Starting and Sustaining a Pesticide-Free Garden

By: Carrie Spencer of thespencersadventures.net

This is a guest article from fellow blogger, Carrie Spencer, on the importance of keeping a pesticide-free garden and tips on how to go about maintaining one.

For more inspiration on living sustainably through beekeeping and other green practices, read more on Katkoot’s Beehive Stories!

There are many reasons to take up gardening. Gardening can be a way to spend time outside, with nature and the elements. It is also an opportunity for families and friends to come together and create something beautiful. In addition, it provides healthy, pesticide-free food for you and your family all year long! But the most important reason of all? You’ll save money on groceries because fresh produce from your garden will cost less than store-bought fruits and vegetables.

When you grow organic fruit in your own backyard, you don’t have to worry about pesticides or other chemicals that might harm your health or impact pollinators and pollute our planet! So if you’re ready to start a healthy garden, keep reading to learn our top tips.

3 Helpful Tips for New Gardeners

Choose the best location for your garden

• Find the sunniest spot in your yard to plant your garden. Which side of your house gets the most hours of sunlight throughout the day? 
• Choose a location with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day (10 or more is ideal if possible). 
• Make sure that you’ll be able to easily tend to it! It’s better to plant a small garden that you can maintain and tend to than a large, overwhelming plot of land. Remember, the more work your garden requires, the less likely you are to keep it!
• Consider consulting a land surveyor to ensure you don’t start your garden on your neighbour’s property.

Getting rid of pests without chemicals

Pests can be a huge problem in your garden, especially if you’re growing fruits and veggies. Insects such as aphids, caterpillars, beetles, grasshoppers, mites, slugs, and more will wreak havoc on the plants that you are trying to grow. Luckily there are plenty of ways to deter pests naturally, without harming the innocent. Here are some simple solutions:

• Pinch off or remove troubled leaves. This one is pretty self-explanatory! If you notice that a plant has an infestation of aphids or mites, simply pinch off the offending leaf and throw it away in your compost bin.
• Plant flowers that attract beneficial insects. Some common flowers that attract beneficial insects include daisies, dill, marigolds, and chamomile.
• Planting herbs like mint will also attract the natural predators of pests.

Plant the right plants for your climate and soil type

• Know your soil type. Different plants grow best in different soil types. Some plants need a lot of water while others thrive with less.
• Choose the right plant for your climate and know what type of care it will need once you bring it home. For example, if you live somewhere where there is minimal annual rainfall, make sure that the plant you choose is drought tolerant. If you have alkaline soil, look for plants that are specifically labeled to grow in alkaline soils.
• You can find out what type of soil you have by having a sample tested. Check out some of these quality soil test kits.

You Don’t Need Chemicals for a Thriving Garden!

You don’t need to use pesticides or chemicals on your plants in order to have a thriving garden. There are plenty of ways you can get rid of pests and grow healthy produce without the use of any harmful substances. This article discussed some easy ways to get started and sustain a chemical-free garden. We hope this post has been helpful. If there is anything else we can do, please let us know!

Featured Image via Pexels