Gardening has always been my passion...
Ever since I was a little girl I can remember being in my mom's garden helping her with the garden. It was lots of work, but I enjoyed it so much! To be able to plant a little seed and watch it grow into a full sized plant was so much fun! Then to be able to eat the fruits of your labor was so rewarding. I would just love to go out and water the plants and pick the vegetables and then help mom prepare them for dinner, or can/freeze them for winter.
One thing I know is working in the garden since I was young taught me early on that hard work pays off. When you're a kid you have to see things to understand, and the garden was my teacher. (along with my parents of course)
As I grew up I took a deep interest in horticulture in school and worked in a garden center. There I learned about the magic of "photosynthesis". I was in awe of how the earth, the sun and water all came together in a plant to make it grow. What an awesome concept God created for this wonderful planet and us!
As I learned more and more about Gardening, I realized that there were many synthetics out there people were using to make the bigger, better plants. grow more food, kill the bugs, and control the weeds ect. This upset me very much because of what it does to the beautiful environment that God had made for us. I always felt that it is our duty as stewards of this great green earth to take care of it in the way that God had made it. To preserve it and nuture it in the way God had intended it to be. Natural and Organic Gardening then became my focus.
The Super reason for having The Organic Garden
The Healthy Aspect of Oganic Gardening.
There are several great reasons I started my own Organic Garden. I have 4 children I love dearly and I wanted them to have the same learning experience I had with Mom years ago. They needed to understand the concept that hard work pays off. I also wanted to spark their interest in nature and Gods green earth so they too will become good stewards and take care of our environment. But, another really important reason was because I wasn't about to put in thier bodies anything that might harm them in any way! If it's not natural I'm not eating it and it will not be allowed in the Garden! That goes for synthetic fertilizers, bug killers, seeds, weed killers ect. As I work on this lens, I will be adding resource links to recent studies and effects some of these chemicals people use on food and the health risks they present.So you might ask yourself...is what you buy at the grocery store really good for you?
Even if you have no room for your own Organic Garden, these days you can find plenty of organically grown produce and products available at the supermarket. Just look for them, the stores have recognized the need and they are responding to the public request for safe food products!
Wow...It's an AeroGarden!
Way cool new toy I picked up over the winter...
Black AeroGarden Unit With Gourmet Herb Seed Kit in 4-Color Box
I've been using this new toy, the AeroGarden, since my hubby gave it to for Christmas. There is nothing like having fresh salad greens in the dead of winter! I just love it! I am using it to start my veggies inside since it is still snowing...argh! But soon I will have lettuce growing outside, and I will start a new Cherry Tomato batch inside. That way I'll actually have home grown organic lettuce and tomato's at the same time!
In years past, I would have to buy organic tomato's at the market when the lettuce was on in the garden, and vice versa, but not this year! You should really check it out. I'm sure you'll love the AeroGarden just as much as I do! :)
A Few Cool Gifts for the Organic Gardener!
Hand picked gift ideas for your gardening friends...
The Gourmet Gardener Gift Tote of Tools & Treats - Great Gardening Gift Basket!
and of course something cool for my little gardening helper!
More Photos of The Organic Garden
This is a little tour of one of my organic gardens.
You will notice that there is a compost tumbler and green house in view. Those are two important aspects I use to help keep my garden full of beautiful thriving plants as many months of the year as possible here in the northwest. More to come!
The Organic Garden 6
The Organic Garden 5
The Organic garden 4
The Organic Garden 3
the organic garden 2
the organic garden 1
Organic Garlic_Onion...
Rooster
Organic Cabbage
David Lee with some...
Bountiful Braids of Organically Grown Garlic...and some Onions
Yes, you can grow beautiful crops organically too!
Here is this years harvest of Garlic. My little 6 yr old helped me plant each and every clove in the ground this spring. She is a great help!We have washed and braided it all for storage in the basement this winter. It will last all winter long and when next spring arrives... we will plant what we don't eat, as well as make our very own organically grown garlic powder. We do this every year. I haven't had to buy garlic in the last 10 yrs!
Soon we will be picking the rest of the Organic Onions and Carrots as well as clearing out and replanting the rows of lettuce and spinach for a fall crop. I always let one plant of each variety go to seed for next years spring planting. We will enrich the soil with organic compost as we plant. Then cover the rows with floating row cover to help keep the moisture in the ground around the seedlings for germination. Lettuce and spinach in the fall is the sweetest crop! You would be amazed at how much you can actually grow in the fall season. We will also be planting more carrots, beets and Kohlrabi this weekend.
Finding more and more reasons to grow our own food!
In The News...
I see it in the supermarket all the time. My dollars don't buy what they used to. It gives us all the more reason to grow our own food and stock up the pantry.
