Organic Vegetable Gardening?

I'd like to get into organic gardening for my family and I. I have absolutely no idea where to begin. I'd like to grow carrots, peas, lettuce, beans, zucchini, squash. Can anyone offer any helpful hints or websites. Thanks

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

I have been making my living growing produce organically for the past 14 years. For 8 years I was certified organic. I assume you don't care to get certified, you just want to grow pure food.

http://www.idigmygarden.com/forums/ is a great forum to learn the ropes. Organic gardening also has a really good forum and the magazine is an excellent resource http://www.organicgardening.com

It will take many years to get your soil in shape and learn the techniques for successful organic growing so don't expect a great garden for a few years. Start small, no more than a 10' x 10' (3m x 3m) garden the first year or you will get overwhelmed in august when the weather is hot, the insects are out and the weeds are growing high.

Mulch everything with straw (not hay as hay tends to have a lot of weed seeds) and mulch well –at least 6" thick. Straw mulch will keep weeds down, moisture in the soil and blight from happening on plants like tomatoes. It also adds organic matter to your soil.

Have a good hoe, rake, wheelbarrow, trowel and garden fork as your basic garden tools.

Start a compost pile ASAP – compost will be the main thing you will feed to the soil/plants. Compost is the best thing to build healthy soil and organics is all about building healthy soil as any organic grower worth their salt knows soil is alive and healthy soils means healthy pest free plants.

Yahoo Answers!

The Organic Vegetable Gardening - A How To Guide

Every year, around springtime, many people spring into action and start a new quest to do a spot of gardening. A new trend that has taken the world by storm, is organic vegetable gardening. Some know exactly what the process entails and others need more information.

The value of organic vegetables is immense and therefore it is becoming an essential consideration when it comes to selecting a gardening method. There is a lot of information available on the topic, but following the basic steps as laid out here, should be sufficient in getting you started.

Before you do anything else, you should establish how hardy the zone is where you wish to plant. Certain plants thrive in specific climates. The type of climate required, should be indicated on the seedling packaging or from the nursery information center. This is often based on the estimated date on which the area receives the last frost of the season.

The next step is to decide where in your garden you want to plant the seedlings or seeds. Avoid locations with standing water as plants need proper drainage, but it should still be near enough to water to enable you to easily water it. Select a spot that is not too windy.

Sending it in for testing can test the soil. Since the soil is required to feed the plants, the soil must be in the perfect state of health.

In order to have a perfectly organic garden, you will have to order organic seeds or seedlings. Purchase seeds that are certified organic. Climatic and soil information will be needed for the ordering process. The seeds are available in a variety of quantities, from enough for a kitchen plant holder, to large bags for agricultural and commercial use. Onion, garlic and marigold will protect your crops from pests, naturally. Therefore, you should consider ordering some of those seeds as well.

While you wait for the seeds, you can prepare the garden bed. Remove any grass and cut the sod out with a flat edged, sharp spade. Try not to remove too much soil when you remove the grass. Toil the soil to approximately 12 inches deep and add a natural fertilizer or compost. You should keep an eye on the soil to see if it needs any attention.

When your seedlings arrive, water them well on the day before you wish to plant. The ideal temperature for planting is a day that is overcast, but not windy. Follow the packaging instructions carefully.

Organic mulch should be added once you have planted. The cool should be kept cool and the water preserved. In conjunction to the mulch, you may add some shredded leaves, straw or bark. By taking good care of your organic vegetable gardening, you will benefit from a bountiful crop.

Matt Sumerstone has been online for almost eight years. He enjoys writing about home improvement and gardening topics. Check out his latest web site at Boca Raton florists for helpful information about buying arrangements from Boca flowers shops.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Sumerstone

Organic Gardening - Made Easy