Home Improvement

Organic horticulture employs the crucial principles of organic agriculture for the successful herbs, fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants growing. These principles concern the management of pests in the garden, soil composition and conservation, etc.

General Notes

Mulches, Double Digging, compost, Vermicompost, cover crops, mineral supplements and manures are the main constituents of the soil mixture in this kind of gardening in contrast to the commercial farming. Organic horticulture expects to minimize the risk of insects, fungi, and diseases development with the help of maintaining the high quality of the soil. Nonetheless, sometimes it is still necessary to use insecticidal soaps and sprays, pheromone traps, or other pest-control means, made especially for organic farmers.

Experts define five fields of horticulture:

-           olericulture, which stands for the production and marketing of vegetables;

-           pomology that means the production and marketing of fruits;

-           floriculture, which is the production and marketing of floral crops;

-           landscape horticulture that includes the production, marketing, and      maintenance of landscape plants;

-           and finally, post harvest physiology that studies and practices the preservation and maintaining of the quality of horticultural crops

All these areas can utilize the key principles of organic gardening.

Organic horticulture employs the methods and uses data, which have been collected for thousands of years. Generally speaking, this type of gardening is based on the natural, long-term processes and eco-friendly, global approaches, in contrast to horticulture, based on the use of chemicals that speed up the processes and aim at the separate results and reductionist strategies.

Organic gardening systems

There exist various formal organic gardening systems that utilize peculiar methods. They are listed among the general organic standards, but are more specific than them. For example, Rudolf Steiner developed the so-called biodynamic farming. Masanobu Fukuoka, the Japanese writer and farmer, practiced Natural Farming, based on the so-called no-till system for the small-scale production of grain. Finally, intensive and biointensive techniques and SPIN Farming (Small Plot INtensive), developed in France, also belong to the small-scale gardening methods.

A garden in a container or growing box provides healthy, organic, and highly nutritional food. Moreover, it is also the means to share one’s experience, to improve local economy, and to offer better and more sustainable way of living. A small raised bed garden of 32 square feet is capable of supplying tasty, healthy, and organic greens to a family, requiring, at the same time, less water and fewer nutrients if it is based on the postulates of bio-intensive planting and square foot gardening. 

In addition, the existing garden can be improved with the help of composting or vermicomposting. These methods allow getting the best organic fertilizers by reusing organic matter, which provides necessary nutrients to the organic garden. Besides, compost and vermicompost are always an easy way to improve the results.

Hydroponics otherwise known as indoor gardening has been steadily growing in popularity as a leisure activity. People, young and new have started turning those empty spaces to their own personal gardens where they could grow what they want and when they want. Imagine yourself in the middle of the desert or that freezing cabin somewhere in the Arctic and be able to grow roses all year round. So if you ever choose to pick up that seed and choose what plant to grow at the convenience of your home or backyard, this guide would help to answer your questions from A to Z. Hydroponics or indoor gardening requires skills and know how, but the rewards in the end like watching that flower bloom or that seed turn into a glorious blossom is reward in itself. So let us walk you through this and answer all your questions in this indoor gardening guide.

Advantages of Indoor Gardening (Hydroponics) over Traditional Gardening

Many people have turned to alternative of indoor gardening. It is more efficient and economical if done properly than traditional soil gardens. Here are just a few advantages of indoor gardening:

Environmental factors such as temperature or soil and weather conditions do not affect hydroponic or indoor gardens as they are sheltered from such elements with fan and climate controllers for example.

Soil based gardens increase the risk of disease as they are ideal habitats for bacteria and microorganisms.

Soil based gardens also present the troublesome work of weeding out undesired vegetation and soil maintenance through fertilization and tilling.

Space consideration is also a factor as a large number of plants could be grown in such confined and odd spaces where creativity is the only boundary.

Scientifically, vegetables and fruits grown through indoor gardening (hydroponics) contain larger amounts of vitamins and minerals, and are better sources of nutrition.

Indoor gardening (hydroponics) systems are honestly simple. It is tailored to the individual as to what he needs and what he wants. Simple setups for ordinary hobbyists could be turned into complex ones to more season and professionals as they desire. Indoor gardening has no specific person in mind, the like for gardening and growing plants is what is common to hydroponics hobbyists. Proper plotting and design together with that you as a hobbyist needs is what makes a successful project. It may seem to require a small effort and expense at the start but the benefits and fruits of indoor gardening far outweigh the costs and effort. It only takes one simple setup if done right and the benefits can be harvested all year long.

Choosing Indoor Hydroponic  Systems over traditional Gardening

Hydroponic Systems present numerous advantages for the gardener, freedom from uncontrollable environmental factors such as the weather, soil condition and time of year presents the most obvious reasons. Different types of growing mediums allow for those who plot to grow fruits or vegetables, better tasting and more nutritious products is the certain advantage. Production is also increased so those who plot to use indoor gardening (hydroponics) present a better yield thus is it more financially rewarding.

Numerous systems ranging from simple to complex can be tailored to each individual’s specific need.  Setting up complex systems for a business for individuals who want to make it their livelihood or for that individual who lives in an apartment with a limited space presents no difficulties. It is only an individual’s desire and imagination that limits indoor gardening (hydroponics).

Show them how much you delight in gardening. Spend time in your garden. It is especially easy to stimulate a child’s interests when they see you having fun.

Make gardening easy. Don’t expect a perfect garden. Allow your family to work at their own pace and within their attention spans and age range, especially children.

Dig it! Kids like to dig. This is a fantastic way to teach the basics while letting them play and just have fun. 

Let them play an active role in plotting. Take your children to the local nursery and let them pick seeds or transplants to start their garden. Take your time and let them browse and delight in all of the gorgeous plants.

Grow a theme garden. This is a fantastic way to let your children use their imagination and express their creativity. The sky is the limit. Some fantastic thoughts are gardens that coincide with the holidays, alphabet gardens, a garden themed in their favorite colors, a sensory garden where you can experience different smells, tastes, textures and sights, or a “Freedom Garden”.

Give children their own “kid sized” tools. They don’t have to be expensive. You can go with an ancient spoon and a bucket that you have around the house or you can venture down to the garden center and buy garden tools made for children’s hands.

Give them a space to call their own. It doesn’t have to be huge. This will teach them ownership and responsibility, and your children will be able to take credit for their own small space.

Get crafty! Press or dry flowers to make a gorgeous arrangement, make potpourri, or make a pomander ball. Children like making things and will be amazed at the crafts and gifts that they can make from the garden.

Grow a vegetable garden. Your children will be amazed that they can grow their own food. Be sure to use organic pesticides.

Use gardening to brush up your children’s math and science skills. Let them count the seeds they are planting, or teach them how plants are living things. Not only will you capture their attention, you will be polishing their skills as you go.

Have a contest. Kids like to be rewarded. Be sure to give each child a reward; the largest tomato, the prettiest flower, or perhaps the best tasting herbs (a small Spray-N-Grow will help!)

Don’t try to do it all! Pick a few of these tips that you know are best for your family and have fun with them. After all, gardening is meant to be fun and easy. And with a small help, something the whole family can delight in.

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