What is organic farming?
Broadly, a sustainable system is an organic system comprising conservation of resources such as water, soil and energy, use of renewable resources and preservation of quality of the environment. The defining feature of organic farming is its closed production cycle regulated by organic certification standards.
Thus, any breach of organic certification standards is a mistake that you should avoid. Here’s a look at 5 mistakes that even experienced organic gardeners commit:
Not taking a holistic perspective
Organic farming is quite different from traditional farming. All aspects of farming have to be relooked with the organic farming lens. Soil, crops, fertilisers, pesticides, water, climate and other aspects need to be tailor-made for organic farming. Secondly, there are organic farming standards to be followed. Therefore, before you start your organic farming journey you have to conduct detailed research on all aspects and consult with experts. You have to consider your organic farming activity holistically and then commence the activity. You will face hurdles as you go along much to your chagrin if you don’t do this. Avoid making this mistake.
To avoid making this mistake you can learn how to build a veggie garden here, which will take you through all aspects of organic farming.
Untested soil
Perhaps this is one mistake which can continue to haunt you for years to come. You should not ignore testing of the soil you are going to use for gardening. The testing can determine the composition of chemicals in your original soil. Based on this you can add required organic matter such as green manure, approved composted industry waste and composted poultry and animal manure.
Using synthetics
The very objective of organic farming is to use natural substances instead of synthetic substances. This applies to fertilizers and pesticides, including fungicides and herbicides. Often, there is a tendency to use synthetic pesticides or fertilisers for quick resolution of some problem or the other. Whatever be the temptation, you should avoid using anything synthetic that contains harmful chemicals. Even using synthetic herbicides before planting is a mistake as these leave trace elements that can enter your closed system and spoil the organic nature of your gardening.
Ignoring role of climate
If you are using an outdoor garden for organic farming then climate plays an important role. When it rains you have to protect some of the plants and probably not water them for some time. If the sun is too harsh then some plants can’t survive. Further, the climate is different in different seasons and you have to take these into account. Ignoring the effects of climate is detrimental to your organic farming enterprise.
Over enthusiasm
While doing your research on organic farming you will think it is easy. But, reading and doing are two different things. In your euphoria to get moving you can take on more than you can handle. Therefore, it is advisable to take on slightly less than your capacity leaving room for mid-course corrections as you go forward. Secondly, if you take on too much you may not be able spend enough time on each type of crop grown. Therefore, curb your enthusiasm and take on less than what you can handle. Once you get the hang of organic farming you can take on more crops and even start experimenting.
Organic farming is quite exciting. If you can avoid the mistakes detailed above you can really get your organic veggie garden to give you the veggies you consume in your own home. With this one aspect of your healthy lifestyle is taken care of.
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