Combining Organic & Inorganic Methods In The Garden
Everywhere you turn nowadays, you see organic products being promoted. The grocery store is filled with organic items usually with a much higher price tag attached. Organic is marketed as being more environmentally safe. So naturally when planting a garden you want it to be more environmentally safe but there are also several traditional and commercial compounds that are safe and effective when used properly.
Manure provides is an excellent organic fertilizer. It provides a nitrogen rich additive to soil, which helps many vegetables grow. However, the odor can be very unpleasant not to mention that animal waste can carry diseases. Bird droppings and animal waste can contain viruses and parasites that are harmful to both humans and other animals. So be careful when using manure to fertilize your garden.
Compost made from leftover food, straw, grass, leaves and the like can make an equally good soil additive. But compost piles do attract insects that feed off the decaying organic matter. Take care when preparing and using it in your vegetable garden.
Biological control of insects is another method popular among organic gardeners. It has many advantages. Insect and pest populations can be kept under control by introducing predators that eat the harmful insects but not the vegetables. That reduces the need for artificial chemicals. But selecting which ones are beneficial, and ensuring that they don’t then turn on the vegetables, can take a lot of research and continual adjustment.
Planting trap crops that lure insects away from vegetables to ’sacrificial’ plants is another form of biological control. It has the same advantage of reducing the need for artificial chemical control, or passively accepting a reduced crop from insect damage. But those crops take up time, space, water, fertilizer and other things that could be used for more vegetables.
The argument can be made that chemical compounds used in many insecticides are somewhat natural in nature since they are obtained from natural sources. All chemicals produced artificially for gardening are derived from compounds found in the natural environment.
Pyrethrum, for example, is the base of one of the most popular forms of insecticide. It is used in cans of wasp and other insect sprays and a wide variety of other applications. Yet, it is derived from the blossoms of the pyrethrum flower (Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium). Most people would think of it as an artificial insecticide, yet it clearly has its origin in a completely natural plant.
Natural, organic mulch is also a great soil protector. Leaves, wood chips, and other natural materials help retain moisture and ward off insect and weed invasions. The use of black plastic is also a good “artificial” mulch. It helps control weeds and won’t harm the environment because it doesn’t decay or give off toxins. It can even help with pest control by enhancing solar irradiation.
Whether you choose to use organic or inorganic gardening methods, it is important to remember that “natural” or “organic” doesn’t always mean it is safe under all circumstances, so garden with care.
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