Planting An Organic Garden For Maximum Harvest

Planting An Organic Garden For Maximum Harvest

There are ways of planting a garden in a way that will ensure you get the most out of a small space. It certainly is possible to grow organic vegetables and also have an attractive looking garden, even if the area is limited. Take a look at our tips for getting the most out of your garden.

1. Plan

When you are planting a garden, it is important to start out with a plan. First, consider which plants you are most interested in growing. This will be influenced by what you want from your garden, whether your main priority is organic vegetables for the table or and attractive flower display to wow the neighborhood.

Then take a few minutes to research your chosen plants. Think about things like color and height. A small garden will look even smaller if you grow the tallest plants at the front; putting them at the back will give your garden more depth. It also makes it easier to reach around everything.

It is also important to make sure that the plants have enough space horizontally. A garden that is overcrowded will not have enough air. The soil needs oxygen. Plants also risk developing fungal diseases in an overcrowded garden.

Many organic gardeners use a system of companion plants when planting a garden. This means that you can plant certain things beside each other to give a natural or even wild look to your garden and more importantly, to ward off pests.

For example, plants of the allium family (especially onions or garlic) can be helpful when planted beside tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, cabbage and carrots. French marigolds provide a pesticide chemical that can kill nematodes and other ground based pests. Squash, maize and climbing beans are so beneficial for each other that together they are known as the ‘three sisters’.

2. Rotate

When planting your garden it is also important to consider plant rotation. This means not growing the same plants in the same places year after year. This is particularly important in organic gardening because it helps to prevent pests without using insecticides, and also prevents the soil from becoming exhausted.

When you rotate plants, be sure to rotate the whole family. The main families of organic vegetables are:

Nightshade family: tomato, potato, eggplant (aubergine), peppers.

Brassica family: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower.

Allium family: onion, garlic, leek.

Curcurbits: pumpkin, squash, zucchini (courgette), cucumber, melon.

If you are planting a garden that is very small, you may not have space to rotate all of these plant families every year. In that case, you might want to consider growing two of the families one year, and the other two the next. That will automatically provide healthy crop rotation for your garden.

3. Access

Do not forget that you will need to reach all of your plants, both for weeding and for collecting your eventual crop. Leave pathways so that you will be able to get into the middle of beds even when the plants are fully grown.

Some plants will need more attention than others. For example, anything grown in a pot needs more frequent watering. These plants should be near to the house so that you will be reminded of their needs every time you look out the window. You will probably also want to have herbs near the door when you are planting a garden, so that you can easily run out and pick a few leaves for every meal.

Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces

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Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening has been the go-to resource for gardeners for more than 50 yearsand the best tool novices can buy to start applying organic methods to their fruit and vegetable crops, herbs, trees and shrubs, perennials, annuals, and lawns. This thoroughly revised and updated version highlights new organic pest controls, new fertilizer products, improved gardening techniques, the latest organic soil practices, and new trends in garden design. In this indisp

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Organic Gardening For Dummies, 2nd Edition shows readers the way to ensure a healthy harvest from their environmentally friendly garden. It covers information on the newest and safest natural fertilizers and pest control methods, composting, cultivation without chemicals, and how to battle plant diseases. It also has information on updated equipment and resources. It helps readers plant organically year-round, using herbs, fruits, vegetables, lawn care, trees and shrubs, and flowers. The tips an

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Whether you want to grow better-tasting fruit and vegetables untainted by chemicals, find natural methods of pest and weed control, or create a garden that is safer for your children, pets and wildlife, Organic Gardening is your practical, easy-to-follow guide to gardening with, rather than against, nature.

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