Organic gardening

WHY GARDEN?


Gardening can provide a plethora of benefits including better health, the chance to eat live foods, it’s better for self- sufficiency, and eating better foods leads to better thinking.

Here at the GreenDesert.org we will not try to convince you to garden; the fact that you are here says you are interested in the next step.  Our goal is to educate you on ways to make taking that next step easier and more rewarding.

Here at the GreenDesert.org we will not try to convince you to garden; the fact that you are here says you are interested in the next step.  Our goal is to educate you on ways to make taking that next step easier and more rewarding.

When it’s all said and done you will be producing beautiful meals out of your garden. Here are three meals all from the garden, breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We will focus on three forms of gardening that we practice in our own home: Organic Vegetables, Organic Herbs, and Organic Medicinal gardening.

 

Starting a vegetable garden

To start a vegetable garden, its best to find out what plants you can plant in your area.  The best places to find this information is with a planting chart for your area, or your local nursery.  The planting chart or nursery can help with starting from seeds or plants.  After you figure out what you’re going to plant, you need to choose a location.  Consider how much sun the area receives.  You may also need to take measures to reduce weed growth.  The next step will be soil.  You can buy organic soil and organic compost separately or combined with planting soil.  Of course you should use your own compost if it’s ready.

Once the soil is well mixed you are ready to plant.  Usually the plant or seed packet will have instructions on spacing, how deep to plant and when to harvest.

Winter Plants Summer Plants
Broccoli Watermelon
Lettuce Cantaloupe
Spinach Tomatoes
Brussel sprouts Corn
Carrots Cucumbers
Greens Okra
Cabbage Beans
Cauliflower  

Some people are discouraged by the blazing Arizona heat.  You’d be surprised at how many things grow very well in our climate.

We’ve had much success in our garden with several edible plants, including okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, lettuce, spinach, cowpeas and tomatoes.  All of these foods grew so well that we couldn’t keep up with them.  As for the okra, it grew so rapidly that we had to harvest every single day.  The watermelon vines grew so well that the vines spread throughout and outside of our 8’x10′ beds… and they grew from old watermelon seeds we let dry out after eating watermelon the season before.

Did you know?

Raw organic foods have stronger energy than cooked foods

 

10 sq ft gardening plot has the potential to feed a family of four


Organic vegetables have a better flavor than those that are commercially grown


Vegetable garden can be as simple as planting pots outside