Organic gardening

[KatieLou]

Help? (tiny squeak)

DH and I our doing our first garden this year. We usally just bum off of my parents, but since all the kids basically just eat garden food and fruit we figured 2 gardens are better than one.

We prefer to garden organically, but have never done it this way. So anything you want to tell me?

Do you fertilize your potatoes with anything that is organic? Tater bugs are horibble here, and I am afraid if we don't use something we will not have anythig left.

So, organic fertilizers? Organic mixtures that keep the bugs away? Links?

TIA

[jessiehannan]

A compost pile is your best friend. The way that my mom gardens is to till the entire area that she wants her garden in, then make the rows into mounds, with the walkways in between the same size as a mound. The mounds are about 1 foot high I guess. If you can find organic Liquid Seaweed, that is a great fertilizer. For that, try your local head shop.

My favorite pest deterrent is flowers and herbs. They make your garden look pretty too.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2254950_that-help-keep-bugs-away.html

Oh, and if you can't find Liquid Seaweed, ask around for see free cow or horse manure. :)

[KatieLou]

We are alerady disked and tilled up. That is what my Mom reccomended was manure. We would not have to ask for it, just take it off the farm. lol. I will look for the liquid seaweed. Thanks.

[jessiehannan]

We are alerady disked and tilled up. That is what my Mom reccomended was manure. We would not have to ask for it, just take it off the farm. lol. I will look for the liquid seaweed. Thanks.

That's cool. :) But if you get any old manure, be prepared to have to weed more often. That's why I suggested seed free manure.

Oh, and plant a "green" crop after the first round of plants. Something like alfalfa or soybeans, and then till them back into the garden. Pot ash works well, if you have a fireplace, there is a free source. A couple of matches covered by an inch or so dirt, under your tomato plants is good too. :)

[KatieLou]

Ahh I missed the seed free part.

We are starting a composte this week. DH thinks I am a nut, but tha tIs how my Grandma always ran her garden, and flower garden and it works wonderfully. Tankfully I have done a lot of gardening at my parents, just never organic,and never 100% on my own.

It is so fun, and the kids played in the tilled up garden for 3 hours last night!

[KatieLou]

I just read that garlic was a great way to control pests in the garden...ugh severe garlic allergies here, I think I'll pass. hen I read milk is good as a fungicide.

Is there nothing I can use that will not endanger my children?


What kind of flowers do you use Jessie?

[KatieLou]

Never mind my last part Jessie, it's in the link *hello*

[jessiehannan]

It's ok, I get mommy brain too. :)