Soil - The Art of Organic Gardening

The soil is the basic raw material of the gardener’s art. It should never be dismissed as a mere collection of mineral particles used to anchor roots, or worse still as "dirt". It is much more than that. Certainly, its basic structure consists of rock particles broken down by frost and thaw action, wind and river flow, to produce the different textures that give us soil "types".

However, a large part of its makeup is organic matter—vegetable and animal remains in various stages of decay—along with air and water, which are all essential for the support of plant and animal life. All of this provides a home for millions and millions of living organisms such as soil fungi, algae, bacteria, insects, and worms, which work to provide just the right conditions for healthy plant growth.

How to Improve on Nature with Organic Gardening

Natural methods of sustaining plant growth were never intended to support the kinds of demands we make on our gardens. The technique itself is perfect, but, to produce a good crop, we have to intensify it. The main ways of doing this are quite simple: feeding the soil and improving its texture; protecting seeds during germination; making sure that the plants have adequate water; and being vigilant in controlling pests and diseases.

Looking After the Soil

In nature, for example, soil fertility is maintained by recycling organic matter (see next page). Gardeners, on the other hand, remove much of the organic material from the productive garden in the form of fruit and vegetables, and from the ornamental garden by weeding, pruning, mowing, and cutting flowers. This organic matter has to be replaced through the compost heap, animal manure, and green-manure crops.

The Organic Way of Gardening

There is nothing mystical or magical about organic gardening. It is simply a way of working with nature rather than against it, of recycling natural materials to maintain soil fertility, and of encouraging natural methods of pest and disease control, rather than relying on chemicals.

It is in fact far less involved than the methods employed by the chemical grower. Organic gardening is much more than just a way of growing plants without chemical sprays and artificial fertilizers. It recognizes that the complex workings of nature have been successful in sustaining life over hundreds of millions of years, so the basic organic cultivation principles closely follow those found in the natural world.

Don’t be misled into thinking that these principles will have a detrimental effect on yield or quality. In fact, you are much more likely to increase both and, in doing so, you will be providing an alternative habitat for wildlife, while being certain that the fruit and vegetables produced in your garden are safe, flavorful, and chemical-free.

Why You Should Try Organic Gardening

Organic gardening is a divisive subject. There are those who think that organic methods of cultivation are the only remaining way to save the planet and, at the other extreme, those who think that organic gardening is  only carried out by rabid, environmentally obsessed loonies. I believe neither. Fortunately, many millions of  gardeners all over the world are now beginning to consider organic gardening methods and to evaluate them  rationally.

Even the long-skeptical scientists are having second thoughts as the public demand for chemical-free food and a safer environment increases. I have to admit that, up to 10 years ago, I too was skeptical about  organic gardening. Of course, it’s hard to argue with the developments resulting from modern research:  agricultural and horticultural science has increased yields dramatically, which has kept food prices stable for  years and increased the general well-being of the population of the Western world a thousandfold.