Kitchen Gardening: Basic Steps to Start Your Own Organic Garden
Organic Gardening and food have gained more importance in recent years due to the harmful effects of chemicals used in fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals pollute our environment and also is detrimental to the health of our bodies.
Organic Gardening is a type of gardening where we use natural methods to grow plants and also use natural ways of pest control instead of using harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
As “Information is Wealth” we should be aware of the benefits and techniques to follow in organic gardening.
Organic Fertilizers:
• There are numerous organic fertilizers available in the market like Bone meal, Blood meal, chicken meal;
• Compost is an organic matter prepared by decomposition of waste materials which are highly nutritious and help in the growth of our plants. There are various types of compost like cow compost, mushroom compost, and lobster compost;
• The compost can also be made in the home by using organic waste materials from the kitchen;
• Compost tea prepared from the compost is rich in probiotics and helps the plants to grow well. They can be used every 15 days for good growth and better yield;
• Eggshells and banana peels are rich in calcium and potassium can also be used by sterilizing and making them powder;
• Water used for washing rice, lentils, and vegetables can also be used as they are rich in starch;
• Foliar spray of Kelp extract and fish nutrition will help induce flowering an d fruiting in plants.
Organic Pest and Disease Control:
I. Prevention
1. Prevention is always better than cure. The pest and disease can be prevented by using a good sterile potting mix or garden soil;
2. Checking for the pest before planting.
II. Observation
1. You have to observe regularly your plants for any attack of pest or diseases;
2. Regular observation will help us remove the affected leaves and parts of the plants.
III. Interference.
1. Once the disease is extensive, then we have to use some of the organic methods in controlling them.
The organic ways of pest control include
• Use of ladybugs to kill the crawling insects;
• Use of soap and baking soda for mildew and aphids;
• Use of Bacillus Thuringinesis for eating of small caterpillars;
• Use of neem oil, garlic, onions, chilies, pepper spray to get rid of these insects;
• Smell repellants like egg, animal urine, hair can also be used to protect our plants from pests.
Advantages:
• The main advantage of organic gardening is that the plants are very healthy and nutritious;
• They are very tasty;
• Avoiding harmful chemicals.
Disadvantages:
• Slow pest control;
• Also, difficult to follow unless we know the basics of organic farming.
These are some of the simple steps to follow in organic gardening. Once we follow them, we will get both nutritious and healthy food for our well-being. Also, we can protect our environment from these harmful chemicals.
