How to Start an Organic Garden

Pair your organic wine with organic produce. Here are the five essentials you need to get started organic gardening. 

Key takeaways:

  • Organic gardening is a fun and healthy pursuit
  • Choose a great location for your garden
  • Nurture your soil
  • There are organic options for pest control
  • Water strategically for best results
  • Pay attention to harvesting instructions

How does sitting down and enjoying a glass of full-bodied organic wine with the vibrant, organic produce you’ve grown in your garden sound to you? If it sounds like the amazing, earthy experience that it is, then read on. 

In this guide, we will show you how to have fun and learn while growing a delicious bounty of produce through organic gardening. Having an organic garden allows you to cut out pesticide consumption. It also significantly helps the environment and stops you from overspending on pricey produce from the market.

Hiring a worker to start and maintain an organic garden for you is an option, but it takes a surprisingly low amount of effort to start one yourself. Start small, with just a plant or two, and don’t worry if things aren’t immediately perfect. 

Below are the benefits of having an organic garden and five tips to start your own. 

Why grow an organic garden?

Organic gardening is very beneficial to the ecological community. It avoids the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. It sustains an integrated and pure environment. The ideology of creating an organic garden helps to guard our entire ecosystem. 

Don’t be discouraged by the “organic” moniker. The truth is that growing organically is easy and manageable. It takes roughly the same effort as managing a conventional garden. 

5 tips for growing your own organic foods
1. Location is essential

Of all the decisions you make when creating your new garden, choosing the location is by far the most important. Your plants will be heavily affected by the sun, soil, and airflow of the location you choose. Different plants have different needs, but in general, edible plants require 6-8 hours of direct sunlight every day. This applies to vegetables as well as fruit trees and shrubs. Some produce (such as lettuce and greens) may be able to thrive in the shady spots of your garden. However, these are the exceptions and not the rule. 

Select a location with lots of sunshine that’s shielded from harsh winds and free of drainage problems like standing water. 

2. It starts with the soil

Once you select the perfect location for your organic garden, assess your soil quality. The health of your soil will directly affect the viability and nutrient qualities of the vegetation you grow. Excellent soil is the foundation for an abundant harvest. 

Most home gardeners find that some kind of soil amendment is necessary when getting started. This depends largely on the kinds of food you want to grow. Most vegetables prefer soil with a ph of about 6-8. Many fruits, like grapes, prefer a more acidic soil ph. 

Determining the particulars of soil requirements can be confusing for beginners. If you are unsure about where to start, keep things simple by starting your soil with organic compost purchased from a nursery. You can address additional soil needs throughout the season as you see fit. 

3. Pest control is still necessary

You may find that critters enjoy your organic produce nearly as much as you do. There is nothing more frustrating to a dedicated gardener than finding insect holes and nibbles from local wildlife in your beautiful red tomatoes. This frustration is usually compounded by the fact that deer, rabbits, groundhogs, and squirrels will rarely feast on just one of your precious vegetables. Instead, they discourteously take one large bite out of each of the vegetables in your garden – thus ruining your harvest and wasting many hours of work. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to turn to chemical sprays and synthetic pesticides to solve these problems. Instead, you can utilize organic options for pest control. Insecticidal soap and diluted neem oil are excellent for eliminating insects and fungal disease organically. To keep away animals, simple fencing from chicken wire or comparable strong netting is usually enough.

4. Use water strategically

For best results, water regularly at the base of the plants. Many gardeners choose to employ soaker or drip irrigation hoses to cut down on water waste and ensure even distribution throughout the garden. Water ollas, too, are an effective watering option that gardeners have used for thousands of years.  You may also choose to hand-water your plants. This is an excellent way to get outside, have a little healthy exercise, and enjoy the sunshine. 

5. Harvest and enjoy!

Without a doubt, the best part of growing your own organic garden is the harvest. There is truly something healing about growing your own food from hand, and nothing is more rewarding than gathering your own dinner right from your own backyard. 

Remember to follow harvesting guidelines for each specific vegetable – some edibles (such as corn cobs) are best when cut straight from the plant and eaten immediately. Others, like potatoes, may need to cure in sunlight for a period of time before being eaten or stored. 

In the end, there is truly nothing more satisfying than working in your organic garden and being rewarded with a bountiful harvest. The vintners at Domaine Bousquet know this and relish producing organic wine in our organic vineyards. We grow our grapes in the sandy mountain soil of the Uco Valley. 

Our vines thrive in the high altitude and our sandy soil produces excellent drainage for our carefully-maintained fields. 

Our rich, full-bodied, organic wines pair perfectly with dishes made with fresh, organic produce. Visit us online to learn more about our exceptional wine varieties. Schedule a tasting or lunch at our very own on-site contemporary bistro that uses select ingredients from our organic garden. 

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