nutrients go. It’s rich in nitrogen; an application of chicken manure will grow some of the best corn you can imagine. However, chicken manure is what’s know as a ‘hot’ manure; it will burn plants, and cannot be applied directly to the soil. In order to use it, let it compost for at least three months (six months to a year is better) in an out-of-the-way corner of the garden, then apply it sparingly to your unplanted beds and wait at least two weeks and one good rain before planting in it. Or, mix it with dry matter, such as leaf mold or sawdust, to cut down on the heat. (Unfortunately, this also dilutes the nutrients. But chicken manure diluted this way makes an excellent organic fertilizer because it can be applied directly to the beds, left two weeks and one good rain, and then planted.)
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July 11 2008 | Gardening | No Comments »
Organic vegetable gardening is making a comeback. This is because people are more health conscious about the food they eat and in some places, there is already a food shortage so some have decided to plant and grow these on their own. To help you get started, here is some organic vegetable gardening information.
As the name suggests, organic vegetable gardening does not require the use of fertilizers and pesticides which are known to be harmful to humans. It also does not rely on genetic engineering or irradiation. All organic vegetable gardenig requires is basic farming techniques like tiling the land, providing enough water and exposure to sunlight.
When the harvesting process is complted, a new kind of vegetable is planted which is better known as crop rotation to ensure the soil is always fertile. Growing organic vegetables is not limited to farmers. This can be done by homeowners since they have their own organic vegetable garden in their own backyard. The first thing that you have to do is choose what type of vegetables you want to grow. You also have to understand how big they can grow so it will be easy to plot how many can be placed in a row.
The next step is to check the condition of the soil. There are kits you can buy from the store to check its fertility. If the soil is good, then you can start by clearing it of rocks and weeds by mowing, pulling or digging them out. You should then add compost, bone meal or rock phosphate and greensand to the soil to supply it with nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. You can also add lime or sulphur to adjust the soil’s pH level only if you have to.
It will also be a good idea to till or dig in fertilizers using organic matter. This must at least be an inch of sharp sand if the soil you have is made of clay and then you rake the soil into beds and rows. You should leave it be for at least a month before you start planting.
Do not forget to use an organic mulch to blanker the garden. For this you can use ground bark since it will decompose over a month or two. Besides that, you can use a compost file made out of recycled leaves, grass clippings and kitchen waste as they all serve as a good natural fertilizer.
The main threats to an organic vegetable garden are weeds and insects. To combat these threats, you can use other animals and insects to fight these pests. Once you have set an ideal condition, these insects will come to your home, hence you do not need to purchase them.
A weed problem can easily be tackled by pulling them out. Besides that, you can spray some home made vinegar to prevent them from growing. To discourage weeds from growing between the plants, you can plant your organic vegetable garden thickly.
Having your own organic vegetable garden not only provides you with fresh vegetables but also vegetables that are free of chemicals and pesticides. This is vital, if health is your main concern. However, bear in mind that it’s not going to be easy and you have to sacrifice some time and effort to reap the benefits of your own home grown organic vegetable garden.
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July 11 2008 | Gardening | No Comments »