Organic Gardening

The modern organic movement began in the late 1940s as a reaction to the increased use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers in the years after the Second World War.  In many respects, however, the principles of organic gardening have been practised for centuries.  Ancient writers like Virgil and Pliny commented on the importance of 'good husbandry to the health of the land'.  Thomas Tusser, in his classic work of of 1580 entitled 'Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandy', recommends crop rotation to maintain good health.  The 17th century English garden writer John Evelyn begins his 'Kalendarium Hortense' with a section describing how to enrich the ground in mid-winter with horse and sheeps dung.

Much of the current interest in organic gardening began in the 1960s when there was increasing concern about the growing levels of  environmental damage caused by pesticides and other agrochemicals.  The organic approach aims to reducd the effects that our gardens, farms and cities have upon the wider natural environment.  Activities such as recycling, using sustainably produced materials and avoiding pesticides and other harmful agrochemicals all help in this.  Organic gardening is often described as being a more natural way to garden.  This can make it appear somehow to be revolutionary, but in reality organic gardening draws from a vast resource of wisdom and experience amassed over thousands of years.  We only have to look back at our grandparents to realize that the were natural organic gardeners.  You could say that organic gardening is the marriage of good horticultural practice to an awareness of our impact upon our surroundings.

It would probably be quite difficult to go wholly organic, but the aim should be to aspire to the ideal solution.  Simple planning and the observance of good gardening practice can steadily improve your organic credentials and, with time, a natural balance will be established in your garden.  Ultimately the aim of of all organic gardeners,whether they are gardening in the city or the country, is to make choices appropriate to their situation.  It is better to take a few steps towards the organic way than to ignore it altogether.

Organic gardening is often presented as part of a more general 'organic movement'.  This movement owes its origins to a range of social philosophies, some of which are more fundamentalist than others.  The aim of organic gardening is to change the way that you garden and not your whole life.  There are many reasons for going organic and listed below are some of them.

Human Impact on the earth - Organic systems reduce dependance on non-renewable resources.  The world has an increasing population, but many of our resources are in limited supply.  Using renewable resources helps to secure our common future.

Traditional methods with modern techniques - Organic systems rely on a modern, scientific understanding of ecology and soil science.  They also depend on traditional methods of crop rotation to ensure soil fertility as well as weed and pest control.

Local solutions to global problems - The organic movement encourages individuals to act on a local level, while thinking about how this affects the world.

Best for biodiversity - Organic growing is friendlier to the environment, so there is a greater diversity of birds, butterflies and plants in organic gardens.

Minimise your waste - We produce a huge amount of waste, including packaging and kitchen and garden waste.  Recycling and waste reduction are key issues for organic living.

Mimicking natural systems - Organic gardening uses nature as it model and, by working in harmony with nature, aims to achieve a natural balance.  By maintaining this equilibrium, organic gardens become very stable entities.

We are what we eat - Organic systems recognize that our health is connected to the quality of our food and, ultimately, to the health of our soil.