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Good, bad, neutral? https://www.askaprepper.com/5-myths-about-organic-gardening/
Organic gardening?
- Thread starter VenomJockey
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@VenomJockey yes they are all completely right about the myths and we have in our last home produced enough vegetables for not only us but for other families as well in a small area. The main thing to remember is to use everything available to you on your property such as vegetable scraps, dried leaves, lawn clippings etc, potash from your fireplace and we use charcoal from our winter fires too crushed and put into the soil to keep moisture in the soil too much like what a rainforest floor has in the soil.
We find organic gardening a joy and not a chore and by doing so we added it our savings up over 15 months and it saved us $3500 over buying the same quantity of vegetables in the supermarkets. Our vegetables here are horrendously high in price due to droughts and floods and that is even in areas where a lot of vegetable farms are.
We find organic gardening a joy and not a chore and by doing so we added it our savings up over 15 months and it saved us $3500 over buying the same quantity of vegetables in the supermarkets. Our vegetables here are horrendously high in price due to droughts and floods and that is even in areas where a lot of vegetable farms are.
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Good.
And they are correct. For me, it is easier than using chemicals and additive to make thing grow. I keep the soil healthy, it keeps the plants healthy.
Using chemicals changes the soil balance, at least for me. Years ago I can remember having to check the soil for nutrients (those test kits), pH then adding what was required and checking later on in the month.
Now I just keep the soil healthy by adding nutrients in the form of leaves, compost and yard waste. Never have to check for anything, no need to, the soil takes care of itself, at least for me. Scoop up a handful and smell it. Dig a shovel in and check for worms. Things look a bit dry, water them. Too rainy, check for drainage. Weeding is about the only tedious task and even that gets easier after a few years as I only get wind-blown seeds sprouting.
Cost wise: it costs in labor but saves hard cash. I buy nothing for it, just use labor to move materials around. What I consider free.
Costing more at the store is true from what I understand. It isn’t that the output of those farms is less, it is that the quantity of ‘saleable’ merchandise is less. Saleable meaning pristine, blemish-free produce. Most consumers have an aversion to purchasing something that has a blemish on it or is misshapen. All those potatoes in the market are exactly the same size and shape, same with the squash, tomatoes or anything else. One little blemish and no one will purchase it. I eat just about anything from the garden, no care what it really looks like only if it is ripe and ready to eat. Bad spot on a squash, cut that part off. Something ate a hole in a string bean, break that part off. Carrots are not completely straight and uniform in size and shape? Might make some harder to scrub off but they taste just the same.
I never had any problems using wood chips as mulch unless they were all evergreen/acidic. Used mixes and worked fine. They just take a long time, years, to break down. I do favor purchasing loads of what is called ‘triple shredded hardwood’ mulch from the local guy. Mostly shredded bark and within a year breaks down into soil.
And they are correct. For me, it is easier than using chemicals and additive to make thing grow. I keep the soil healthy, it keeps the plants healthy.
Using chemicals changes the soil balance, at least for me. Years ago I can remember having to check the soil for nutrients (those test kits), pH then adding what was required and checking later on in the month.
Now I just keep the soil healthy by adding nutrients in the form of leaves, compost and yard waste. Never have to check for anything, no need to, the soil takes care of itself, at least for me. Scoop up a handful and smell it. Dig a shovel in and check for worms. Things look a bit dry, water them. Too rainy, check for drainage. Weeding is about the only tedious task and even that gets easier after a few years as I only get wind-blown seeds sprouting.
Cost wise: it costs in labor but saves hard cash. I buy nothing for it, just use labor to move materials around. What I consider free.
Costing more at the store is true from what I understand. It isn’t that the output of those farms is less, it is that the quantity of ‘saleable’ merchandise is less. Saleable meaning pristine, blemish-free produce. Most consumers have an aversion to purchasing something that has a blemish on it or is misshapen. All those potatoes in the market are exactly the same size and shape, same with the squash, tomatoes or anything else. One little blemish and no one will purchase it. I eat just about anything from the garden, no care what it really looks like only if it is ripe and ready to eat. Bad spot on a squash, cut that part off. Something ate a hole in a string bean, break that part off. Carrots are not completely straight and uniform in size and shape? Might make some harder to scrub off but they taste just the same.
I never had any problems using wood chips as mulch unless they were all evergreen/acidic. Used mixes and worked fine. They just take a long time, years, to break down. I do favor purchasing loads of what is called ‘triple shredded hardwood’ mulch from the local guy. Mostly shredded bark and within a year breaks down into soil.
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Thanks fro reminding me to turn the compost.
We had so much to do this year we got lazy and used out Master Blend chemical based hydroponic fertilizer on some of our container plants.
But for years we only used compost,leaves and scraps on out veggies and some of our own chicken manure . We also have a leaf grinder that half works on the leaves like oak that are hard to break down.
Our raised beds are still chemical free and never had chems added. This property was vacant since 1953 when we bought it 22 years ago.
I figure at least we know where it is grown and how old it is,so thats good I guess. And hope to go back to organic in Fall.
We had so much to do this year we got lazy and used out Master Blend chemical based hydroponic fertilizer on some of our container plants.
But for years we only used compost,leaves and scraps on out veggies and some of our own chicken manure . We also have a leaf grinder that half works on the leaves like oak that are hard to break down.
Our raised beds are still chemical free and never had chems added. This property was vacant since 1953 when we bought it 22 years ago.
I figure at least we know where it is grown and how old it is,so thats good I guess. And hope to go back to organic in Fall.
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Hydroponic is always chemical though. We tried organics of all kinds and they just stink up everything.
We first tried Aquaponics with fish but that was not working out either because of high heat here. So we gave away our fish and closed down the pond.
We first tried Aquaponics with fish but that was not working out either because of high heat here. So we gave away our fish and closed down the pond.
I add manure and compost. I also add ashes from the pellet stove or bone meal or blood meal. I use fish emulsion and seaweed fertilizer to feed all my plants, but I have used manure tea in the past.
We have really crappy soil ( shale) and its basically rocks. I have to add commercial garden soil when I start a new container bed and then add the compost and manure. It takes me a couple of years to get it built up to good soil.
If I get a pest problem I try all the natural ways to get rid of them ( baking soda,dish detergent and water, or DE). If that doesn't work then I go buy Safer spray which is supposed to be all natural ingredients
I don't like using chemicals anywhere on the property because I've got a huge amount of birds who make our place their home. They do a big job of keeping a lot of the insects controlled here. You should see how they dive bomb the garden in the early morning ( and most of the day lol) to eat the bugs.
I have a carolina wren making a nest in my arctic kiwi this year ( which has never bloomed dog goneit)
We have really crappy soil ( shale) and its basically rocks. I have to add commercial garden soil when I start a new container bed and then add the compost and manure. It takes me a couple of years to get it built up to good soil.
If I get a pest problem I try all the natural ways to get rid of them ( baking soda,dish detergent and water, or DE). If that doesn't work then I go buy Safer spray which is supposed to be all natural ingredients
I don't like using chemicals anywhere on the property because I've got a huge amount of birds who make our place their home. They do a big job of keeping a lot of the insects controlled here. You should see how they dive bomb the garden in the early morning ( and most of the day lol) to eat the bugs.
I have a carolina wren making a nest in my arctic kiwi this year ( which has never bloomed dog goneit)
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I need to burn some brush for the ash and spread it around,thanks for reminding me.
