How to grow the freshest organic food in your fruit and vegetable garden
T(caps)o get the best results with your organic garden, you'll want to make sure the soil is properly conditioned. You have to make sure your veggies get lots of fresh nutrients. Good, healthy soil helps build up strong, productive plants. Chemical soil treatments can not only seep into your food, but they can also harm the beneficial bacteria, worms and other microbes in the soil. If you have poor soil, amend it with lots of organic matter, such as compost or chicken manure.
Watch How to Add Chicken Manure To The Garden Soil
Well rotted composts and manures will be relatively poor in soluble nutrients but rich in insoluble ones. On most soils they are best incorporated by cultivation in spring, just before growth starts. Sandy soils are best manured from late winter. However, autumn application can also work on all but sandy soils. The cold soil will slow breakdown over winter. Avoid applying in late summer as the warm soil can lead to significant nutrient loss as the materials will break down quickly to produce soluble nutrients easily washed out "leached" by winter rains. Make sure you have good growing conditions. For most vegetables, that means full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
If your soil has too much clay in it, is too sandy, too stony or too acidic, don't despair. Turning a poor soil into a plant-friendly soil is not difficult to do, once you understand the components of a healthy soil.
Soil health is a state of a soil meeting its range of ecosystem functions as appropriate to its environment. Soil organisms include the bacteria and fungi, protozoa and nematodes, mites, springtails, earthworms and other tiny creatures found in the soil.
These organisms are essential for plant growth. They help convert organic matter and soil minerals into vitamins, hormones, disease-suppressing compounds and nutrients that plants need to grow.
Organically rich soil encourages the growth of healthy, extensive roots that are able to reach more nutrients and water. The result is: extra-productive growth above ground.
Organic matter contains soluble or mineral nutrients and organic molecules that contain nutrients. The action of soil microorganisms turns the latter into soluble nutrients. Microorganisms work quickly in summer, but slowly or not at all in winter.
Enjoy healthy, tasty, organic vegetables fresh from your garden.
Healthy soil means healthy people! Happy Organic Gardening
