Organic gardening is the way of growing vegetables and
fruits with the use of things only found in nature.
Why would one want to
indulge in organic gardening?
1. One can easily
make compost from garden and kitchen waste. Though this is a bit more time-consuming
than buying prepared chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it certainly helps to
put garbage to good use and so saves the environment.
2. Organic
farming does not use chemicals that may have an adverse effect on your health.
This is especially important when growing vegetables. Chemical companies tell
us that the chemicals we use are safe if used according to direction, but
research shows that even tiny amounts of poisons absorbed through the skin can
cause such things as cancer, especially in children.
On the average, a child ingests four to five times more
cancer-causing pesticides from foods than an adult. This can lead to various
diseases later on in the child's life. With organic gardening, these incidents
are lessened. Remember, pesticides contain toxins that have only one purpose -
to kill living things.
3. Less harm to
the environment. Poisons are often washed into our waterways, causing death to
the native fish and polluting their habitat.
4. Organic
farming practices help prevent the loss of topsoil through erosion.
The Soil Conservation Service says that an estimated 30 - 32
billion tons of soil erodes from United States farmlands every year.
Mixing 1 tablespoon
of liquid dish-washing soap and 1 cup of cooking oil can make a cheap garden
pest spray. Put 3 tablespoons of this mixture in 1 quart of water and spray on
plants.
6. A simple mulch
of pine needles will help to suppress the growth of weeds as well as keeping
the moisture in.
7. Organicgardening practices help to keep the environment safe for future generations.
