FEATURESTORY
An Organic Garden Checklist
I
f you’re planning an organic garden, there are a
few things you should check off your list before
you get started. The following items should be
on every organic garden checklist.
Watch the Light
If you’re planting vegetables, keep in mind that
most of them need either full sun or a mix of full sun
and partial shade. If you are incorporating flowers or
shrubs into your organic garden they also have their
own sunlight needs so read the instruction tags that
come with them. Observe your yard at different times
of the day and note which areas are sunny and those
that are shady and place the plants accordingly.
Create a Blueprint
Like all good things, a successful garden starts
with a roadmap. Most organic gardeners start with a
four-by-four-foot plot for their vegetables. If you’re
growing flowers, choose a spot to dig the beds.
Build a Fence
Pests such as rabbits, squirrels, and deer love to
nibble away at your vegetable garden and flowers. To
avoid losing all your vegetables to the animal king-
dom, consider building a fence around your garden.
Consider building the fence before you plant the gar-
den to help keep the pests out from the very start.
Condition the Soil
Before you start planting, you need to ensure your
soil is in tip-top shape. Do a quick soil test to see if
the pH level needs adjusting. Once you have the re-
sults, determine how much (if any) organic material
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such as mulch or worm castings needs to be added to
make it fertile.
Choose a Bed Type
Do you want to till and nourish the soil in a pre-
existing garden? Do you want to use a raised bed
to help avoid bending down to care for the plants?
Answering these questions helps determine whether
to use your existing organic garden space or create a
raised bed.
Select the Plants
Spend some time researching what will grow
in your area and what time of the year plants will
flourish then create a schedule. Radishes prefer cool
weather and should be planted early in the spring
while carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and many other
vegetables are hardy enough to be planted well into
autumn.
Have the Correct Tools
Regardless of the season, always have the follow-
ing tools ready to go:
◆ ◆ Spade
◆ ◆ Garden fork
◆ ◆ Hose
◆ ◆ Hoe
◆ ◆ Hand weeder
◆ ◆ Basket or wheelbarrow for mulch
Your organic gardening will be more enjoyable if
you cross each of these items off your organic garden
checklist. GG
Background information for this article was provided by
MCG BioComposites MCGBiomarkers.com.
www.GardenandGreenhouse.net
May 2019