Posts Tagged ‘organic gardening’

People are thinking more and more about being organic in their garden.  Organic gardening has really come of age within recent years. This has forced the industry to produce organic products that not only are environmentally friendly but get results!

It’s important to remember when you plant your fruits and veggies this spring think about your soil amendments and your fertilizers. Often we run to that orange big box store and get that big bag of soil for $4 run home and amend our garden or fill up our containers. Do you know what is in that soil??? Whatever is in that soil ends up in the fruit or veggies you produce.

So lets start with Soil 101, big soil companies often use fillers in their blends. Fillers can be any of the following, construction debris, ground asphalt, waste from water reclamation facilities, ground diseased trees. In most cases these fillers are sterilized as they are blended. The ends result is the soil is dead. Plus it’s loaded with things that I would not want to eat.

I remember a lady who came to a workshop I gave early last year on soils. I believe the workshop was early February. She called me on a busy Saturday morning in April. The conversation went much like this…..”I know you told us that Fox Farm was the best, but honestly I did not want to spend that much on dirt. Now I’m driving home from the big orange box store with 10 bags of soil in my car and my whole car smells like tar, why is that?” I replied, “remember I said that often construction debris or ground asphalt is used as fillers? I’m sure that’s what you are smelling.” “WOW” she said I don’t want that in my garden.” Long story short she is now on her second year using Fox Farm and is amazed at the production of her garden!

So as you amend your garden this spring think about your amendments. I highly recommend Fox Farm Soils and Soil Conditioners. These products are 100% organic and natural and are healthy for not only your plants but you as well. Not the cheapest but they are honestly in my opinion the BEST!!

Much the same can be said for fertilizing. When looking for a fertilizer look for two things, ORGANIC and TIME RELEASED. Organic means you are giving your garden a healthy fertilizer not loaded with chemicals. It also means that as you consume your edibles you know that they were grown safely without harsh chemicals often added to non organic products.

Time Released is another important aspect of a good strong fertilizer. I use the analogy that its like having 10 cups of coffee to get going, you have energy for a brief period but soon you start to crash, even if you keep drinking the coffee your body starts to reject it and shuts down. A fertilizer that promises miracles does the exact same thing to a plant. plants like people need a slow release of nutrients to keep them strong and healthy. A non time release fertilizer can cause the plant to develop above ground but at the same time it struggles to develop its root structure below ground.  The result is a weak unhealthy plant that struggles to produce.

We recommend Fox Farm or Earth Juice Organics for your fertilizing needs. Whether granular or liquid your plants will respond better, be healthier and offer you a bountiful harvest as a payoff. Plus as with any organic product and residual product that may wash or run off is not harmful to our wildlife or watershed.

If you were not thinking organic I hope you will consider it, not only because its an Earth Freindly option but because its healthy for YOU and your FAMILY!!

And remember, “Yamasaki  is your path to a better garden!”