aquaponic organic

If you are one of those looking into the option of growing your own organic food, you can actually learn it easily. In fact, most of the things you need to do in starting out your own organic food garden are just practical and easy-to-learn organic gardening techniques.

The focus of growing chemical-free foods is in applying techniques in gardening that are aligned with nature as well as making your garden self-sufficient and sustainable. Here are some the organic gardening techniques that you may find useful in helping you grow healthy, chemical-free vegetables as well as making it easy for you to manage your garden.

Composting

Restoring the soil's fertility is a main factor in being able to produce healthy vegetables in your own garden. In fact, a fertile soil is a key element in achieving success in organic food gardening. One of the organic gardening techniques in restoring the fertility of the soil permanently and get rid of soil diseases that is to make your own organic fertilizer by composting garden, kitchen and animal waste and mix them with your garden soil.

Crop rotation

Another technique that you can use in restoring the soil's fertility without having to use chemicals is the crop rotation technique. This is done by changing the type of vegetables you grow in succession in an area. Most often, a vegetable or plant of different families are great to be planted in succession. This prevents the depletion of the nutrients in the soil and prevents diseases, controls pests and weeds.

One thing you need to learn in this technique is to identify which vegetables belong to the same family so you can avoid planting them in succession. Garlic, onion and leek for example belong to the same family so you should avoid planting them in succession in the same area.

Intercropping

Intercropping, also known as companion planting, is also one of the good organic gardening techniques that you can use to repel pests and diseases in your garden without the use of chemicals and pesticides. Plants have their own way of repelling pests and attracting helpful insects by releasing certain chemicals and scents in their leaves or their roots. By intercropping, you can actually make a balance in your garden and drive away pests and diseases.

However, the key to make this technique successful is to know which of the vegetables are great to be planted as companions in your garden. Keep in mind that having a bad choice on the crop pairing can also have adverse effects on your vegetables. Beans, for example, can be intercropped with potatoes, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers or radish but you should not intercrop them with onions, garlic or chives.

Mulching

To help you avoid weeds in your garden without the use of chemicals, mulching is also great practice that prevents the seeds of the weeds to germinate. For your organic garden, you can use grass clippings, hay, straw, or sawdust or compost to serve as your mulch.

Another factor that can keep pests and harmful insects away from your garden is to visit it regularly and check your growing vegetables if they have diseases or you can pick those pests away. With these simple organic gardening techniques, you will be able to find some ways to produce really healthy food from your own garden and make the experience enjoyable as well.