Organic Ideas, Tips & Guides

What a difference a month makes.

My in-laws visited yesterday to share a cup of tea and a homemade muffin in the garden. My father-in-law asked me what my philosophy on weeding was, as he “knows I won’t spray them.” But he wasn’t really interested, he was just saying that he thought my garden was weedy and he didn’t approve. It’s the second time he has made a similar comment this year.

There have been a lot of days this year that have begun and ended with me despairing over the human race. This week we’ve seen Saudi Arabia, Russia and the USA come together to sabotage a global agreement to do something about climate change. And Brex*t makes me feel like a lemming being herded off the cliff in a tidal wave of other lemmings.

IF YOU ARE STILL USING any synthetic chemicals on your lawn, I hope you will stop. So does Paul Tukey. When he founded SafeLawns in 2006, Paul says, “It didn’t occur to people that their lawns could be dangerous.”“The sad reality is that we know that a lot of the chemicals used to grow the lawn (the fertilizers), or the chemicals used to control weeds or insects or fungal diseases—all  of these chemicals are designed to kill things, and they can make us very sick, and they make the water very sick, and the soil very sick, and the air very unhealthy.”Giving up chemicals doesn’t mean you have to pave over your front yard.“We will have lawns long after all these chemicals are banned in the United States, as they have been banned in Canada,” says Paul—explaining that more than 80 percent of Canadians cannot use weed and feed products, or glyphosate (the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide) because they are

All of it will be grown organically, starting with organically farmed seed, like in her family farm and home garden (below).  “Our seed system is brittle,” says Theresa, who farms in Fullerton, North Dakota, on the cusp of Zone 3b and 4a. Not brittle in the way a perfectly dry seed must be to store well over the winter for next season–but brittle as in ecologically and politically fragile, and potentially broken.We’ve all heard: Years of industry consolidation by a few big corporations has reduced the d

UNLIKE MANY VEGETABLE CROPS we grow to eat—which are typically picked young and tender, and therefore grown for a shorter time—the same plant cultivated for a seed harvest must be grown to a much older age, requiring much more water, fertilizer, and chemical controls against pests and diseases.Seed crops are coddled, and regulations on chemical usage when raising them is also looser than on growing the same vegetable for the food market.Besides the pollution and waste of resources this results in, it fails to do something else really important: It yields seed strains that “expect “ this kind of pampering—not ones that are well-adapted to organic growing conditions in our home gardens, where we (hopefully!) don’t rush in with a chemical at every turn of events, or prop things up on synthetics instead of diligent care for our soil.Read More:

WHAT’S YOUR TACTIC FOR KILLING WEEDS WITHOUT CHEMICALS? That’s what member Megansgreen asked recently in the Urgent Garden Question Forum, because her driveway gets infested with grass (so does mine, and the front pathway, too). Got any tactics for chemical-free weed control? We’d love to hear.

A candid head’s up: Like Jeff, I am less-than-enthusiastic about the seemingly widespread desire among gardeners to shop their way out of issues with pests, disease, or soil imbalances. I buy a lot of seeds and bulbs and plants–but not a lot of “stuff.”Jeff and I had a funny email exchange, when I invited him to join me on the radio show and podcast, and asked about what topics he’d most like to cover together.“The topics that I speak on most frequently are garden remedies and thoughtful organic gardening,” Jeff replied. When I read that, my slightly dark humor zoomed in on the phrase “thoughtful organic gardening.”Except I thought he said, “thoughtless organic gardening.” I g

His background: Concerned about the lack of organic seed to meet the needs of a growing number of organic farmers, Tom started farming seed in 1995, and now employs 65 people at the Wolcott, Vermont-based High Mowing Organic Seeds headquarters, in Zone 4B. High Mowing originated the Safe Seed Pledge that more than 100 seed companies have signed on to since 1999, speaking out in unison against genetically engineered crops.When we last spoke, Tom said something I think bears repeating:“Organic gardeners are using a dull tool when they use seeds from conventional agriculture.”With that need, and the needs of organic farmers in mind, High Mowing breeds, grows, and sells both open-pollinated and hybrid varieties that are all certified organic. We spoke this week about that product mix, and about breeding directions at the farm.the q&a with tom stearnsQ. Something you wrote, Tom, in the opener to your 2014 catalog: “Whether you love the uniqueness and story of heirlooms and OP’s, or the uniformity of hybrids, we have the

