To grow the best veggies naturally, you have to begin with the best soil possible. By using compost and organic fertilizer, you can create an excellent soil for growing your organic vegetables and herbs.
All time, monies and energies you put into enriching your soil will reward you with an abundance of great tasting veggies. Although the cost of organic veggies is substantially more than regular veggies, going organically offers substantial benefits in health as well as overall taste and quality of your vegetables and herbs.
Many years of working with organic gardens have shown gardeners this is the best way to maintain a bountiful garden. This practice is also helpful in protecting your animal friends.
In its many forms, compost gives fertility to soil. Use every shred of organic matter that you can find; add leaves, twigs, garbage such as potato peels, lettuce leaves, onion peelings and what ever fruit or veggie discards you have. Determine where you will put your compost pile, somewhere off to the side or corner of your lot or yard. Some people prefer to build a bin, but that is not necessary. Dig the earth a few inches deep- 3 to 4 inches. This will expose soil bacteria to give the mulch a good start. The first layer is called a hot layer and should be composed of garbage and if possible some manure, which can be purchased at your local feed store or home hardware. Layer this about 2 inches deep.
Next comes green matter; old leaves, weeds, trimming from bushes, etc. A thin layer of granite dust, rock phosphate or other trace additives- again check at local stores. Top this with an inch of soil- preferably organic. Begin again layering in the same way.
The pile should be watered frequently as the heat of decomposition dries it out and stops the composting action after a few days. Do not over water, just keep the pile moist.
Turn the pile twice the first two weeks. The turning helps air get inside the compost. Then turn once a month to keep the compost cooking. If possible have the compost pile at least 4 to 5 feet high.
In case you are considering chemical fertilizers, I would like to give you a little run down on that as an easier solution. It’s true that chemical fertilizers are less expensive to buy than organic fertilizers. They give you quick plant growth and an abundant yield, but their side effects can be devastating. Chemical fertilizers are made from by-products of petro-chemicals, soil and strong acid.
They lower the nutritional content of your vegetables. This has been laboratory proven. In the West and Southwest, all dry areas, the use of chemical fertilizers is causing the ground to become more compact. Chemical super phosphate treated with sulfuric acid to make it more soluble. Used in man made fertilizers takes a long time to breakdown and the salts formed from them causes the ground to become more compact and ultimately cause erosion.
In the long run and in the health requirements of all, chemical fertilizers should not be used. Don’t poison Mother Earth or yourself. Grow a garden that is beneficial and rewarding- garden organically.
Article contributed by Shya
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