We are familiar with the term 'organic' for food production, for plants that we eat. For plants that we buy and grow for aesthetic reasons, the term is not so commonly used, yet the same principles apply.
Gardening chemical free and to promote soil health are two practices that will produce healthier, happier plants.
Chemical free
The keystone which supports all aspects of organic gardening is a chemical-free policy. Biocides, a catch-all for pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides et al. are sold in every garden centre as a tool for managing pests and diseases.
Aside from their toxicity to humans the main issue with these applications is their interference with the ecology of the garden. Killing an aphid population with a spray means no food for ladybirds which ultimately leads to a reliance on chemicals to control insect populations. Similarly, the glyphosate used to remove dandelions can be leached at a rate toxic to earthworms which reduces the health of the soil and thereby the plants growing in it.
Garden centres play a large role in the second, and subtly pernicious part to this story; the supply and sale of plants which have been grown using biocides. These accumulate into a cocktail of chemicals which are passed through the food chain back to humans. The solution is to buy plants from organic nurseries or to campaign your garden centre to sell organic plants.
Soil health
It may be helpful to think of the top layer of soil as equivalent to the shallow reefs of a tropical ocean. It is teeming with life, on a microscopic scale. Just like a coral reef it contains predators, omnivores, herbivores and detritivores. The interaction between these organisms, mycorrhizal fungi and plants creates the engine of your garden; poor soil health = poor plant health.
Looking after the health of the soil follows similar principles to looking after the health of the plants. Namely, avoiding synthetic chemicals, of which there are a tempting array containing primarily nitrogen, phosphorous or potassium in differing quantities to boost growth. Not only does the production of these fertilisers require large amounts of fossil fuels they also, paradoxically, weaken vegetation. For example, if plants can obtain nitrogen or phosphorous easily, from the input of fertilisers, this reduces the movement of carbon into the soil degenerating its structure.
An exciting concept to think about is 'biological sequestration' which is the process of rebuilding topsoil. With appropriate conditions carbon is sequestered into the soil which in turn builds soil and plant health. Your garden thus becomes part of the climate change solution as well as providing the best conditions for your plants to be healthy.
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