The concept of growing a garden in today’s day and age is much different from what it used to be just a couple decades ago. However, when looking at the history of gardening, constant changes, developments, upgrades and updates are constantly present. Moreover, sticking to a certain system for too long is counterproductive when you are trying to achieve something new and grow something from nothing. Therefore, it does not surprise that the modern concept of chemical-free gardens is more and more popular and producing better results than traditional gardening. What comprises this type of a garden, how can you grow it in your own back yard and what are some of the benefits?
The Main Reason for Eliminating Chemicals
The most obvious reason should suffice – your own health is at stake. Yes, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides do kill pests, weeds and fungi, but they also insert too many harmful and dangerous chemicals into the plants that you later eat.
This is why a great number of various human diseases are linked to garden-related chemicals and, particularly, pesticides. So, if you have problems with asthma, Alzheimer’s, cancer and developmental or learning disorder, your issues may lay with harmful chemicals. Finally, these are also responsible for polluting the water system, death of millions of births every year and other consequences.
Get in There!
The only way to grow a chemical-free garden is to get really involved in it and dig in with your own two hands. This means that you are not to use plastic tools that may contain traces of chemicals or store-bought growth enhancers that are supposed to be good for your plants.
You are, however, encouraged to do everything on your own, for preparing the soil for planting to removing the snails, slugs and aphids. This may disgust some more squeamish gardeners, but look at it this way: at least you can be sure your hands are clean and not containing chemicals, which cannot always be said of commercial methods.
High Quality Soil
In order to have a chemical-free garden, you must use no chemicals, and in order to do that, you should make sure you have no reasons to use chemicals in the first place. Therefore, ensuring a pest-free garden should be top on your list of priorities.
One way to do this, and probably the most effective one, is to keep everything top notch from the start and plant only healthy plants. Fill your soil with compost and organic matter and do not try to save a few dollars by purchasing middle-class products. Only with a good base will you be able to achieve good quality of the plants and avoid the need for chemicals to begin with.
High Quality Plants
Once you have a good starting point, it is time to plant carefully selected plants. No matter what you are planting, try to choose the types that are more resistant to diseases and prone to protecting themselves with any outside help. Moreover, look into which plants strive in your area and go with them – they are already adapted to your type of soil and will flourish more easily. Finally, you can use natural products to enhance growth, but be sure to get proper information regarding their counter effects and potential issues.
Natural Solutions
You may get some help from your environment – birds, frogs and helpful insects will remove more pests than you will be able to and in completely natural way. Therefore, think about installing a bird feeder or a small pond for frogs or turn to more home-based solutions.
These include crushed egg shells, talcum powder, lime and coffee – a number of people spread coffee beans all over their garden or puts coffee in one a sprayer pump and sprays it all over their plants. This will repel insects and eliminate your need for pesticides.
Other Steps
When it comes to growing a chemicals-free garden than this, among other useful things are purchasing a compost bin to make your own compost, planting meadow that needs less maintenance than a lawn and planning how to plant your plants strategically. It is vital not to overcrowd them and allow them their own space in order to minimize chances for pests.