Much of what bio-intensive organic gardening expert Deborah Eden Tull teaches about gardening doesn't begin with seeds, dirt, or water. It begins with the mind. Rethinking how you approach the soil is equally important as what you do to the soil. Consider this: When ants help themselves to your strawberries, or
squash beetles nestle in your pumpkin patch, you're more likely to strap on a mask and empty a tank of "KILL 'EM DEAD" solution over their intrusive bug-eyed heads. Hardly a natural solution, though naturally, that is how we sometimes approach our pest problems. A stain on an otherwise blemish-free masterpiece. However, considering your garden as part of the whole--instead of a pretty project--will ultimately affect your gardening methods. In an organic garden, observation is key, creativity
is rewarded, and learning is inevitable. With those paradigms in place, there are four cornerstones of organic gardening that you should begin practicing: conserving water, building good soil, taking proper care of the soil, and integrated pest management. 
Watering Wisely
"It is every gardener's responsibility to set up water-wise systems. It comes down to the art of observation."
Consider How You Water
- Never
water crops at mid-day, when the sun is at its strongest. Evening or
morning is best, and reduces the level evaporation as well as the
potential of plant sunburn...Yes, plants do get sunburned!
- There
is no exact prescription for watering. Test and watch the soil using a
finger or shovel, checking for even moisture similar to that of a
wrung-out sponge.
- You can tell how much water a plant needs based on age, and of course, close observation.
- Water SOIL, not plants. Watering plants encourages weed growth as opposed to deep roots.
- Newly planted seeds need moisture and then completely dry soil before watering again.
- Depending on seed, climate, and season new seeds should be planted 1-3 times daily.
- Young seedlings like to be surrounded by big puddles of water
- Mature plants may be watered 3 times, or even once a week. Again, consider the season and climate.
"I can not emphasize enough the beauty that can be created by double digging."
Double Digging
Double digging is a method invented by Johns Jeavons of Ecology Action, and fully endorsed and practiced by gardeners all over the world. Deborah Tull teaches workshop attendees how to double dig and its various benefits. Though it takes more time (and energy) to complete than single digging, this method effectively builds healthy soil. "Double-digging adds air deep into the soil and enables roots to grow and the microbes to create good soil structure," Jeavons says. The video shown below is very similar to the method Deborah uses, however, before pushing any excavated soil into an empty trench, we added a few inches of compost to the dirt. The dirt from the first trench should be placed in a wheelbarrow so that it can be shoveled into the last trench of your bed. By adding compost each time, the soil is always well nourished with nutrients.
You can also read How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons, to learn more about double digging. Labor intensive? Yes. Worth your effort? Absolutely.
Proper Soil Care
"When
people invite me over to assess their poor tomatoes or stunted
eggplant, it almost always comes down to not taking care of the soil."
Crop Rotation-- Don't Plant the Same Thing Twice
Waiting three years to plant the same thing can help avoid pest infestation that may have been attracted to that plant. Additionally, plants have a varied impact on the soil they are grown in. As Deborah illustrates, "A tomato is a heavy feeder, so it leaches a lot of nutrients from the soil. A bean is a heavy giver, so it gives a lot of nitrogen back to the soil. A carrot is a light feeder, so it takes just a light amount of nutrients from the soil."
The basic guidelines for crop rotation is a "heavy feeder"(fruit or leaf crop), followed by a "heavy giver"(legume), followed by a "light feeder"(root crop).
| Heavy feeders | Heavy Givers | Light Feeder |
| corn | snow peas | carrots |
| eggplant | beans | beets |
| chard | burdock |
Learn Companion PlantingCompanion planting is the art of pairing plants that benefit each other.
"Just
like humans..there are plants that have favorite "companions" who they
thrive around, while also having "antagonists" that they don't do so
well around."
- Try pairing basil with tomatoes, peppers, and marigolds.
- Partner carrots with bush beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, radishes, peas, and sage.
- Melons like corn, nasturtium, and radishes.
Often the advantages of these pairings are multifaceted. In addition to a soil replenishing mix of heavy givers, heavy feeders and light feeders, some plants will grow down into the soil, while others grow up and out--creating a good use of space. Because some plants will attract beneficial insects, these can be planted on the outskirts of the garden bed. Knowing the characteristics of each plant you plan to grow will yield a fruitful garden with healthy soil.
Practice Integrated Pest Management
"There is a kind solution to every ecological problem. Always choose the solution to a pest problem that causes the least amount of harm."
Organic gardening is the perfect opportunity to practice observation and working with nature. Integrated Pest Management requires preparation, daily observation, and natural solutions.
Placing plant protection barriers to protect seedlings and deter pests is another preparation method. Deborah favors using old cereal boxes and yogurt cups to make plant protection collars for young transplants, but also recommends installing chicken wire beneath garden beds to guard against gophers, and setting attractive traps to distract pests and then removing them from the area.
- Plant fragrant, tubular flowers in a variety of sizes, to provide plenty of nectar for the bees and beneficial insects you want to attract.
- Keep the ground well-mulched.
- Hang a hummingbird feeder in a tree by your garden.
Constant observation will help you diffuse pest infestations before they get out of hand. "Think of them as your children and check under their leaves, notice their skin tone, pay attention to their body posture. These check-ins are a time for you to learn how to read your plants and let them communicate with you, " says Deborah. The earlier you notice a change can make a difference in the amount of time it takes to rid your garden of a pesky predator.
Natural repellents like the ones found here can be made with some general household items. Soap sprays like the one found here, can be used for soft bodied insects like aphids and spider mites, while other recipes may include salt or flour to dehydrate or suffocate. Spicy sprays and herbal repellents are also good solutions.
A Recipe from Deborah: Hot and Spicy Spray
In
a blender, puree two hot peppers and two cloves of garlic. Add 3 cups
of water and 2 tablespoons of biodegradable soap. Then strain the
mixture and fill a spray bottle with the solution. Apply to top and
underside of leaves.Give a Little: This is where creativity must engaged. Sometimes planting a special treat for your pests so that they don't bother your veggies, or, as Deborah did for an ant problem, shove food scraps in the soil to shift their attention away from your garden. Think in terms of working with nature not against it. If you prepare in advance for these issues, stay observant, and keep an open mind, there will be no more last minute runs to Home Depot for pesticides or poisonous pellets.
Dig In!
Deborah balances education
with hands-on activity in her workshops, insisting that "You can only develop your learning through experience, rather than being book-bound." Learning
to conserve water, build and maintain healthy soil, and naturally deter
pests will only serve you well with practice, so absorb what you
can...then go play in the dirt!
For more information on Deborah Tull's workshops, visit her website at CreativeGreen.
Additional Resources for your organic garden:
The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden & Yard Healthy Without Chemicals
Urban Edibles: How to Grow Organic Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, Mushrooms, and Grains in Small Spaces
The Practical Organic Gardener: Everything You Need to Know with moren than 200 Illustrations
Organic Gardening
Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Green Resource for Every Gardner
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