Eliot Coleman has written extensively about organic agriculture since 1975. He has more than 50 years’ experience in all aspects of the subject and has been a commercial market gardener, the director of research projects, a designer of tools for farmers and gardeners, and a teacher and lecturer. He and his wife, Barbara Damrosch, operate Four Season Farm, a commercial year-round market garden in Maine.Read along as you listen to the Oct. 8, 2018 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).Learn why he invokes us to “cultivate ease and order, not battle disease and disorder,” and more—plus enter to win the revised edition of “The New Organic Grower: A Master’s Manual

Organic seed commands a premium price, and limits my choices of vegetable varieties, but as regular readers know, I prefer it. I believe seed bred and raised under organic conditions is the best match for my organic garden’s conditions, and also want to vote with my dollars of demand to help create supply.Having the right seed can provide farmers with the genetic tools to confront day-to-day challenges in the field, so to organic farmers, limited selection and higher prices in organic seed represent a far greater obstacle than to a gardener. Despite the phenomenal growth of the org

Adam, a graduate of the prestigious Longwood Gardens Professional Gardener Training Program, joined the staff at Swarthmore College’s arboretum in 2012. The rose garden he’s responsible for was first designed in 1956, then recently renovated to be more sustainable. In a recent chat, Adam shared tips for organic rose care today, both cultural techniques like proper spacing and using fish hydrolysate as a feed and disease-preventive, and also advice on selecting more resistant varieties. We even talked about the dreaded rose rosette disease that has been on the rise in recent years.If you’re near Swarthmore in late May and early June, treat yourself to a rose-garden tour, or just listen along as we get a virtual visit with the resident expert. Read along as you listen to the May 22, 2107 edition of my public-radio

I recently spoke to Rachel Hultengren, an organic seed breeder who likes to trace stories of seed and the seed breeders behind it. When I was scouting topics for this winter’s Seed Series on the blog and podcast, I came across a trove of podcast interviews with organic seed breeders. It was hosted by Rachel, who in 2017 received her Master’s in plant breeding and genetics from Cornell, where she focused on bell peppers and winter squash and on establishing priorities for organic vegetable breeding in the Northeast. We talked together about why organic seed matters, and shared some of her favorite seed stories.Stories like how seed breeders try to hurry up the process with biennials like carrots, that normally don’t set seed till their second year. About how a tasty, colorful range of dwarf tomatoes resulted from a giant online volunteer project mostly undertaken by amateur breeders. Or how seed breeders don’t just go for flavor or s

The lecturer was Rebecca McMackin, director of horticulture for Brooklyn Bridge Park in New York City, where she leads the team that manages 85 acres of diverse parkland with a central focus on habitat creation of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows to build soils and support birds, butterflies, and other organisms.We talked about the dynamic tactics they use and when and why–a whole different approach to spring cleanup, and why the staff lets the life cycles of animals (from insects on up) dictate what happens when, garden maintenance-wise.

I don’t know many more passionate vegetable gardeners than Joe Lamp’l, who has gathered what he’s learned in decades of growing his own food into a new book filled with advice for the rest of us.Joe Lamp’l is the creator of the long-running public television program, “Growing a Greener World,” and of the popular “Joe Gardener” podcast. Now he’s also author of “The Vegetable Gardening Book: Your Complete Guide to Growing an Edible Organic Garden from Seed to Harvest” (affili

As a long-term advocate for organic growing, time and time again I come up across the same misconceptions about organic pest control and what it really involves. These myths can easily get in the way when we are trying to create healthy, beautiful, and productive gardens.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could make liquid fertilizer from vegetable and fruit scraps? Well, now you can. This DIY organic fertilizer recipe will teach you how to do it.

