Organic Gardening as an Alternative to the Conventional Practices
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Chemicals are not only found inside homes but in the gardens as well. Chemical pesticides are used to protect the plants from pests and diseases, however, they do not kill only the harmful bugs but the good ones too. Furthermore, these severely toxic chemicals are also threatening human health both directly and indirectly as they often remain on the garden plants which are grown for human consumption. In addition, the rain washes them off plants into the soil and groundwater which is the only source of drinking water in most parts of the world. |
Since conventional gardening seriously threatens both the environment and human health, organic gardening is becoming increasingly popular alternative to the conventional practices among environmentally conscious home owners. It foresees strict avoidance of chemicals at all stages of plant growth. But since chemical pesticides must not be used even if the plants are infested, organic gardening requires a completely different approach in order to work.
It is a lot easier to prevent pests from attacking garden plants than to repel, mitigate or destroy them. Organic pest prevention, however, requires a multiple step approach which starts with the selection of location of the garden. Organic gardening bases on philosophy that plants are less likely to be attacked and damaged by pests and diseases if they are provided optimal conditions for growth. And since most garden plants prefer sunny areas, the garden should be located on an area which receives at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Then, it is necessary to make sure that the soil contains just the right amounts of nutrients which, however, is not achieved with artificial fertilizers. These may not be as toxic to wildlife and human health as pesticides but they are among the severest groundwater pollutants. In addition, they disturb the balance between the soil micro-organisms and make plants even more susceptible for pests and diseases. Organic gardeners therefore use compost, manure and other organic matter to provide their plants the right amount of nutrients.
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Companion planting is another important organic pest prevention method. Planting the so-called good neighbours in close proximity works as a direct pest control measure as some plants repel common garden pests with their smell or attract the bugs that feed on the pests. Organic gardeners also use other methods to attract wildlife to their gardens such as building bug houses because no species can prevail when a natural balance is established between the garden inhabitants. |
Sometimes, organic pest prevention measures cannot prevent pest infestation. However, rather than using toxic chemical pesticides, organic gardeners deal with pests with organic pesticides. These are usually made exclusively from plant material such as stinging nettle for instance. As a result, they are completely harmless to the environment and human health yet incredibly effective against the pests. Experienced gardeners make organic pesticides themselves but it is also possible to find organic pesticides in most garden centres.