Why I organically garden....

We were working on the patio today and I decided to check the garden.  Figuring it would be time to compost I figured I would see death and the remnants of summer...much to my dismay...I found vegetables....lots and lots of vegetables ready for the picking.  All of my peppers, eggplants and two of my tomatoes were actively producing.  I even got one last watermelon.  Just another pleasant reminder of why I choose to garden!

Organic Garden

With the right mix of compost, sun and water you too can produce a fruitful garden!

Striped watermelon

Once again we have an internally striped watermelon.  Both halves taste delish.  The watermelon variety is supposed to be striped on the outside and pink on the inside.  The only thing we can figure is with the organic nature of our garden, something genetically changed the seed to produce the fruit this way.  Nature is amazing!

Organic Garden Build Up

For any of you who are interested in organic gardening, I can help.  I have been gardening this way for the last five years and have had amazing luck.  I am still getting green, red and mexi-peppers out of the garden along with eggplant and watermelons. 

It is the time of the season to rebuild a natural compost.  For those of you who already have a garden, it is very easy to add the top layer to make the compost. 

1. For starters, make sure all of the plants in your garden from the year before are cut down or leveled so your surface is pretty flat.

2. Next, you will need cardboard.  The brown stuff.  It cannot have advertisements on it.  Talk with your local grocery stores or department stores and see if they would be willing to give you their boxes for free.  Cover your entire garden area with the cardboard. 

3. Next add a layer of leaves.  If you have a blower that will vacuum up the leaves and mulch them even better.  spread all the leaves over the garden.

4. Hose time - soak, and I mean soak the leaves and the cardboard.

5. To stabilize the leaves and keep them down for the winter, I suggest a thin layer of cedar mulch.  You can purchase this at most home improvement stores and it is pretty cheap.  You want the stuff that is shredded.  This will help to keep the leaves/ground leaves from blowing away in the winter. 

6. Once you have put the mulch down, soak the mulch as well.

7. If you live in a warmer climate and the weather permits, water your garden once or twice before you till in the spring.  If you live in the north, just let the process take hold.  The compost will produce heat and any snow will help the compost along.

8. Till your garden in the spring before you plant.  If you don't own a tiller, most rental stores will rent them at a very reasonable daily rate and they may even deliver.  Also check with landscape companies. 

You have now created the compost process.  If you don't have animals, you are more than free to put left over coffee grounds, fruit and veggies on your garden.  Just be careful of bugs.  I will put coffee grounds on my garden in the spring right before I till the compost into my soil. 

If you have any questions about this process, please send them to me and I will answer or find out for you.  Happy composting!