Organic Gardening: The Hobby for the Organic Way of Life

Organic gardening is a wonderful and joy-promoting hobby for those who have adapted to the organic way of life. In the organic garden one feels at peace with nature, as he/she awaits to see the unfolding of the wonders and miracles of nature. Another joy-promoting factor is that organic gardening gives one the opportunity to put organic foods on the dining table. Therefore, when one takes a step into the organic garden he/she takes a big stride for good health and healthy living.

Healthy Living Begins in the Organic Garden

Organic gardening gives one the opportunity to take a break from herbicides, pesticides and chemical additives in foods. One has the opportunity to assure that the growth of plants in the garden is powered by the proper plant nutrients. These nutrients include the primary nutrients (nitrogen, phosphate and potassium); the secondary macro-nutrients (e.g., magnesium, calcium and sulfur) and the micro nutrients (e.g., chromium, zinc, copper and selenium). This is important because the quality of our diet and the health benefits from the diet are dependent on the quality of the foods we consume.

Numerous man-made compounds and chemical contaminants are not allowed in the organic garden. Some of these chemical agents pose health risk to humans (1,2,3). Shown below are some of the herbicides and pesticides that are not allowed in the organic garden:

• Atrazine
• Nitropyrazone,
• Thioamide
• Triazolinone
• Sulfonylaminocarbonyl
• Nitrates and nitrites
• Endosulfan
• Organochlorines
• Organophosphates
• Molluscicide
• Pyrethroids
• Carbamates
• Rodenticides

Organic Fertilizer and Soil Amendment

Soil preparation is an important step that distinguishes the organic gardener from the conventional gardeners. Some people mistakenly assume that soil in the organic garden is not as fertile as the soil from the conventional garden which is amended with conventional chemical fertilizers. This assumption is incorrect.

Organic gardening soil is more fertile than conventional garden soil. The organic gardener extensively uses compost to amend the soil. The organic materials in the soil provide nutrients for billions of microbial organisms in the soil. These microorganisms are the agents that improve the soil by their activities. Thus, the organic gardener supports the vitality of the microbial inhabitants of the soil and he is rewarded with ‚”alluvial” soil.

The abundance of organic material in the soil assures that the soil in the organic garden has the basic and critical qualities needed for plant growth compared to soil in the conventional garden. Some of these qualities are:

• Good soil structure
• Good soil aeration

• More water holding capacity
• Good drainage for the soil
• Proper and more stable levels of plant nutrients in the soil
• Longer periods of nutrient availability in the soil
• More stable soil pH

Organic fertilizer (other than compost) can also be added to the soil if additional amendment is needed. The organic fertilizer contains organic materials; primary macro-nutrients; secondary macro-nutrients, and micro-nutrients, compared to the conventional chemical fertilizer which may contain only the primary macro-nutrients: nitrogen, phosphate and potassium.

The components of the organic fertilizer are obtained from natural sources. Nitrogen is obtained from seed meal (e.g., alfalfa seed meal and cotton seed meal). Potassium is obtained from kelp meal and phosphate is obtained from bone meal or phosphate rocks.

The sources of the primary plant nutrients for the organic fertilizer also contain other nutrients that are beneficial to plants and to us. These minerals include the plant macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients (e.g., magnesium, calcium, zinc, chromium, selenium, iron, manganese, boron, iodine and copper). Additionally, organic fertilizer contains organic materials, a critical component that facilitates the improvement of soil structure with the organic fertilizer.

The Organic Way of Life Preserves and Improves the Environment

Organic gardening is a paradigm for the organic way of life. One cooperates with nature by enabling the microorganisms to improve the soil so that high quality food can be produced. This approach to food production does not pollute or contaminate the environment. On the contrary, it improves the environment and makes man a better steward of the earth.

References

1. PLoS ONE. Chronic Exposure to the Herbicide, Atrazine, Causes Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Insulin Resistance. Lim S, Ahn SY, Song IC, Chung MH, Jang HC, et al. 4(4): e5186, 2009
2. eHow. List of Hazardous fertilizers and chemicals. Accessed on October 2010
3. Ozark: Australian Wildlife Carers Network. Organophosphates and Organochlories Poisoning of Wild Life. Accessed on Oct 2010.