Organic Gardening
Beginners Guide to Growing
Your Own Organic Vegetables
By TC Drummond
http://www.andrew-johnson.org.uk/
Copyright 2012 by TC Drummond
Smashwords Edition
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 – Introduction
Chapter 2 – Why Grow Organically?
Chapter 3 – Organic Gardening Supplies
Chapter 4 – Deciding What to Grow
Chapter 5 – Planting Your Vegetable Garden
Chapter 6 – Making Your Garden Thrive
Chapter 7 – My Garden Won’t Grow. Trouble Shooting Your Organic Vegetables
Chapter 8 – Harvesting Your Organic Vegetables
Chapter 9 – Storing Your Organic Vegetables
Chapter 1 – Introduction
For many years home gardening has taken a back seat to other hobbies and outdoor past times. The most recent generations have considered gardening at home to be old
fashioned and a waste of time, after all, vegetables and produce can be purchased at any local grocery store. However, as the economy has changed younger people have become interested in rural lifestyle and healthier diets. With this interest more attention has been given to home gardening and organic gardening.
Grocery stores have started carrying organic vegetables to meet with demands and health concerns but many shoppers have noticed that organic vegetables are often far more expensive than the non-organic counterpart. This discourages shoppers on a tight budget from buying and eating organically. There is an alternative to spending large amounts of money on organic vegetables. Now individuals can grow their own organic vegetables instead of buying them regardless of their individual living situation or available gardening space. Many great organic vegetables can be grown on a small balcony so you do not need a house and a garden to start growing your own organic vegetables.
This e-book has been created specifically for those who have become interested in growing organic vegetables in their home but do not know where or how to begin. This e-book is perfect for beginners who have never even thought about gardening before. It will walk you through the process of setting up your own garden easily and affordably. Now you will be able to start our own organic vegetable garden faster than you expected with a detailed, easy to understand, guide that has been created to help you get started.
If you are a bit apprehensive about starting your very own organic vegetable garden or apprehensive about gardening in general don’t be! Starting a home garden is much easier than many people realize even if you have never set foot on a farm before or seen a home or backyard garden before. Organic gardening is just as easy since it is only a more natural approach to the gardening that many people and farmers do today. You can start your garden out small to get comfortable with growing organic vegetables and then add to it as time goes on. Once you get your organic vegetable garden started with the help of this e-book you will be amazed at how easy it is and will wonder why you didn’t start your own garden years ago.
With the help of this e-book you will be able to grow healthy vegetables for yourself, friends, and family members. You will learn how to harvest the vegetables you grow organically and how to store them once they have been harvested. By starting an organic garden you will be giving yourself an excuse to spend a few minutes outdoors everyday monitoring your growing garden and enjoying the weather.
Organic gardening can even become a family pastime. People of all ages can enjoy and benefit from growing organic vegetables.
Chapter 2 – Why Grow Organically?
Some first time gardeners might wonder why they should bother growing their vegetables organically. They wonder if it even makes any difference in the long run. Before that question can be answered a person must first understand what organic gardening really is.
Organic gardening is gardening without using any chemically created fertilizers, weed killers, or pesticides. In most gardens store bought fertilizers that are crammed with chemicals are used to treat the soil the vegetables are planted in. Later, more store bought pesticides and weed killers are sprayed among the vegetables while they are growing to kill the insects and weeds that are part of any garden.
For many using store bought fertilizers, weed killers, and pesticides seems like the best choice. It is often considered easier to run to the market, purchase a bottle of “weed killer” and spray your garden whenever you notice weeds growing. The process is later repeated when any pests appear or the vegetables do not seem to be growing well. The problem with using these store bought, chemically enhanced items is that you rarely know exactly what you are exposing your vegetables to.
There are some people who do take the time to check the ingredients on their products before buying them but most of us don’t. In fact, many of us only look for the cheapest products available. After buying based on price we are then exposing ourselves to potentially harmful chemicals by using them on food we plan to later eat. Yes most vegetables are washed before being eaten but how thoroughly and how will washing help when the food has been grown using fertilizer loaded with unknown chemicals. The following are two common pesticides used for gardening with their known possible side effects:
Malathion- Abdominal pain, stomach cramps, anxiety, unsteadiness, confusion, depression, diarrhoea, laboured breathing, dizziness, sweating, loss of bowel or bladder control, eyelid, face, and neck twitching, unusual weakness, and slow heartbeat.