Make your own Organic Mulch and Compost
Today, I go out to check on it during a dry spell, and guess what?!? It's 132 degrees inside the composter! Wow... what an amazing site. When I tipped it up and took off the lid you should have seen the steam rolling out! It made me want to crawl inside to feel the heat. The temerature guage jumped up to 132 within 3 minutes! Pretty cool. I guess I will have compost in 14 days like it says! lol...even if mother nature is throwing snow at me right now. :)
For more Featured Products please visit our aStore @
The Organic Garden Recommends!
EZCB E-Z Compost Bin
EZCB E-Z Compost Bin - This is the old fashioned way. It works...But so will you! We used to have this until we got tired of pitching and turning by hand.
Amazon Price: $38.99 (as of 08/30/2008)
Envirocycle Backyard Composter, Green
Evirocycle Backyard Composter is a much easier way to Compost Organic Materials and also makes Compost Tea! (no...not to drink...lol)
Amazon Price: (as of 08/30/2008)
Mantis ComposT-Twin #4000-00-02
Mantis Compost-Twin is the grand daddy of Composters. With 2 chambers, you can be cooking one side and adding organic materials to the other. It lets you have continuous compost throughout the growing season!
Amazon Price: $499.00 (as of 08/30/2008)
THERMOMETER BACKYARD COMPOST
A Compost Thermometer is neccessary no matter which style of compost maker you choose.
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 08/30/2008)
COMPOST BIOBAGS 3 GALLON 25/PACK
Compost Biobags - These are an added treat! When you save organic material in the kitchen these handy bags can be tossed right into the composter because they are biodegradeable!
Amazon Price: $2.69 (as of 08/30/2008)
Vote For Your Most Favorite Herbs
Many Herbs are used for Medicinal purposes and make great Tea also!
Herbs are wonderful plants. They heal the body, they soothe the mind and they are beautiful to look at. Feel free to add your favorite herbs not included here.
The Top Reasons to have an Organic Garden
Here is a cool list of why you might think about having an organic garden.
Please feel free to add your own and vote for the one's you think are the best!
Organic gardening is safer for you, your family, pets and other wildlife.
4 points
Organic gardening preserves our water supply by keeping harmful chemicals out of runoff
3 points
Rubberecycle Mulch
Reuse, Recycle because it keeps our environment sa more...1 point
A popular list of Organic Gardening Supplies
Just to get you started with your very own Organic Garden!
So what else do you need to get started?
- Gardening Equipment
- Your online garden supply store offering organic fertilizers, natural pest control, ...
- Termite & Pest Control
- Organic Gardening Supplies and Biological Pest Control Products.
- Organic Gadening Products
- Organic gardening seeds. gardening services; organic gardening supplies; indoor gardening supplies
- Gardening Nursery Supplies at Gardening Guide
- Supplies Organic Gardening | Wrought Iron Gardening Supplies |
Organic Gardening Poll
How to Control Weeds in the garden Organically
I have always thought of a weed as plant that is just in the wrong place. One thing that helps me is to use permanent foot paths and beds in the garden. I use biodegradeable cardboard in the footpaths with weed fabric over it secured with pegs. I like to spend my time weeding around the plants, not the paths...We also avoid tilling up the soil at all costs. This helps to keep the dormant weed seeds in the dirt from becoming exposed to the sun and growing. It's also better for soil composition.
What is your favorite product to help control the weeds in your garden? Vote below or post a comment in the guest book.
Happy Gardening!
Some Gardening and Floral Favorites
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Fresh Cut Flowers & Gifts
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Find the perfect floral arrangement for any special occasion here on Squidoo! Compiled here is a list of major online florist retailers to get your floral gift delivered fast. I have sorted through thousands of retailers to find the best prices...
Reader Feedback
Your comments and suggestions are important!
Please let us know what you think and how we can improve this lens by submitting a blurb below.
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TwoBrightHeads
Thank you so much for this lens. We are trying as much as possible to eat organic. Posted August 10, 2008 |
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organicLife
Love the lense. It's always great to see other's who are as enthusiastic about organic gardening as I am! You're garden looks great by the way. Posted August 09, 2008 |
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ElizabethJeanAllen
Great lens! Posted June 13, 2008 |
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jasmineann
Thank you for sharing this. I have been gardening organically ever since we moved into our home but still looking to learn more. The people before us used various pesticides etc and it took a while to restore balance in the garden but we are just about there now :) We also have many more birds and other wildlife which is wonderful. Great topic to highlight and wishing you and your kids many happy gardening hours :) Posted May 10, 2008 |
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TomatoGrowingSecrets
I agrre totally, I have been growing my tomatoes and other vegetables organic and chemical free for many years now. I came to the conclusion that the chemicals been used definitely would have to be detrimental to my family's health using them on a continued basis. So I started growing my plants chemical free and I must admit that the taste has improved dramatically. Posted April 16, 2008 |
