← GO BACK TO GROW GUIDES
For starters, it’s possible to ask “why not garden organically?”
Much of the damage to the environment caused by “conventional” production methods results from growing large, continuous areas of the same crop. Backyard gardeners who grow only a few plants of many different kinds often have few pest problems without doing anything at all. Those backyard gardeners who use lots of pesticides are those who unwilling to pull weeds, have a low tolerance for cosmetic damage to their vegetables and fruits, or otherwise seek a great deal of control over what grows and what does not. If you are willing to pull weeds (or use non-chemical tools to prevent their growth), are willing to tolerate some cosmetic damage to your produce, and are willing to accept that in any given year some crops may not do well, you have the attitudes needed to get along just fine as an organic gardener.
Why else garden organically? Well, there’s no question that many of the compounds used in conventional agriculture are poisons. If you don’t have these poisons around and don’t use them in your garden, you and your children, neighbors, and pets will not be touching, inhaling, or consuming them (at least not on the foods you grow yourself). You will also not be contributing to the total environmental load of these compounds.
If you use organic soil amendments such as compost, fertilize with organically approved fertilizers, and generally pay attention to your soil, you may also end up with “better” soil than that of many conventional gardeners. Good soil has many earthworms and other organisms in it, is loose, is easy to dig in, is easy for your plants’ roots to grow through, and is able to hold large amounts of water and nutrients and make them available to your plants.
Conventional gardening and farming methods can be very harmful to the soil.
It should be emphasized that the use of organic methods DOES NOT automatically make a gardener or farmer a better steward of the environment than a conventional gardener or farmer. There are conventional farmers and gardeners who do an excellent job of caring for their soil and plants and who use pesticides as little as possible. At the same time, there are organic farmers and gardeners who do a terrible job of caring for their soil and plants and who shouldn’t be allowed to grow house plants, let alone food. It is not the intention of this book to dissect the relative merits of organic and conventional production, but only to provide guidance in basic, sustainable organic gardening.
← GO BACK TO GROW GUIDES
Getting Started: Why Garden Organically?
SEED CATALOG
enter the seed shop-
Vegetable and Fruit Seeds
- Shop all (A-Z)
- Artichoke seeds
- Asparagus seeds
- Bean seeds
- Beet seeds
- Broccoli seeds
- Black Oyster Plant/Black Root (Scorzonera) seeds
- Blueberry seeds
- Broccoli seeds
- Broccoli Rapini Raab seeds
- Brussels Sprouts seeds
- Cabbage seeds
- Cantaloupe Melon seeds
- Carrot seeds
- Cauliflower seeds
- Celery seeds
- Chard seeds
- Chicory seeds
- Collard Greens seeds
- Corn seeds
- Corn Salad (Mache/Lamb's Lettuce) seeds
- Cucumber seeds
- Eggplant seeds
- Endive seeds
- Gourd seeds
- Kale seeds
- Kohlrabi seeds
- Leek seeds
- Leafy Green seeds
- Lettuce seeds
- Melon seeds
- Mustard Green seeds
- Okra seeds
- Onion seeds
- Parsnip seeds
- Pea seeds
- Pepper seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Radicchio seeds
- Radish seeds
- Rhubarb seeds
- Rutabaga seeds
- Sorrel seeds
- Spinach seeds
- Squash seeds
- Strawberry seeds
- Swiss Chard seeds
- Tomatillo seeds
- Tomato seeds
- Turnip seeds
- Watermelon seeds
- Wheat seeds
- Zucchini seeds
-
Culinary and Medicinal Herb Seeds
- Shop all (A-Z)
- *All Culinary Herbs*
- *All Medicinal Herbs*
- *All-in-1 Herbal Tea Lovers Variety Pack*
- *All-in-1 Culinary Herb Garden SEED BANK*
- *All-in-1 Culinary Herb Garden Variety Pack*
- *All-in-1 Medicinal Herb Garden SEED BANK*
- *All-in-1 Medicinal Herb Garden Variety Pack*
- Amaranth seeds
- Angelica seeds
- Anise seeds
- Arugula seeds
- Basil seeds
- Bee Balm (Wild Bergamot) seeds
- Black Salsify (Black Oyster Plant/Scorzonera/Black Root) seeds
- Borage seeds
- Caraway seeds
- Cardoon seeds
- Catmint seeds
- Catnip seeds
- Chamomile seeds
- Chervil seeds
- Chive seeds
- Cilantro (Coriander) seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Dill seeds
- Echinacea seeds
- Endive seeds
- Epazote seeds
- Fennel seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
- Horehound seeds
- Hyssop seeds
- Lavender seeds
- Lemon Balm seeds
- Lemon Grass seeds
- Lovage seeds
- Marjoram seeds
- Mint seeds
- Mugswort seeds
- Oregano seeds
- Parsley seeds
- Peppermint seeds
- Perilla (Shiso/Japanese Basil) seeds
- Purslane seeds
- Rosemary seeds
- Rue seeds
- Sage seeds
- Salad Burnet seeds
- Salsify (Scorzonera/Black Root) seeds
- Shungiku, Edible Chrysanthemum seeds
- Soapwort seeds
- Spearmint seeds
- Summer Savory seeds
- Sweet Woodruff seeds
- Tansy seeds
- Watercress seeds
- Wormwood seeds
-
Sprouts and Micro-Green Seeds
- Shop all (A-Z)
- Sprouts & Micro-greens Seed Bank
- Sprouts & Micro-greens Variety Pack
- Alfalfa seeds
- Arugula seeds
- Barley seeds
- Basil seeds
- Bean, Adzuki seeds
- Bean, Garbanzo seeds
- Bean, Mung
- Beet seeds
- Broccoli seeds
- Cabbage seeds
- Carrot seeds
- Chard seeds
- Chia seeds
- Chive seeds
- Cilantro seeds
- Clover seeds
- Cress seeds
- Fenugreek seeds
- Flax seeds
- Kale seeds
- Lentil seeds
- Mustard seeds
- Onion seeds
- Pea seeds
- Quinoa seeds
- Radish seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Watercress seeds
- Wheat Grass & Wheat Berry seeds
-
Flowers and Pollinator Seeds
- Shop all (A-Z)
- Edible Flowers Variety Pack
- Save the Bees Variety Pack
- Wildflower & Pollinator Scatter Garden Variety Pack
- Aster seeds
- Borage seeds
- Black-Eyed Susan seeds
- Blazing Star seeds
- Candytuft seeds
- Catmint seeds
- Chamomile seeds
- Coneflower seeds
- Coreopsis seeds
- Daisy seeds
- Dandelion seeds
- Echinacea seeds
- Evening Primrose (King’s Cure-All) seeds
- Flax seeds
- Forget-Me-Not seeds
- Foxglove seeds
- Globe Gilia (Queen Anne’s Thimble) seeds
- Hollyhock seeds
- Hyssop seeds
- Lavender seeds
- Love-in-a-Mist seeds
- Lunaria Silver Dollar (Money Plant) seeds
- Lupine seeds
- Marigold seeds
- Marjoram seeds
- Nasturtium seeds
- Nodding Catchfly seeds
- Phacelia seeds
- Scarlet Sage seeds
- Soapwort seeds
- Spotted Bee Balm seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Wildflower Mixes seeds
- Zinnia seeds