So, last Spring you may have grown a few tomato plants, which you planted alongside your house. You got a “bumper crop” of 6 beefsteak tomatoes. That was good for 2 meals. This year, you plan on having a garden, with many more vegetables…not just tomatoes. You also are more aware of the chemicals in fertilizers and pesticides, so you would like an organic garden. Well, forget last year… because you will have a great garden if you follow my organic vegetable gardening tips.
Organic Vegetable Gardening Tips:
- What Vegetables To Grow….Think about the vegetables you and your family enjoy eating. Balance that with whether these are expensive vegetables. For your efforts you may as well save as much money by growing your own. For example, red and orange peppers are much more expensive than green peppers. Buying lettuces in a mesculun salad is more expensive than iceberg lettuce. Other expensive vegetables include asparagus, arugula and redicchio. Try some of the heirloom tomatoes, such as the popular Brandywine variety, instead of a “red” tomato.
- Raised Beds…..Instead of having to dig deep into your soil (about a foot for tomatoes), build or buy a raised bed and fill it with soil and compost (you can buy organic compost) This will save you a lot of work
- Keep it Small…if you plant too many plants, you may find it too much work at first.
- Plant Garlic Bulbs…to keep away the animal pests that might eat your plants.
- Fence in your garden….if you can use a fence to keep out the pests.
- 50 degree soil…make sure your soil is at least 50 degrees before planting.
- Water about 2 times a week…water deep