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Create a Healthy Harvest With Your Organic Vegetable Garden



Growing your own organic vegetable garden can not only give you healthy organic fresh food, but it can also save you money. There's nothing more rewarding then planting and watching your organic vegetable garden grow into a nourishing part of your daily meals. We will cover both container gardening and gardening in your native soil. p>1. Organic soil & organic matter - The first thing you need to do is get organic gardening soil & organic matter, such as horse, or organic turkey manure(the nitrogen contant is great). Mix 2/3 organic soil to 1/3 matter. If you're using your native soil your next step would be to add the organic mixture to the native soil (tilled & loosened) at least 2" deep into the ground. The more organic soil and matter the better, so go 3" or more if you can, unless you have rich soil. Pick a spot that gets at least 6 hrs of full sunlight. For containers use only your organic mixture. Soil for containers could use some peat moss mixed in for aeriation and some pea peebles at the bottom of the container. Also, make sure there's a drainage hole at the bottom of your containers.

2. Gardening Seeds - You can order online, go to local nurseries, or gardening centers to find organic gardening seeds. The best place to get seeds is by gathering them from things you eat. All the organic produce you eat now you can provide your organic produce in the future!

3. Planting - Some folks plant in rows which is fine, but the way that works out nice for smaller areas or containers is in blocks. You plant the seeds in the shape of a square imagining a nice sized plant and giving each one space to grow. Most seed packages give you the depth to plant. Usually a 1/2 inch assures a good distance for the seed to be put into the soil. Re-cover the seed hole with soil. Mark each block with a label of some sort to identify what you have in each section, or you can make up a little garden chart for your own use. Planting two blocks of spinach together is not recommended. Bugs and insects will chew up two patches of leafy veggies quick, so a good thing to do is make every block different.

4. Companion planting - Plants can repel insects for one another, like roses & garlic, basil & tomatoes. It's a great way to deter insects and pests. Also, If you grow flowers with or near the organic vegetables it will deter the bad insects, and bring in the good insects. A great companion planting guide and other secrets is Roses Love Garlic by Louise Riotte.

5. Weeds - In order to prevent weeds from taking over your organic vegetable garden area it's good to use black garden plastic, or plastic mulch to keep the soil moist, or if you have the time you can go ahead and weed daily. For more ideas on weeds check out Organic Weed Control.

6. Watering - Make sure you water the gardening seeds you planted thoroughly and for the first two weeks make sure they are kept moist. Just as they are drying out give them a drink. Then keep your new plants that will pop out watered as needed. If it's extra hot where you live you may need to water more than once, or use a sprinkler system or drip system on a timer. You're looking for good drainage with no puddling.

7. Crop rotatation - If you use the same garden bed year after year, it's great to check out your little garden chart and not plant the same things in the same blocks of soil. That way disease won't build up in the soil.

9. Insect protection netting - Cheese cloth or other woven materials that the sun and water can come through helps if you really want to keep those chowing insects off your crop.

10. Fertilizer - The initial organic matter like horse or organic turkey manure you put in your containers or native soil, has a high nitrogen content. That's what you need for growth in your organic vegetable garden. After about 6 to 8 weeks you can mix some more matter around and into the soil by your established vegetation and flowers. Use a palm full worked in and around each plant and then water it in well. Nitrogen can burn if its applied dry and isn't watered in.

As you can see, it's fairly simple to grow your own organic vegetable garden. Check back here in the future for more great tips!

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