Organic gardening information

You don’t have to be a farmer to experience the joys of organic gardening. Organic gardening is a fast-growing pastime. And with summer still in the air, why not begin your organic garden? From herbs to annuals, you can learn more about organic gardening here.

As we become more informed about the dangers of pesticide use, more and more consumers want to protect their families from their harmful effects. According to the Safe Pest Control Project, 67 million pounds of pesticides are applied to lawns each year. Suburban lawns and gardens often receive heavier pesticide applications than do commercial farms. For more information about pesticides, see our article produce and pesticides.

By destroying insect life, beneficial insects and wildlife are harmed, as well. Thus, the balance of nature is disturbed.

Not only do toxic chemicals poison air, soil, and water, but humans (especially children) and pets are affected. Many toxic chemicals make their way into our homes. For tips on how we can minimize home hazards, see or Organic Home page. For more information on how we can protect our children, see our Organic Child page.

But let’s get back to organic gardening. These days we're hearing more about damaged food crops, salmonella and e.coli cross-contamination (from nearby factory farms), irradiation of greens, and other concerns. By growing our own gardens, indoors or outdoors, whether in pots or over a few acres, we contribute to the quality of our food supply as we cut costs. By recycling our scraps in a compost bin, we create your own organic soil enhancers. By planting, instead of cutting down, we help to minimize ozone depletion and global warming. How can the average person gather good, reliable information about organic gardening? Well, here, for starters! We also heartily endorse Organic Gardening magazine. It's full of information. In addition, why not visit an informative U.K. website, The Organic Gardener. Home of The Organic Gardener, this website evaluates gardening tools & shows how to use them effectively. It explains organic gardening, organic weed control, compost gardening & more - for growing naturally pure & beautiful gardens.

At our home in the northern Hudson Valley, we have begun planting our future food crops. We have decided to employ organic methods to create a garden that we hope will feed us for years to come. With a little care, we hope to grow potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, carrots, radishes, peppers, and more. We will include photos and step-by-step descriptions in our upcoming newsletters.

For the budding horticulturalist, workshops and educational programs can be located through local cooperative extensions. At www.cce.cornell.edu, you will find articles, growing guides, and other resources.

For handy guides to lawn care and bird-friendly, insect-friendly gardens, go to my garden guide (Adobe Acrobat reader is required).

Here, we will share articles about garden-related topics with an organic slant. Although we will provide information on the use of biodegradable pest management techniques (e.g. oils and soaps), we are purists in the truest sense. Hand-weeding, composting, and mulching using landscape fabric and hardwood mulch are our preferred methods of weed control. For small, young weeds, undiluted vinegar works well. Corn gluten meal, available at lawn care centers, helps prevent weeds like crabgrass and dandelion from germinating. If you love the look of grass, why not use a mulching mower to provide you with grass clipping mulch? These methods may be more labor-intensive, but they provide a great workout. It's good for us and for the planet!

Why not read our article on edible weeds, and cut down on the amount of weeding you have to do?

Perhaps you love to cook, but you hate the quality of the herbs available to you. Perhaps you'd like to add fresh organic herbs to meals. It's easy to grow your own. Please click here to read about growing organic herbs.

Now more than ever, with the cost of food rising at an alarming rate, we can take a big step towards self-sufficiency, while guaranteeing a supply of quality food for our families. Try gardening - what do you have to lose?

Hardiness Zone Map for North America

After clicking on the link above, go down to the Hardiness Zone text link, and follow directions.


Of course, no self-respecting gardener would be without the appropriate equipment. Because this area is so vast, we have included resources on a separate page. Please go there now:

Organic gardening resources

For more information about composting - the two major types of compost, and why it's so good for your garden, why not visit The joys of composting page.

Do you know have a story to tell about how you started your organic garden? Or perhaps you have a question or comment about organic gardening. Feel free to send it to us here.