The first principle of organic gardening is to feed the soil, let the soil feed the plants, and the plants will feed you. If you constantly enrich the soil, the plants will thrive and provide an abundant, nutritious harvest for you. Don’t let the plants suffer for lack of nutrients. Even if you give them an occasional shot of fertilizer, remember the long term. Do whatever you can to enrich the soil by concentrating nutrients, whether by composting, growing green manures and cover crops, or simply mulching your crops and then turning under the mulch so it decomposes.
Six Principles – Feed The Soil
- Feed The Soil
- Take Only What You Need
- Embrace Diversity
- Lose The Calendar
- Intervene As Little As Possible
- Live and Learn
For a little more depth you can check out this YouTube from a lecture series I gave in Shepherdstown, WV a few years ago. Sorry there is no audio, but I am converting the whole series into a free downloadable book. If you would like to be on the list to receive a copy of the free book on organic principles when it is finished, email me at seed2tablebook(at)gmail.com and I will put you on the distribution list. This list will only be used to notify you of new book releases. To receive regular updates on this website, you should Subscribe to Garden Smarts by Email.