aquaponic organic

There is a growing movement towards people wanting to live sustainable and healthy lives. For many people this movement starts in the garden, and moves in to the kitchen and the household. There are simple ways that you can garden organically and start your journey towards a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Organic gardening has always been important but now organic gardeners are being viewed as conscious and considerate as opposed to a hippy or ethnic. During the war people grew their own food out of necessity then at the start of the 50s there was a shift away from self-sufficiency and towards the use of yards as ornamental gardens and pristine lawns. This shift, although seemingly harmless, has caused effects on our soils that are still bearing poisoned fruits of consequence. In the effort to keep these gardens pristine, countless numbers of extremely poisonous and hazardous pesticides and insecticides were used. At the time people were blissfully unaware of the devastating consequences that would result from their use and their residual life in the soil. Not only were they bad chemicals but they were also used incorrectly, allowing pests to build up a resistance to the chemicals. In some instances it completely wiped out beneficial insects, which are natures own way of pest control.

The use of these chemicals almost pinpoints the moment when Australia noticed an influx and problem with red spider mite. It is uncertain whether humans eradicated their natural predator or the mite simply built up resistance to the chemicals. It is also possible and probable that these two factors combined to create the problem. What we do know is that prior to this period there was hardly any record of red spider mite. There is growing awareness of the toxicity and wide spread effect of these pesticides on both our soils and native animals. There is a current petition circulating to put an end to pesticides that are toxic to bees in the UK.

Thankfully sustainability and environmental awareness is exploding into people's lives in the wake of large environmental issues such as global warming, green house gas emissions, coral reef decline, and the list goes on. This shift has been so substantial that it is almost fashionable to be sustainable and organic. This is a vast improvement from the days of the 1950s - 60s when people were pigeon holed for growing their own food, composting or having worm farms. Luckily we have had people behind the scenes such as Lawrence D Hills, Lady Eve Balfour, John Seymour living organically and building a rich knowledge base that we can now call on as a guide to better living.

Now this isn't to say that organic gardening strictly means growing your own food or avoiding chemical pesticides, insecticides and fertilisers. It is a lifestyle and a conscious effort to work with, not against the environment around you. Organic gardening focuses on:

• reusing and recycling items where you can • nurturing fauna and flora ecosystems • minimising on food waste and turning it into reusable compost • improving and nurturing soil biodiversity • practicing integrated pest management which utilises the staged use of biological pest control • organic pest control and manual pest control to stop resistance and to encourage beneficial insects • identifying flowers and plants that encourage local predatory insects and pollinators • using organic fertilisers as opposed to synthetic fertilisers • using grey water on the garden after using lemon juices or citric acid to bleach whites or an organic soap such as soap nuts in the washing machine • capturing rain water runoff and using it through the garden.

This small list then stems into an out-of-the-home awareness by riding a bike to work, buying organic products, considering where your take away food comes from, buying produce from a local market if you don't grow your own food and taking your own bags to the supermarket, just to name a few.

But what can living and gardening organically offer you? The benefits of organic gardening are endless. From the physical effects of getting out amongst the plants and working in the soil, to the healthier produce that is created from organic techniques, to the knowledge that you can rest easy knowing that you are doing your part even if it is one carrot at a time. This is evident if you have ever eaten a tomato off of a plant while strolling along, the fruit is still warm and the flavour explodes in your mouth. This cannot be rivalled by the mass produced fruit available in the stores. The pesticides that are used in conventional gardening, although said to be harmless and degradable, lock up nutrients in the soil in order to become inert. The continued consumption of pesticides can lead to a weakened immune system and as such health defects like ADHD and allergies among a few. Organic food on a molecular level is healthier, supporting superior amounts of antioxidants and macro nutrients and the surrounding environment is abundant with life.

All these rules and suggestions may seem like a challenge but once you understand a few simple rules, it is really very easy and the rewards far outweigh the work. In fact, it is easier because you do not have to buy pesticides or get rid of gardening waste. You are reusing your garden waste and food scraps to minimise on fertiliser use through composting and worm farms. Once established, you can take advantage of seed saving whereby you save the seeds off of your last season's crops ready for next season. If you are applying this to an ornamental garden, it is even easier again it just takes a little extra effort to hand pull the weeds instead of spraying them. Alternatively you can spray them with pine oil or vinegar which breaks down their cell walls and causes them to dehydrate. There are a plethora of organic spray recipes available either online or in countless organic gardening books. Maybe you hire gardeners to do the work for you? Ask them to research some organic techniques or contact a specifically organic gardener in your area.

Put simply, organic gardening is your gateway to an environmentally and people friendly style of gardening. Anyone can do it to create and maintain any style of garden in any location. The power for a healthier future is in your hands.