If you live in a temperate zone, chances are that you have encountered powdery mildew in your garden.Powdery mildew is a worldwide menace, with hundreds of specie

Unlike commercial pesticides, neem oil is entirely safe and natural, absolutely free from harmful chemicals. Also, it’s more effective than any other organic pest repellent available. Here are the best Neem Oil Uses for the garden!

Coconut offers tonnes of benefits to the human body as it is rich in vitamins and minerals and provides a healthy dose of all the essential nutrients! Similarly, Coconut Water for Plants is also advantageous for them, and it’s scientifically proven. Want to know how? Let’s have a look!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Organic mulch is any type of natural materia

Many farmers are well aware that organic farming is a good thing to do. But knowing that something is right and actually implementing it fully are two very different things. Many farmers, even those who are sympathetic to the ideas we espouse and have a favorable option of organic production, may struggle to see how it is actually real-world feasible to make the switch. 

The goal for any sustainable gardener should be to create closed-loop systems—where the garden can be maintained without the need for many, if any, external inputs. In other words, wherever possible, we should aim to create a garden that can support and sustain itself over time. 

Before I could start dreaming of what I’d harvest from my London plot, I had to tame it and cultivate its clay soil. Inspired by the writings of Lawrence Hills, I wanted to transform my overgrown haven organically and sustainably, using what little I knew from books and listening to other plot holders. The organic ethos is at the heart of my gardening, and each technique I adopted was a small step towards sustainability.

Organic pest control is a term referred to the way of controlling pests in a bio-organic and natural manner; this means that you will remove any pests from your garden without using any chemical pesticides or commercial non-organic pest control products. The products you’re going to grow, the soil you are growing in & the plants that come to fruition are much healthier and stronger.

Organic Gardening Masterclass It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned My Garden School which is the online place to go if you want to learn about a particular aspect of gardening from someone who is an expert in the subject. Each four week course includes assignments which are marked by the tutor – and should you wish to learn more about Organic Gardening – I will be your tutor.

If you find yourself in the Bristol area then give yourself a treat by visiting this garden outside the village of Blagdon in Somerset. Owned by the family who run t

Want to make your plants lush and productive without using chemical fertilizers? Try this Secret Organic Fertilizer Recipe we have here. It’ll not only boosts their growth but will help in reducing fungal infections.

You know those fruit flies that hover and get in your face when you have fruit that got too ripe? The ones that scientists use as model systems to advance medicine?They are highly annoying but don’t do much harm. The common fruit fl

Bitter gourd, also known as bitter melon, is a popular vegetable in Asia, Africa, India, and the Middle East, but in the USA it is not a widely known vegetable. It has a bitter taste but is very delicious to eat and good for your health, especially if you have diabetes. (1) It is packed with many essential vitamins and minerals that enhance its therapeutic effects.

My daughter Britta has definitely emerged as the gardening guru in our family. Today she’s sharing with us her homemade organic fungicide that is just as effective and much cheaper than the commercial alternatives and won’t hurt the environment, our pets, or our families. Way to go Britta!

We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.Rodale’s Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The In

“The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.” – Gertrude Jekyll

One of the most popular and widely used culinary herbs is sweet basil. The tender, aromatic herb has a spicy flavor. The leaves can be used fresh in salads, sandwiches, made into pesto, or cooked into foods as a seasoning. Basil is also easy to dry for shelf stable seasoning to use all year.

A splash of colors, delectable sweets, and revelry in the air, the Hindu festival of Holi marks the end of winter and rings in the spring season in all its glory.

Spring is just around the corner, and now is the time to start planning your garden. Planting a garden can be a very rewarding activity.Not only do you get off your butt and o

Turnips are a great addition to your late season vegetable garden. Growing turnips is easy, and these tasty root vegetables are among the most reliable cool-weather crops. Like cabbage, exposure to chilly fall temperatures make turnip greens sweeter and enhance the texture of the vegetable’s roots. Harvested turnips can be stored for months in a cool, dry place to be enjoyed all winter long.