Organic Gardens

An increasingly popular pastime, organic gardening favors natural and organic materials over synthetic chemicals and compounds.

As with any vegetable or flower garden, an organic garden needs a well-drained spot where it'll get plenty of sunlight.

Provide nutrients to your plants by incorporating organic matter like composted animal manure into the soil at least three weeks before planting, since these materials are slow-working. Mixed organic fertilizers can be added right before planting.

Water your organic garden early in the morning to help prevent disease, and solarize the soil each summer to combat nematodes. Hand-pick insects, or use horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps, or other low toxicity products to control them.

UF/IFAS Sites

• Organic Gardening

UF/IFAS Publications

• Managing the Organic Garden (PDF)
• Natural Products for Insect Pest Management
• Producing Garden Vegetables with Organic Soil Amendments

Also on Gardening in a Minute

• Composting: Introduction
• Horticultural Soaps
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Organic Fertilizers
• Organic Lawn Care
• Soil Solarization

Other Sites

• Fertilizing the Organic Garden--University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension (PDF)
• Growing Vegetables Organically--University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
• Intensive Organic Gardening--Ohio State University Extension
• Organic Gardening--Louisiana State University AgCenter (PDF)
• Organic Gardening--Washington State University Extension (PDF)
• Organic Gardening: A Guide to Resources--USDA Alternative Farming Systems Information Center
• Organic Gardening Techniques--University of Missouri Extension
• Some Pesticides Permitted in Organic Gardening--Colorado State University Cooperative Extension
• Using Organic Fungicides--Purdue (IN) Extension (PDF)
• Vegetables: Organic Gardening--Mississippi State University Extension Service