Gardening Organic: 7 Tips for a Healthier Garden

All things organic have been huge for the past few years, and for good reason- they promote healthier lifestyles free of toxic chemicals. 

 

We’ve seen plenty of organic products in supermarkets, but did you also know that you can make changes in your garden to go green as well?

 

By adopting a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach, your garden and the environment both benefit. Here are 7 tips to help you achieve a thriving organic garden.

Choose Native Plants

 

Research is the first step to making your organic dreams come true. You’ll want to fill your garden with native, well-adapted plant species that are naturally suited to your region’s climate and soil conditions. These plants are more likely to thrive without the need for chemical fertilizers.

 

This is especially true of grass lawns. Go with a native ground cover that doesn’t require sprinklers or excessive watering. You can go grass-free and layer gravel or landscaping stones instead. This works well in arid regions with cacti and succulents. 

 

Soil Health Goes a Long Way

Good soil is the foundation of a healthy garden. Amend your soil with compost, organic matter, and mulch to improve its fertility, structure, and water-holding capacity.

Get to Composting

 

Don’t throw away those fruit and veggie peels! Composting kitchen scraps, yard waste, and organic matter not only reduces waste but also enriches your soil with valuable nutrients that blow fertilizer away. 

Practice Crop Rotation

 

Rotating your crops each season has multiple benefits. It prevents soil depletion and reduces the risk of pests and diseases. This practice also promotes balanced nutrient levels.

Yes, There is Natural Pest Control!

 

Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs and lacewings to your garden to help control pests. Ladybugs love to eat aphids! You can also use companion planting techniques and homemade remedies like neem oil or garlic spray to keep pests away.

 

Another cool solution? Build a bat house! Bats are highly effective in the garden, feeding on pests, such as mosquitoes, and producing nutrient-rich guano.

Wise Weed Tactics

Put down the weed killer! There are much more efficient and natural solutions to keeping weeds away. Mulching and gravel help to suppress weeds, but when they do appear, pull them by hand.

Water Efficiently

 

Say no to sprinklers! Implement drip irrigation or soaker hoses to minimize water wastage. Water early in the morning to reduce evaporation, and use rain barrels to collect and reuse rainwater.

 

Mulch and landscaping stones in your garden beds help retain and evenly distribute moisture.