True Organics: An Intro

For many reasons, true organic gardening is the way I prefer to garden. In my opinion, the taste and smell produced from the finished flowers and fruits are superior to that of their synthetically grown counterparts, and that’s reason enough for me. Over the years I’ve researched and experimented with many organic methods;  some of them awesome, some of them not so awesome. But all in all I’ve grown some pretty amazing organic plants, with flavors and smells that are really incredible; I’m hoping these articles will help you do the same.  This ‘part 1′ will be a brief introduction to the method behind the goodness!

Other than being an organic grower myself, one of my biggest reasons for wanting to write these articles was to simply inform the organically misinformed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had customers tell me how they’re “growing organic”, only to turn around and purchase a bottle of synthetic nutrients…? I’ve come to realize that these customers generally fit in to two categories: 1. the person who genuinely believes their bottled nutrient line is organic, or 2. the person who thinks that because their plants are in soil, they’re growing organically. These are the customers I want to help, and they’re also the customers I would like to prevent in the future!

Very simply, true organic gardening starts with healthy soil. Good soil needs to be alive with micro-organisms, and rich in carbon based organic matter.  These things together provide the nutrients your plants need to live and thrive. The microbiology, such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes, form a kind of a food chain (called a rhizoshpere) that when healthy and functioning properly, will provide nutrients in forms that are available to your plants. Heavy chemical fertilizers destroy the microbial life in your soil, and over time reduces fertile soil to useless dirt. Fortunately, good compost can revitalize dead soil, making it ready to support healthy plant life again.

I’ll go into much more detail in future articles, and since I’m primarily an indoor gardener, I’ll show how to adapt a lot of the outdoor methodology to indoor/container gardening. Thanks for stopping by!

For more info on organic gardening visit our store, Garden Doctor. Our staff has years of horticulture experience and we’re ready to answer any questions you may have. We stock the best organic gardening supplies, hydroponics systems and equipment, nutrients, grow lights, and everything else needed for a great indoor garden. We’re located in the greater Grand Rapids area, in Grandville, MI.

Garden Doctor
2974 28th Street SW
Grandville, MI 49418
616.530.2500