Skoot- Headache, dizziness, loss of memory, kidney pain, insomnia, nausea, and vomiting.
These are only two pesticides that can lead to serious health products. There are many more insecticides and pesticides used on vegetables that have very harmful side effects. In addition to chemically saturated pesticides most vegetables are also grown using fertilizers that are filled with chemicals and the vegetable plants are also treated with weed killers that expose vegetables to even more chemicals.
By growing organically you are placing yourself in complete control of what is going into the food that you are eating and completely avoiding any chance of being poisoned by pesticides. When vegetables are grown organically you do not have to wonder about what sort of chemicals your vegetables have been exposed to since you know that you have used no store bought, man made, chemicals in your garden.
In the event that you do feel that your vegetable garden needs pesticide or fertilizer there are natural ways to create both fertilizer and pesticide that do not involve buying outside products.
Along with shunning the use of pesticides organic vegetable gardening is also a great way to save money and valuable resources. Surprisingly, many gardeners and those that are interested in starting their own gardens do not realize that starting an organic garden is a money saving move. It is easy to forget that if you are not using store bought chemicals you do not have to pay additionally money each month for chemicals that you will quickly use and have to replace.
If you do not believe that organic gardening will save you money price the cost of store bought fertilizers, pesticides, and even weed killers the next time you are at the store. Once you have found the cheapest items imagine having to continuously buy them to keep your garden going in addition to your normal household groceries and supplies.
Imagine the money you will you will save by not using these expensive products all together. Also imagine the money you will save by not having to waste gas making last minute trips to the market when you realize you have run out of these supplies.
These last minute trips to the grocery store will happen more often than you realize if you start a garden using chemicals. It is easy to forget to purchase weed killer during a hectic grocery store trip only to come home and find that weeds are overrunning your garden. The same thing often happens with pesticides. Many gardeners will not purchase a replacement bottle of pesticide because they have not noticed any insects. Then, the next thing they know, their garden is overrun with hungry insects ruining the fruits of their labour.
If saving money isn’t a major concern for you or your family think about the health benefits that come from gardening organically. Organic vegetables are usually recommended with many diets, especially diets that encourage detoxification and the cleansing of ones system. Having a fresh supply of organic vegetables on hand at all times will help you and your family lead a healthier lifestyle and make any organic vegetable detox diet easier to maintain.
Organic vegetables and a detox regiment can do wonders for your health and the health of your family. Many people who eat meals that are made up of at least 60% organic vegetables will find that they have more energy as a result of receiving more vitamins and minerals from a natural source. Overtime those who have diet consisting primarily of organic vegetables will experience a lowering of blood pressure and cholesterol. They will also find it easier to lose weight since they are consuming less fat and processed foods.
Last, but never least, organic vegetables taste much better than those that have been heavily treated with chemicals. Good, organic, vegetables that have never been sprayed with pesticides and other chemicals will usually have a more pronounced flavorflavour and better taste than their non-organic counterpart. People who eat organic vegetables taste the vegetable and not the chemicals that have been used to protect and grow the vegetable. Many people who grow organic vegetables do so for the great taste more than anything else.
Chapter 3 – Organic Gardening Supplies
Now that you know why you should grow your vegetables organically you are now probably wondering how to do that. Getting your organic garden started is easier than you think especially since you do not have to worry about stocking up on expensive, potentially dangerous, chemical fertilizers and other items. Most of the things you will need to start your organic garden are already in your house or easy to get.
Be sure you plan things carefully and do not just get some seeds or plants and start digging up your yard. That piece of advice will probably be repeated in this e-book because that is usually the mistake most beginner gardeners make. In order to have a successful organic garden you need to take your time and plan everything out careful.
1. Space
Before you can start growing your organic vegetables you will need a place to plant them. This choice is going to be based largely on your living situation. If you are in a townhouse or apartment or even a house without a suitable yard then you will want to consider using pots. It is possible to grow many small vegetables in pots or containers that come in a wide variety of sizes.