Don't Panic - Go
Organic
A real
gardener is not a man who cultivates flowers; he is a man who cultivates
the soil…wrote Karel Capek in “The Gardener’s Year”, many years ago.
There’s an awful lot of hype around organic, but if you are growing your
own herbs or veggies to eat, it’s something you need to think about.
What does it mean to go organic?
That’s actually
quite a complex question. Some say that it means not using any chemical
pesticides or fertilisers because they can damage the environment.
That’s true, but there’s a sting in the tail. There are also some
natural remedies, like tobacco dust, that can be toxic. Some organic
formulations claim to be safe to use. It is best to read the labels very
carefully.
I prefer to talk about organic gardening in the positive sense. It’s
about using our common sense, and working with nature. Just employ
environmentally friendly products and environmentally friendly cultural
practices.
It isn’t very different from conventional gardening. You still need to
plant at the right time, prune, control pests and mow the lawn.
The difference lies in our approach. It’s how we understand, and value,
the interrelationship between all the elements in the garden. It’s how
we understand the ecosystem of our garden. About a hundred years before
the term “ecosystems” was coined, John Muir said simply, “Everything is
connected to everything else”.
• The micro-organisms that create humus in the soil
• The pollinating bees and butterflies
• The natural pest controllers like lady birds
• The synergies between plants (companion planting)
• and the cycle of life and decay.
In other words, organic gardening is a philosophy of gardening.
It’s not a style or a design.
Don't go too high tech. It will be your downfall. Herb gardening is not
meant to be complicated or too scientific.
Otherwise you are
missing the point. Which is to make a connection with the earth. Talk
about organic herb gardening in the positive sense. Use your common
sense. Work with nature, opting for what is natural.
Start with your
soil. Make that your passion, and almost everything else will follow.
• Make your own compost and use it to condition and regenerate the soil.
• Add well-rotted manure – it is the best of all fertilisers.
• Mulch beds with coarse organic material (pine needles, bark chips,
peanut shells). It keeps the roots cool and helps retain water.
• Rotate your crops to restore the balance in the soil. Some plants
deplete, while others, like legumes add nitrogen to the soil. It also
prevents pests and diseases building up in the soil.
• Companion plant – combine herbs and vegetables that stimulate each
other’s growth, or act as pest repellents. For instance marigolds repel
eelworm.
The Henry Doubleday Research Association gives you more food for
thought:
• Choose renewable resources, thereby creating a sustainable future.
• Reduce pollution of the environment by recycling your garden,
household and other waste, rather than dumping or burning it.
(Start a wormery.)
• Encourage and protect wildlife in your garden by creating suitable
habitats - plant species that attract wildlife - and by minimizing use of harmful pesticides.
• Move with the times – take new scientific discoveries and ideas into
account, as well as the best traditional knowledge.
• Use good gardening practices. You’ll learn them all with the
SA Herb
Academy.
• Play to your garden’s strengths, capitalising on its characteristics.
If you’re still not convinced here’s some great reasons to grow
your herbs and veggies organically:
• You can grow for flavour. Commercial growers have to grow for
shelf-life.
• Home-grown herbs and veggies are nutritious.
• You can decide what your family eats.
• You can grow things that you can’t buy in the shops.
• You’ll get fresh air, a bit of exercise and rediscover the seasons.
Do you agree there’s a definite link between herb growing and organic
gardening? The practice of both has been handed down through the
centuries. And they both make our world a better, healthier place.
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