You can Grow Beautiful Containers Organically
Photograph © Kerry Michaels
I garden organically. It just plain makes sense to me on so many levels. Recently, a new study came out of Stamford University, that fruit and vegetables that are grown organically aren't more nutritious. My first reaction was concern and my second was, "who cares?"
The main reason I garden organically is that I don't want to eat pesticides and more importantly I don't want my kids to eat pesticides. I also don't want fertilizer and pesticides in my ground water and I would rather support companies producing organics than big companies whose bottom line is enhanced when people use their products, some of which have been proven to be environmentally disastrous.
If the organic produce from my garden has more nutrients or not, even if it is tastier or not (the scientific jury seems out on this), I want to be able to pick a tomato, wipe it off on my shirt to get any dust or bugs off and eat it without thinking.
Comments
I’m fond of orgarnic gardening/ I try to tell about it to many people in my country.
Hi Alexandra – Thanks for the comment. Where are you from?
I read your articles. I had a great year on my terrace with tomatoes. Would you remind me again how to wash the seeds, etc for next year?
Thanks so much.
Leona
PS the School in Ca. that put out the report on organics is Stanford. I live in Stamford, ct.
Hi Kerry – I started to write something, and then realized you’d said it: groundwater and kids. And then there’s the question of what’s organic.
I have a friend who’s highly connected in the world of commercial produce. He told me at least some commercial growers he knows simply put an organic label on non-organic product and raise the price.
So, to me, having your own organic garden is one way to control what you’re eating, and take a step in the interest of public health!
Here here. Hear hear!
Hi Leona – Thanks! Saving tomato seeds is a little more complicated than most, but it’s also really fun and can save you $$. Marie over on the gardening site has great step by step instructions for saving tomato seeds here:
Saving Tomato Seeds
Emmon – That’s so infuriating, but I guess not all that surprising. I remember reading a few years ago that, if given a choice, rats will choose organic food over conventionally grown. I think that must mean something.
I would love to grow organically. I have a huge container garden growing on my RV pad, with 26 different bins going. The problems is, we also have bugs galore – ants, aphids, you name it. If i didn’t use some controls I wouldn’t have any vegetables or fruits at all. I would just be growing crops for the bugs to eat.
I did use my old stand-by of a mixture of Dawn dishwashing liquid, water, and cooking oil. But it is so hot and sunny (100′s most of the summer) here where I live that it nearly killed my plants. I did manage to bring most of them back with TLC and lots of pruning. I have been using garden dust and it works so well. (Not the notorious Sevin Dust.) It’s supposed to be safe enough that you can even use it on your dog for fleas (which I do NOT do). The label states you can apply it up to 3 days before harvest.
I am sure this must disallow me from being “organic”. But I do not know of any other organic pesticides which will actually work in my hot climate.
I was raised by an organic gardener, so for me it is natural.
Its what you get used to.
Hey Beth – Sounds like you have an awesome container garden garden! Would love to see a picture. It sounds to me like you are dealing with some real challenges and dealing with them.
I don’t think you should worry about being “organic” or not. Who cares about the labels anyhow in our gardens.
If you want more advice, my pal Coleen Vanderlindan over at Organic Gardening at About.com might be able to help you out.
But if what you are doing works for you and you’re happy with it, I would stick with it.
Kerry,
You said it! Chemical stuff is exactly what we want to avoid.
My issue is what kind of the containers is safe for organic vegetables and fruits? I thought the wine barrels are safe and my beans and tomatoes were the only ones doing well in them and the leaf ones were doing poorly then beets and carrots didn’t grow at all.
The barrels might be too deep for some plants. Are there other cantainers safe and suitable for other orgaic vegetables and fruits?
Theresa
Hi Theresa – I don’t think the fact that the container is too big is the problem. I always think, bigger is better and easier for containers. The bigger the container, the more soil it will hold.
By any chance did you crowd your beets and carrots and leafy veg? Did you have holes in the leaves?
I think wine barrels are awesome containers. They are wood so they don’t get too hot and they last a long time. They look great too.
Hi, Kerry.
I’m here again. I live in Belarus. I read all your posts. Thank you.
Hi Alexandra – Nice to see you! Thanks for checking in.
Cheers,
Kerry