Starting an organic garden in the city can be a rewarding experience in many ways. As the trend of rising food costs spreads across the globe, going back to the land is becoming a smarter and more affordable way to eat well. For Southern Californians who are concerned about caring for their environment and giving back to the land rather than contributing to its increasing decline, organic gardening can be an effective step toward preserving the land. You may need to make conscious adjustments to your spending habits and daily schedule, but you’ll soon learn to appreciate the rewards that come from growing your own produce.
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting your first attempt at farming, there are some tips you should know for starting any type of organic garden in the city. The main trick to organic gardening is figuring out how to work with nature in your original landscape and the weather conditions on your specific piece of land. The difficulty these days lies in overcoming the ways in which the natural landscape has been disturbed by chemicals and unnatural landscape conditions over the course of several decades. It will take a little extra effort on your part to recondition potentially damaged land, but nature is generally forgiving and will restore itself to its proper state as you persist in treating it with TLC.
Create strategies to reduce your work and maximize the production of your garden
After years of increased use of fertilizers and pesticides, gardeners have gotten out of the habit of planning in ways that encourage nature to take care of itself. Rather than trying to fully manage the garden with unnatural techniques, the idea is to create systems that allow the garden to do much of the work itself. As you begin plans for your organic garden, you’ll want to pay special attention to valuable insects, companion planting practices, and native plants that grow best in the climate and soil conditions in this area of Southern California. You should also think of ways you can attract pollinating insects, butterflies, and birds that will keep harmful pests out.
One of the most important priorities in creating a plot where an organic garden can thrive should be the multiplication of organic matter within the garden. The more organic material you can add to the soil, either with compost or other mulching material, the better the soil will be and the more your garden will produce for years to come. The organic material helps neutralize the effects of damage created by chemical fertilizers and excess salts that come from chlorinated tap water.
California native vegetation grows best in fall weather
Weather conditions in San Diego are most conducive to a fall garden, as October generally ushers in the rainy season and cooler temperatures. If you’re in a wildland area on the fringes of town, you’ll want to make sure you defend your yard against potential fire hazards that aren’t unusual in the area. Clear out dry, flammable and invasive plants and weeds near or around your garden plot and start collecting anything that can be composted and additional organic matter for growing your land. If it’s the fall season, work a generous amount of organic material into your current garden plots and plant some cool-weather crops like broccoli, snap peas, carrots, lettuce, and cilantro. If it’s spring, plant a layer of poppy seeds to work as a ground cover that will also improve the health of your soil for fall.