How To Be An Organic Gardener in 2022

Becoming an organic gardener has never been easier with the vast range of sustainable products now available. Our plant nutrients are sorted according to 100% organic standards. How can you be more mindful of the products you use in the garden? Now is the perfect time to start making some new season garden resolutions.

Why Should I Become An Organic Gardener?

Organic gardening is essentially being mindful and using fewer chemicals in your outdoor space. Studies have shown that chemical pesticides linger in the atmosphere, ground, and waterways long after the application has finished.

There is no need to use pesticides in our garden either. Sure, it can be tempting to grab the first anti-pest spray you see because your precious lettuce has been munched. But, it is much more beneficial for you and wildlife to ditch the chemicals and go organic.

How Do I Become An Organic Gardener?

Start small. It’s okay if your garden isn’t 100% organic straight away! Begin with your soil as this is the basis for your plant and give it all the nutrients it needs.
Start by taking a simple soil test; this will tell you everything you need to know about the health of your soil.

Root Max from Grow-Mate is 100% organic made from Mycorrhizal fungi (plant-friendly, of course). This magical fungus creates a handy two-way nutrient exchange with your plants, giving them the extra boost they need by increasing minerals, nutrients, and water uptake. As the root system is more extensive and the plant grows healthier, it can effectively overcome adverse weather conditions and stress taking ability.

Chemical soil treatments can not only seep into your food, but they can also harm the beneficial bacteria, worms, and other microbes in the soil.

Mix in compost, leaf and grass clippings, and manure to your soil for extra goodness too.

Composting is easy once you know, and there are so many compost bins available to make the process even easier!

How To Make Your Own Compost 

1. Measure out a space for your compost pile. This can be a simple pile or contained within a custom pen or bin ( can be rotated to improve results).

2. Add alternating carbon (brown) material layers such as leaves and garden trimmings. Then, nitrogen (green) material, such as kitchen scraps and manure, with a thin layer of soil in between.

3. Top the pile with four to six inches of soil. Turn the pile as new layers are added and water to create a humid and moist environment to promote microbe action. If it's cold, you should get beautiful crumbly compost in as little as two months or longer.

4. A properly maintained compost pile shouldn't smell. If it does, add more dry brown material (leaves, straw, or sawdust) and turn it more frequently.

Now you have your homemade compost; you can start sowing and growing seeds and begin your organic gardening journey.

Protecting Plants Without Pesticides

The most effective way to protect your plants and garden is by encouraging good bugs and keeping your garden tidy. You can even plant ‘companion plants’ to keep your garden free from nuisance pest feasts.

Encourage wildlife and good bugs such as hedgehogs, ladybirds, frogs and birds by planting a wildflower meadow or leaving a section of your garden to grow. Hedgehogs will appreciate a place to settle, while bugs love a ‘bug hotel’, which can be made easily by stacking twigs, wood and leaves then covering them with wire.

Don't reach for the chemical spray if you find that your plats have been attacked. Use neem oil (natural oil from neem trees) or soap spray can be made quickly and sprayed onto plants.

Maybe your plants have died because of root rot. We have the perfect product, Tricho Protect, which will help with this!

Use organic grow-mate products to boost your garden crop instead of chemical nutrients. Growth Max is an all-purpose plant food that increases soil fertility and aeration in the root zone by adding more organic matter. Growth Max contains Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulphate, Iron, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, Silica and a consortium of beneficial bacteria's.

Our products are OF&G certified organic.